Pirates
eclipse Stars
as
Billingham’s struggle continues
Billingham Stars 2
Hull Pirates 7
Preparing to play host
to Hull Pirates for one last time this season, Billingham Stars lined up with
sixteen skaters which included on ice leaders Michael Elder, Chris Sykes and
Callum Davies whilst player-coaches Michael Bowman and Richie Thornton, defenceman
Andy Finn and backup netminder Mark Watson were amongst those missing for the
outfit. Hull, meanwhile, made the trip to The Forum with their full roster; top
points scorer Matty Davies, player-coach Jason Hewitt and right winger Bobby
Chamberlain amongst those taking to the ice whilst new signing Adam Long
assumed his place between the pipes after making the switch from Peterborough
Phantoms last week.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
|
Determined to cause
problems for the Stars from faceoff, Hull went after their first goal in the
opening minutes and immediately sought possession whilst Billingham were
hopeful of contending with the Pirates in order to take something from this
encounter. Though both netminders were called upon in the early moments, it was
the visitors who were able to establish a lead as Hewitt teamed up with Davies
to allow Chamberlain to bury the puck beyond netminder James Flavell with 7:29
on the clock. Striving to battle back from this goal, the Stars worked hard to
build possession in an attempt to snatch an equaliser but Hull were willing to
bide their time and fired a second home just under seven minutes later as
forward Lee Bonner made it 2-0 courtesy of alternate captain Samuel Towner and
right winger James Archer. With time having passed before the side replied with
their second, the Pirates were keen to ensure that their next goal followed
swiftly as Hewitt received a pass from defenceman Lee Haywood to snatch hold of a goal-scoring opportunity he could not refuse. Just over
a minute later though, the Stars were spurred into action as a result of their
three-goal deficit, forward Josh Nertney bursting the net on 16:59 with a
fantastic shot following linkup play between defencemen Matthew Campbell and
Thomas Keeley. Heading in with this glimmer of hope ahead of the second period,
the Stars filed in on the wrong end of the 3-1 score line with the aim to chip
away at their deficit further.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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It was not long after
the teams’ return to the ice that Hull Pirates went shorthanded; captain Jamie
Chilcott taking a seat in the sin bin for interference to hand Billingham a
power play. However, the Pirates did not allow this penalty to set them back
and instead found the target for a fourth time when Towner teamed up with
Archer once again to assist the right winger’s effort on goal. Just fifty
seconds later though, the visitors handed the Stars a twenty-one second
five-on-three situation as Haywood was sinbinned for crosschecking. Though
unable to pull back a goal on the advantage, Billingham built sufficient momentum to score shortly afterwards, alternate captain Chris Sykes receiving the
puck from Latvian import Deniss Baškatovs to assist fellow forward James Moss
on 26:09. With both netminders continuing to be as equally troubled throughout
this period, the game broke out into a stalemate in which neither side could
add to their tallies and it was little surprise when this battle bubbled over;
Stars’ defenceman Matty Campbell and Pirates’ forward Jordan Fisher each
earning 2+2 for roughing with just under three minutes remaining in the period.
As such, it was only in the final minute of the stanza that these players were
restored to the ice, leaving Hull to head in with their 4-2 lead.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
|
With a two-goal deficit
to eradicate, Billingham were aiming to grab a third goal but found themselves
hindered less than three minutes into the final stanza when blue liner Ben
Davison was sidelined for hooking to hand Hull the advantage. Working hard to
kill this penalty, the Stars were effective in defence to see off the Pirates’
attacking play but it was not long after that the visitors were able to make it
5-2, Hewitt with his second of the evening as Davies worked with defenceman
Chris Wilcox to ensure their player-coach was successful in his endeavour. Soon
after, Billingham’s ‘D’ man Darren Stattersfield then made way for slashing to
again award Hull the advantage which they were all too eager to capitalise on,
Davies beating Flavell with support from alternate captain Jonathan Kirk and
Bonner close to the halfway point in the period. With Hull now testing Flavell
even more so than before whilst the Stars sought their own opportunities at the
other end of the ice, the Pirates were soon able to complete their goal count
on 55:51 when Chamberlain seized the opportunity to notch his seventeenth goal
of the season following some neat offensive play from Hewitt and Davies. The
score line 7-2, the Pirates dominated possession in the latter stages as Billingham once
again accepted defeat, the side remaining in ninth place with five points ahead
of Sunday’s game against Solihull Barons.
