NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors extinguish Dragons’ fire to secure sixth place

The Dragons            5

Whitley Warriors       9

Making the trip to Deeside with sixteen skaters and netminders Richie Lawson and Rory Dunn, Whitley Warriors travelled without forwards Callum Watson, Adam Finlinson and Anthony Wetherell as well as defencemen Will Robson, Josh Maddock, Dan Pye and Sam Zajac to equal The Dragons in number. Hoping to make an impact in their final league game of their 2017-18 campaign, Gary Shaw’s side lined up with a strong team which included captain James Parsons, fan favourite Owen Bennett and hardworking defenceman Ross Kennedy.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson     

Ready to battle, The Dragons were prepared to make this contest a difficult one for their visitors and though the Warriors were able to pepper netminder Graeme Bird with shot after shot, the home team worked hard in defence to prevent Whitley from grabbing an early lead. Continuing to break down the Dragons’ defence in response to their opposition’s defiance, the Warriors finally reaped the rewards of their efforts when forward Ryan Sample hit the net on 10:12, versatile defenceman Stuart Tomlinson teaming up with blue liner Harry Harley to make it 1-0. Shortly afterwards, captain Dean Holland clashed with Dragons’ defenceman Craig Lutkevitch to see both players sinbinned for slashing. Undeterred by this penalty, the Warriors doubled their lead just thirty seconds later when Harley teamed up with player-coach David Longstaff to allow Canadian import Philip Edgar a chance on goal and the skilled forward did not miss his mark. Thirty nine seconds later, Bird was again picking the puck from his net, this time alternate captain Jordan Barnes printing his name on the scoresheet courtesy of fellow forward Ben Richards. Moments later, the Warriors went shorthanded when blue liner Kyle Ross was shown to the sin bin for boarding on 13:37 to award the Dragons a power play but despite their efforts, the home team could not contend with Whitley’s penalty kill to allow the Hillheads outfit to return to full strength with their 3-0 lead intact. Seventeen seconds after this penalty was served, Lutkevitch and Holland clashed for a second time, the duo respectively sinbinned for crosschecking and embellishment. With forty two seconds of this penalty remaining, the Dragons then found themselves shorthanded when forward Paul Davies made way for boarding. However, the Welsh outfit worked effectively on the penalty kill and were able to beat shot stopper Lawson just five seconds after returning to full strength as Parsons led by example to chip away at his team’s deficit following neat play from Kennedy and defenceman Joshua Richardson to head in at the break with some hope as a result of the narrow 3-1 score line.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice with the aim to build on their lead, the Warriors were again faced with the difficult Dragons who headed out in search of a second goal to claw their way back into the game. As a result, Whitley were again forced to battle against the home team’s defence which remained strong until 30:29 when long serving Warrior DJ Good linked up with Holland to see his captain find the target to make it 4-1. Whilst the Dragons strove to retaliate, the side struggled to beat Lawson for a second time as Whitley’s defence remained resolute to keep the Deeside outfit at bay. Though outshooting Bird’s team by fifteen shots to six as a result of their strong offensive work and prolonged possession, the Warriors could not find a fifth goal in this period and as such, headed in at the second interval with just a three-goal margin between themselves and their opposition.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off for the third and final period, the Warriors switched netminder Lawson for Dunn to allow the latter some ice time and were disappointed to lose a man to the sin bin with just over two minutes played when Edgar incurred a penalty for slashing to hand the Dragons a power play. Just thirteen seconds later, Whitley notched a shorthanded goal when alternate captain Shaun Kippin scored against his former club, Barnes and Harley bagging assists. Less than a minute later, the puck again struck the net but this time for the Dragons who were able to achieve a power play goal as a result of Edgar’s punishment, Parsons turning assist for Kennedy who altered the scoreboard to 5-2. Wasting no time, the Warriors then hit back on 44:44 as Richards achieved his thirteenth league goal of the season with an unassisted shot to beat Bird. The Dragons responded to this by beating Dunn for a second time in the period as ‘D’ man Ryan Jones netted with support arriving from Bennett and Kennedy. Continuing to attack, the Warriors then made it 7-3 when Barnes achieved his second of the evening as Richards received the puck from blue liner Liam Smedley to assist their alternate captain. A holding penalty for Smedley soon followed this goal to present the Dragons with a power play and, though unable to make the most of their additional man, the Welsh side were able to build momentum to score a fourth on 54:54 as Davies surpassed Whitley’s defence following play from Kennedy to reduce his side’s deficit to three. Sixteen seconds later, Longstaff’s line-up added another to their tally as Holland turned assist for Good alongside Sample to recover their four-goal lead. Again though, the Dragons were able to demonstrate their resilience when defenceman Chad Wynne achieved a fifth goal for his side after passing play between fellow blue liner Kenneth Williams and forward Bennett on 56:22. In consequence of this goal, the Warriors were keen to have the final say, Barnes completing his hat trick to make it 9-5 following neat work from Kippin and Holland, the alternate captain earning himself Man of the Match in the process.

Hawks outshine Stars to swoop on points

Blackburn Hawks     6

Billingham Stars        4 

Journeying to Blackburn Ice Arena with just thirteen skaters, Billingham Stars found themselves without forwards Josh Nertney, Scott Ward and Ethan Hehir as well as defencemen Andy Finn, Darren Stattersfield, James Hellens, Ben Davison and Ross Hanlon, the side opting for backup netminder Mark Watson between the pipes in place of usual shot stopper James Flavell. Blackburn, meanwhile, filed onto the ice with just one skater more than their visitors, their line-up including forwards Corey Stones, Rick Bentham and Kieran Brown.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Setting out to bounce back from last weekend’s derby defeat, Billingham Stars were quick off the mark in this contest, Alex Preston making an early impression when he hit the net on 2:29, fellow forward Jack Emerson and Latvian defenceman Artūrs Ozols working together to assist. Disappointed to concede with less the three minutes on the clock, the Hawks levelled the scoring just over a minute later as Bentham made his unassisted effort count to cancel out Billingham’s advantage. Moments later, Hawks’ captain Ollie Lomax and Stars’ defenceman Matthew Campbell sat out for slashing as tempers began to flare. With both teams continuing to work hard to compete for their next goal, netminders Watson and Niks Trapans found themselves tested but for the second time in the game, it was Billingham who were able to take the lead as Ozols fired home an unassisted effort on 13:13 to make it 2-1 in favour of the Stars. The Hawks rallied once again to ensure a quick response to this goal and were able to equalise for a second time as Stones printed his name on the scoresheet with an unassisted shot of his own just over a minute later. Outshooting the Stars by seventeen shots to ten in this period, Blackburn continued to strive for a third goal in their efforts to take the lead but it wasn’t to be as both sides saw their offensive work go to waste ahead of the first interval and as such, headed in with two goals apiece.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the second period, both teams were keen to get ahead in the contest but neither could do so, the outfits working as equally hard to find the net. Though both teams battled for possession, it was not until 29:06 that the next goal arrived and this time it was Blackburn who took the lead, the side making it 3-2 when Finnish defenceman Kim Miettinen found the target following a pass from experienced forward Aaron Davies. Forty one seconds later, the Hawks added a fourth to their tally to create a two-goal cushion between themselves and the Stars as defenceman Lewis Baldwin linked up with forward James Riddoch to present Slovakian import Jozef Ištocy with an opportunity to achieve his thirteenth league goal of the season much to Billingham’s dismay. Fifty three seconds later, the Stars conceded another, this time Stones bagging his second of the evening to make it 5-2 on 30:40, two-way player Brown and alternate captain James Neil assisting. This goal prompted a time out from the Teessiders who were stunned to have conceded three goals in the space of ninety four seconds and as play resumed, Billingham clawed back a goal on 33:01 as Latvian import Deniss Baškatovs beat Trapans following build-up play from fellow forward James Moss. Focused on chipping away at their deficit, the Stars sought to wear down Blackburn’s defence further and were able to go within a goal of their opposition with less than two minutes remaining in the period as Chris Sykes claimed his thirty ninth league goal of the season following a pass from fellow alternate captain Callum Davies to make the score line 5-4 going into the third period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off for the third and final stanza, Billingham were hopeful that they could still recover the points from this game and their situation appeared to improve when Hawks’ forward Riddoch headed to the sin bin for tripping. However, thirty eight seconds into this penalty, Blackburn accomplished a shorthanded goal to make it 6-4 as Brown once again worked his magic to bury the puck beyond Watson without assistance. Despondent to find themselves two goals behind yet again, the Stars fought for opportunities to test Trapans but, despite their many attempts, Billingham could not grab another goal and were forced to work in defence as the Hawks sought to extend their lead. As the period progressed without further scoring, Blackburn then found themselves a man short as Stones was ejected from the game for a high sticks offence against Sykes to see the visitors handed a five minute power play as a result. Try as they might to make this count, Billingham struggled as the Hawks worked effectively to kill the penalty with success. With just over a minute of this penalty remaining, Blackburn’s skilled youngster James Royds provoked a reaction from Star Jack Davies following a slashing offence which saw both players receive 2+2 for fighting whilst Royds incurred two minutes for his original offence and Davies was handed an additional minor for roughing, these penalties timed at 57:47. This incident disrupting play, neither side were able to achieve another goal, meaning the final buzzer brought with it a 6-4 loss for the Stars.