Warriors suffer heavy loss as Pirates
target top spot
Hull Pirates 11
Whitley Warriors 0
Travelling to Hull
without stand-in defenceman Martin Crammond, Canadian import Philip Edgar, blue liners Harry Harley and Dan
Pye, and forwards Adam Finlinson and Ben Richards,
Whitley Warriors were realistic in their expectations of this game as they readied
themselves to contend with a strong Pirates’ team which consisted of top points
scorer Matty Davies, right winger Bobby Chamberlain and four-time EIHL champion
Jason Hewitt.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Starting the game as
they meant to go on, Hull assumed possession and were eager to maintain it as
they very quickly began to put Warriors’ netminder Richie Lawson under pressure
which soon paid off, the home team opening their account on
4:39 when alternate captain Samuel Towner struck the net after forward Lee Bonner
picked up the puck from defenceman Chris Wilcox to set up his teammate. Disappointed to have conceded in under five minutes, the Warriors looked for
opportunities of their own but shot stopper Adam Long and his defence remained
sturdy at the other end of the ice to prevent Whitley from drawing level. The
pressure beginning to show at the halfway point of the period, a delayed
holding call against ‘D’ man Liam Smedley resulted in the Pirates taking full
advantage, this time Bonner linking up with right winger James Archer who
swiftly printed his name on the scoresheet. Just over four minutes later
though, it was Hull’s turn to run into penalty trouble when Bonner incurred a
minor for boarding to reduce his side to four men. Though on the power play, the
Warriors could not capitalise as instead, Hull made it 3-0 one second after the termination of their penalty, this time Davies shining in front of goal
following neat play from Archer on 17:41. Unable to respond to their three-goal
deficit ahead of the break, Whitley filed from the ice with the knowledge that
they had much work to do if they were to quash the Pirates on their return to
the ice.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Facing off for
the second stanza, Whitley soon found themselves shorthanded when defenceman
Josh Maddock was shown to the sin bin for delaying the game to hand Hull
the advantage but this was one that they were unable to make count as the Warriors
killed the penalty with success. Placed under pressure, Lawson was
repeatedly called upon to see off the Pirates’ attack whilst Whitley looked to
counter in the hope that they could get a lucky break but it was not to be.
With just over twenty eight minutes of the game played, Hull’s forward Aaron
Lyon was sidelined for a high sticks offence but this power play did not work
in favour of the Warriors as fifty seconds later, Davies broke free with the
puck to fire his unassisted effort beyond Lawson to make it 4-0 on 29:05.
Moments later, the Warriors were again under fire as the onslaught continued
and it was little surprise when Lyon added a fifth to his team’s tally courtesy
of forward Josh Gent and alternate captain Jonathan Kirk. Shortly after this
goal, captain Jamie Chilcott was made to warm a seat in the sin bin for
slashing but again, the Warriors found no advantage from this call as Davies
completed his hat trick with a second shorthanded goal to make it 6-0, this
time Hewitt supplying the puck to the forward. Defeated by their growing
deficit, Whitley called a timeout but found it incredibly difficult to make any of their attempts
count after resuming play and, as the period drew to a close, the Warriors conceded a seventh
unanswered goal as right winger Chamberlain netted with just one second
remaining in the period courtesy of Chilcott and Davies.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
|
Heading into the third
and final period with the aim of damage limitation, the Warriors were dismayed
to see the Pirates pick up from where they left off, Chamberlain firing home
his second of the evening on 41:14, Davies again assisting, though this time
alongside defenceman Lee Haywood. In consequence, it was not long before
tensions began to show as Warrior Callum Watson exchanged blows with Haywood
before the duo were separated and sent to the sin bin to each serve penalties
of 2+2 for fighting. Just sixteen seconds after this fight, Chamberlain
completed his hat trick as Davies and Hewitt arrived in support to add to
Whitley’s woes. Less than two minutes later though, the visitors suffered a
further setback when a slashing call against Smedley prompted a reaction from Warrior Ryan Sample which resulted in him joining his teammate in the
box to serve a ten minute misconduct penalty. With Watson and Haywood restored to the ice close to the fifty minute
mark, it was not long after that the home team were able to take their goal
count into double figures as Davies and Chamberlain turned assist for their
player-coach to see Hewitt accomplish his seventeenth league goal of his campaign on
50:50 which prompted a change of netminder for Whitley as the side switched Lawson for backup netminder Jordan Boyle. With around five minutes left in the game, Pirate
Cain Taylor made a hit on young forward Anthony Wetherell which saw the pair
engage in a battle, the Warrior edging the victory in this instance and neither
punished for their actions. However, Hull then found themselves
on the power play as Smedley was found guilty of high sticks on 55:43 to hand
his opposition further advantage. Again effective on the penalty kill, Whitley
ensured that their latest misdemeanour did not lead to a goal but this was of
no concern to the home team who watched their visitors return to full strength
only to hammer the puck beyond Boyle just over a minute later, Gent wrapping up his
side’s goal tally as forward Jordan Fisher snatched an assist alongside Lyon
with just under two minutes remaining in the period. Whilst it initially seemed
that the final buzzer would bring Whitley’s misery to an end, Warrior Ryan
Sample opted to drop the gloves with Hull’s right winger Chamberlain to earn
himself 2+2+10 for fighting and misconduct whilst the latter picked up 2+2 for
fighting for his involvement in the incident. As a result of their 11-0 defeat,
Whitley remain in seventh place with eighteen points from nineteen games whilst
Hull now find themselves within a point of league leaders Sheffield Steeldogs,
having played the same amount of games as their title rivals.
Reflecting on his side’s
heavy loss, player-coach David Longstaff shared: “The gulf between the old EPL
teams and last year’s league is massive and we’d find it hard to compete with a
full team so travelling away without the same players, who never play away games, puts all the regular players under the cosh straight away.”