Sharks fail to tame Tigers as Solway suffers narrow home defeat 

Solway Sharks       2

Telford Tigers          3

Taking to the ice with just thirteen skaters, Solway Sharks knew that this game would be a challenging one as the Dumfries outfit had a lengthy absentee list made up of defencemen Kyle Horne and Scott Cooper, two-way player Jordan Buesa and youngsters Ben Coughtrie, Liam Stenton and Luke and Lewis Houston. By comparison, Telford Tigers made the lengthy trip with sixteen players, including youngsters Jed Moreland, Daniel Mitchell and Brodie Jesson.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Immediately making a positive impact in the early stages of the first period, Telford fired themselves into the lead on 1:46 through forward Jack Watkins who was helped onto the scoresheet by defenceman Adam Jones and former Dragon Scott McKenzie. Responding to this goal as quickly as possible, the Sharks reacted just sixteen seconds later as forward Duncan Speirs collected the puck from forward Joe Coulter to rush on goal, making a pass to the side’s top points scorer Iain Bowie who slotted home on 2:02. The score level, Solway strove to achieve as much as possible from their last game of the regular season and tested shot stopper Denis Bell whereas the Tigers looked to battle with the side’s defence to regain their lead in the clash. An interference penalty against Canadian captain Jason Silverthorn saw Solway gain a power play on 14:11 but the side could not make their offensive efforts count with the additional skater and eventually regretted their missed chances as the side went shorthanded themselves just over two minutes later; Coulter making way for tripping. As such, the Tigers punished the Shark’s misdemeanour to snatch a second goal before the break, this time forward Warren Tait the man on target as alternate captain Rick Plant and defenceman Corey Goodison linked up to make it 2-1 on 19:09. Still within reach of the points, Solway went in at the break with the knowledge that they could get back into this game.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As play resumed for the middle stanza, the Tigers beat Sharks’ netminder Calum Hepburn just twenty four seconds into the period as Plant linked up with Silverthorn to assist his captain. Though disappointed to have conceded a goal so quickly in the period, Solway continued to battle for possession whilst working hard in defence to prevent Tom Watkins’ team from further increasing the margin between the two sides. With both netminders equally tested at either end of the ice, a stalemate ensued to see the teams struggle to get on the scoreboard, though they strove to carve a path through on goal time and again. In consequence of the closely competitive nature of this period, the score line remained unchanged to see Telford go into the final third with a 3-1 lead as the Sharks continued to search for a way back into the game without success.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the final stanza, the Sharks were pleased to gain their second power play of the game when Telford’s forward McKenzie made way for holding on 41:45. Unable to beat the Tigers with the additional skater, though they tried their luck against shot stopper Bell on more than one occasion, Solway were pleased to be handed another opportunity to grab a goal with the advantage when the Tigers incurred a bench infringement penalty less than two minutes after returning to full strength. Again though, the home team could not make the most of their chances and consequently remained two goals behind their opposition. As both teams persevered in their offensive efforts without making an impact in front of goal for much of the period, it was only on 56:59 that the next goal was scored, Bowie playing the puck to blue liner James Hutchinson who unleashed a shot which rocketed past Bell to make it 3-2. Now just one goal away from drawing level, the Sharks opted for a timeout just under two minutes later and made the decision to pull netminder Hepburn in the final stages of the contest in a push for an equalising goal. Despite many attempts from Solway though, this outcome was not to be as Telford’s defence held out until the final buzzer to claim a 3-2 victory in regulation time.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Looking back on his team’s defeat, Solway’s Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew that this would be a difficult game against a skilled and well organised team and we didn’t help ourselves by starting poorly in both the first and second periods. We had spells in the first two periods where we had to defend and make sure we were difficult to break down but I would have liked us to be better on the puck. In the third period, we changed a few things; we were more aggressive, I felt we were much better and I was happy with that period. We pulled the goalie and had one chance to equalise but ultimately got nothing although there were lots of positives to take from the game, especially with four ‘D’ men all night. We now know it’s knockout hockey so we will learn from this game and get ready for the playoffs.”

Stars over moon with derby day win over Warriors

Billingham Stars      7

Whitley Warriors       4

Playing host to Whitley Warriors with a strong line-up of sixteen skaters including alternate captain Chris Sykes, young defenceman James Hellens and forward Jack Emerson, Billingham Stars opted for shot stopper James Flavell between the pipes as they headed out with a clear objective to avenge last weekend’s derby defeat. In comparison, David Longstaff’s squad of nineteen took to the ice against the Teessiders with the aim to end their season with a derby victory, the Hillheads outfit made up of its usual core which included alternate captain Shaun Kippin, Canadian import Philip Edgar and hardworking forward Ben Richards.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Beginning the game with pace and power, the Stars targeted Richie Lawson’s net from the outset and this paid off less than two minutes in as forward James Moss set up Latvian import Deniss Baškatovs to see his teammate open the scoring on 1:11. Shortly after this, the home team then suffered a setback as blue liner Ben Davison incurred an interference penalty to hand Whitley a power play. Making the most of this opportunity, the Warriors were able to bury the puck thirty eight seconds later when Edgar broke free of the Stars’ defence to fire past Flavell following assists from defenceman Harry Harley and captain Dean Holland to level the scoring. Less than a minute later, both teams ran into penalty trouble as Billingham’s player-coach Michael Bowman was sinbinned for delaying the game alongside Holland whilst Warriors’ alternate captain Barnes was also made to sit out for holding. Working hard to capitalise on this power play, the Teessiders were able to double their tally with just one second of their advantage remaining, this time Baškatovs turning assist for forward Jack Davies who did not miss his mark to make it 2-1. The game fast-paced and fiery, the Warriors tried to hunt down their second equaliser of the evening but Billingham were able to break down Whitley’s play to regain possession, the visitors finding it difficult to beat Flavell who remained sturdy between the pipes whilst Lawson also put in a good performance at the other end of the ice to see off fifteen of the seventeen shots he faced in the first period. With tension building between the close rivals, Barnes incurred a penalty for crosschecking on 18:44 but, even with this advantage, Billingham were unable to grab another goal before the first interval, the side filing from the ice with a narrow one-goal lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning on the power play, the Stars looked to build on their positive start to the game and as such, notched their third goal of the evening on 22:55 courtesy of forward Jack Emerson who eased past Whitley’s defence to beat Lawson, with support arriving from Davison and Baškatovs. Realising their need to retaliate before their deficit became too much, the Warriors launched an attack as blue liner Liam Smedley threaded a pass to Kippin who looped the puck into the net over Flavell to make it 3-2. Rallying as a result of this goal, Whitley then levelled the scoring just over a minute later when defenceman Josh Maddock teamed up with Smedley to allow Richards to find the net. Moments later, the Warriors endured a further setback when netminder Lawson was punished for a slashing offence which reduced his team to four men. Just twenty six seconds before the termination of this penalty, the Stars regained their lead through Sykes who fired the puck beyond Lawson to punish the netminder’s earlier misdemeanour. The wind in their sails, Billingham hit home a fifth just seven seconds later to further frustrate the Warriors, this time an unfortunate netminding error allowing defenceman Matthew Campbell to play the puck to player-coach Michael Bowman who made it 5-3 on 29:17, thereby prompting a change of shot stopper for the Hillheads outfit as Jordan Boyle switched places with Lawson. Unstoppable, the Teessiders then achieved their sixth goal of the evening when Emerson snatched his second of the game, this time forward Alex Preston receiving the puck from Bowman to assist. Less than two minutes later, a hit on Billingham’s blue liner Davison saw Barnes incur a match penalty for a check to the head but just fifty seconds after the Warrior’s departure from the game, Stars’ player-coach Bowman was found guilty of high sticks against Richards who was struck in the process of breaking free of Whitley’s defensive zone. This led to Bowman’s ejection from the game to level the playing field. However, Billingham were undeterred by this penalty and claimed a seventh goal as Sykes struck the net for a second time in the game with support from Moss on 36:50 to increase Whitley’s deficit to four. With the Warriors struggling to compete with the Stars now that they found themselves so far behind, the side were disappointed further when Edgar headed to the sin bin for roughing in the final minute of the period to see Billingham return on a power play in the third stanza.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Unable to make their additional skater count after the break in play, Billingham then picked up a penalty of their own when Campbell made his way to the sin bin for slashing on 42:37. Just over a minute into this advantage, the Warriors capitalised through Edgar who was able to achieve his second power play goal of the evening following a neat pass from Kyle Ross to make it 7-4. A slashing penalty against Stars’ defenceman Ross Hanlon just before the halfway point in the period then prompted a timeout from the Warriors whose power play was then extended when ‘D’ man Thomas Keeley made way for delaying the game moments later. Try as they might, the Warriors sought to carve a path through Billingham’s defence but could not beat Flavell who pulled off some strong saves to prevent the visitors from achieving a fifth goal. After serving these penalties, it was then the turn of the Stars to go on the power play as Ross was sidelined for holding on 55:54. Though seeking possession against the Warriors who had increased their intensity in this period, Billingham could not contend with Whitley’s penalty kill and then ran into some penalty trouble of their own before Ross had served his punishment as Stars’ forward Jack Davies and Warriors’ import Edgar dropped the gloves to each earn penalties for delaying the game. The game well and truly won with time fast running out, offensive efforts from both teams tailed off as the final buzzer confirmed Billingham’s first derby win of their 2017-18 campaign.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Reflecting on his side’s loss, player-coach David Longstaff observed: “I thought the game was pretty poor to be honest or at least we were pretty poor for two periods. I think my players thought they could just turn up to beat them and got a shock. I was very pleased with how we played in the third period and showed how we can play with intensity but it was too late. The Billingham lad in goal was outstanding in the third when his team really needed him.” Meanwhile, Stars’ alternate captain Chris Sykes reflected: “It was a good weekend to finish with a derby win and it’s onto playoffs now.”