Barons overpower Billingham as Stars
strive for points
Solihull Barons 7
Billingham Stars 4
Making the trip to Hobs
Moat Road following their 7-2 home defeat to Hull Pirates, Billingham Stars
were hopeful that they could bounce back with a win over Solihull Barons and
travelled with sixteen skaters besides netminders James Flavell and Callum Reynolds;
the outfit missing forward Scott Ward, player-coach Richie Thornton, alternate
captain Callum Davies, backup netminder Mark Watson and defenceman Ross Hanlon.
Likewise, the Barons also boasted a strong line-up which included captain Josh
Bruce, Swedish import Niklas Ottosson, forward Thomas Soar and Brittle brothers
Adam and Luke.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
|
Hopeful that they could
make a positive start to this game in order to provide a platform to build on,
the Stars were soon disappointed to go shorthanded as blue liner Ben Davison
received 2+2 for crosschecking and unsportsmanlike conduct. Not about to pass
up this opportunity to seize an early lead in the game, Solihull set their
sights on goal with success as forward Luke Brittle netted on 5:35 after
Ottosson played the puck to alternate captain Marcus Maynard. With Davison’s
penalty terminated on 7:35 as a result, the Stars sought to equalise to ensure
their opposition did not extend their lead but just two minutes later, Flavell
was again picking the puck from his net as the Barons doubled their tally, this
time forward Philip Mulcahy hitting home after left winger Bruce integrated him
into play following a pass from Adam Brittle. Moments later, Solihull found themselves on the back foot as defenceman Dave Rogers
was sidelined for slashing to award Billingham a power play. The visitors
strove to test Barons’ netminder Josh Nicholls and in the end, it was Latvian
import Deniss Baškatovs who reaped the rewards of his hard work, the forward
finding the target on 11:42 to make it 2-1. Shortly afterwards, the Barons went shorthanded when Bruce was sinbinned for slashing to hand the advantage
back to the Stars but on this occasion, Billingham could not capitalise and it
would be an opportunity that they would quickly regret as Solihull returned to
full strength only to make it 3-1, Adam Brittle beating Flavell with support
from Mulcahy and ‘D’ man James Moeller to restore his team’s two-goal cushion.
Twenty three seconds later, Stars’ defenceman Matthew Campbell headed to the
sin bin for unsportsmanlike conduct but the Teessiders worked hard to kill this
penalty and were subsequently able to head in just two goals behind the Barons
at the first interval, though Solihull had outshot the side by twenty one shots
to nine.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
|
Returning for the
second period, Billingham were determined to make sure that the game did not slip from
their grasp and were intent on competing to a high standard against the Barons
which was demonstrated in the opening moments of this stanza as both teams
enjoyed their fair share of the puck to see both netminders tested. A tripping
penalty for Slovakian alternate captain Tomas Janak saw the Stars again gain a
power play as the Barons struggled to maintain their discipline but the
Teessiders could not make this chance count despite the pressure they placed
upon netminder Nicholls to see the score line remain 3-1. With neither team
managing to get on the scoresheet in spite of their efforts, it
was only when the Barons’ captain Bruce made way for high sticks in the final
minute of the period that Billingham were finally able to snatch their second
goal of the evening, alternate captain Chris Sykes the man on target as he
netted with just three seconds of the period remaining following assists from
defencemen Artūrs Ozols and Andy Finn.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
Taking heart from their
second goal, Billingham returned in search of an equaliser but their hopes were
quickly dashed when ‘D’ man Rogers unleashed an unassisted effort to make it
4-2 with just over a minute and a half of the third period played. Down but
certainly not out, the Stars continued to rally in their efforts to get back
into the game, knowing that they could still take something from the contest if
they placed enough pressure on the home side. After several efforts from both
teams, Billingham were eventually able to retaliate as Ozols achieved the fifth league goal of his campaign after a
neat pass from captain Michael Elder to again see his side close in on their opposition. Just fifty seven seconds later though, a hooking penalty
for Baškatovs reduced Billingham to four men to allow Solihull the additional
man and it was a chance that they were eager to convert, the outfit again
widening the margin between themselves and the Stars as Janak teamed up with
Adam Brittle to allow Bruce to print his name on the scoresheet. Unwilling to
give up at this stage in the game, Billingham showed fortitude to bounce back
with a goal of their own just over five minutes later as forward James Moss
claimed a fourth for his side whilst Baškatovs made amends for his previous
misdemeanour to assist alongside Davison. Moments later, the Stars suffered a
setback when Elder incurred a ten minute misconduct penalty. Calling a timeout, Billingham set out to draw level
but just twelve seconds after Elder’s penalty was dished out, the Barons
responded to make it 6-4, Ottosson’s unassisted shot flying beyond Flavell to
crush the Stars’ objective. A tripping call against Solihull’s Matthew
Maurice followed moments after this goal and Billingham opted to pull Flavell
from his net as a result but the Barons were undeterred by their efforts and
instead achieved an empty net goal on 59:21 through Bruce, again assisted by
Adam Brittle, to conclude proceedings as the Stars recorded a 7-4 defeat.