For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.        

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Saturday 10th March 2018

  Blackburn Hawks vs. Billingham Stars

The Dragons vs. Whitley Warriors

Solway Sharks vs. Telford Tigers

Sunday 11th March 2018

Billingham Stars vs. Whitley Warriors

Fixture:    Blackburn Hawks vs. Billingham Stars

Date:        10^th March 2018       

Venue:     Blackburn Ice Arena

Faceoff:  5:45pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Travelling to Blackburn Ice Arena for one last time this season, Billingham Stars will take on Steven Duncombe’s men on Saturday with their sights set on a victory as they look to build momentum and increase their confidence going into Sunday’s derby game against Whitley Warriors. Already losing out twice to the Hawks this season in NIHL North’s Division One, having first recorded a 3-2 road defeat on the opening weekend of the season before notching a 5-3 loss at the start of December, the Stars will be aiming for a repeat of their most recent clash against the Hawks which saw the Teessiders pick up maximum points from a 4-3 win. Though falling behind in the ninth minute of this game, the Stars showed resilience to achieve two goals in the space of eighteen seconds and though Blackburn equalised early in the middle stanza, Billingham bagged two more goals in quick succession to establish a lead which their opposition could not claw back. Winning just one of their last five games and recording a hugely disappointing 5-0 defeat to their local rivals just last weekend, the Stars will look to get back to their best against the Hawks who will equally set out to entertain their fans. With this their last home game of the regular season, Duncombe’s men will head out in search of two points to provide themselves with a chance of displacing the Warriors from sixth position which will be possible should Whitley fail to pick up a point this weekend. Contending closely in both the league and cup this season, this game promises to be another competitive clash between two tough teams who will be determined to bounce back from recent defeats.

Fixture:    The Dragons vs. Whitley Warriors

Date:        10^th March 2018       

Venue:     Deeside Leisure Centre

Faceoff:  5:45pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making the first of two road trips this weekend, Whitley Warriors will travel to Deeside on Saturday to take on the Dragons, having recorded three victories over the Welsh outfit already this season. Achieving an 11-6 road win over the side at the start of the season, the Warriors went on to triumph at Hillheads three weeks later before defeating the Dragons by eleven goals to two on home ice in November. Standing out for the Warriors against his former club, Whitley’s alternate captain Shaun Kippin has so far managed to claim five goals and nine assists against the Dragons this season and will again hope to shine against the side this weekend. So far, the Deeside-based team have accomplished just four points from thirty four games to find themselves bottom of NIHL North’s Division One and will therefore head out onto the ice in the hope that they can bring an end to their sixteen-game losing streak before the curtain closes on their campaign. The Warriors, meanwhile, will be out to collect both points to cement sixth place ahead of Sunday’s derby game to ensure they complete their 2017-18 season in a higher league position than Blackburn Hawks. However, The Dragons continue to play with determination and fortitude despite the fact that they find themselves at the foot of the table with no way of improving their situation, meaning the Warriors should head into this game without complacency as the Welsh side continue to put up a fight for the points, Gary Shaw’s men missing out by just three goals against the Sharks last month to show that the outfit can cause problems for their opposition. Ready for this test, Whitley will head to Deeside with a win in mind, the side preparing to make a positive impact on the road this weekend to maintain their confidence ahead of the approaching playoffs.    

Fixture:    Solway Sharks vs. Telford Tigers

Date:        10^th March 2018       

Venue:     Deeside Leisure Centre

Faceoff:  7:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Playing host to Telford Tigers for one last time this season, Solway Sharks will look to overcome their recent form with a win over the Shropshire-based outfit, having already recorded a 5-4 overtime victory against Tom Watkins’ team in December. Playing the Tigers earlier in their campaign, the Sharks lost out by five goals to three on the road in a close game which saw forward Iain Bowie achieve a hat trick before Telford accomplished a 3-0 win over the Dumfries outfit in October; Canadian captain Jason Silverthorn and forward Jack Watkins firing themselves onto the scoresheet in this clash. Though Solway sit in fourth place, just one position behind the Tigers, the Sharks find themselves eleven points adrift of Telford and will therefore look to narrow this margin by two points on Saturday as they set out to achieve a repeat of their most recent performance against Watkins’ team, the side having shown much determination to make a great comeback against the former title contenders after falling behind by three goals to one, with young shot stopper Lewis Dolan making a fantastic impression on his debut following an injury to first choice netminder Calum Hepburn. As both teams boast skilled rosters this season, with Telford’s captain Silverthorn, alternate captain Rick Plant and forward Scott McKenzie amongst the Tigers’ highest points scorers this season and Sharks’ forwards Iain Bowie, Connor Henderson and left winger Steven Moore dominating for Solway, this game promises to be another close clash between two tough teams who will give their all to achieve a positive result. Looking to end their regular season with a victory in front of their home crowd, the Sharks will be particularly determined to earn both points from this encounter, knowing that they have the ability to do so. 

Looking forward to this game, Solway Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb shared:

“This is our last regular season game and we need to try to go into the playoffs with a good performance and some confidence. Telford are a good team and Tommy will be looking to also take momentum into the playoffs so both teams will be looking to win the game. We know we will need to cut out our defensive lapses and focus to give ourselves a chance and we will look to win our last league game.”

Fixture:    Billingham Stars vs. Whitley Warriors

Date:        11^th March 2018       

Venue:     The Forum

Faceoff:  6:30pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

After last weekend’s astounding 5-0 defeat to local rivals Whitley Warriors, Billingham Stars will play host to David Longstaff’s men with the view to avenge this loss in front of their home crowd on Sunday evening. Already losing out twice to the Warriors prior to this result, first narrowly missing out on the points by four goals to three on home ice in October before December’s 7-3 defeat at Hillheads, the Stars will be aiming to achieve a win over Whitley this weekend, the side preparing to end their season with two points and the bragging rights from this contest to give them a boost going into playoffs. Disappointed to concede five unanswered goals last weekend in a game which saw Billingham fail to compete to the standards that they are capable of, the Stars will strive to bounce back to make this game a real contest. The Warriors, by comparison, will of course be looking to build on their recent result against their rivals to ensure they take maximum points from their four-game series against the Teessiders. Now twelve points ahead of Billingham in Division One’s league standings, Whitley will aim to widen this gap on Sunday to avoid defeat to the Stars and to cement their place in sixth position ahead of Blackburn Hawks. Following last weekend’s derby, it is hoped that this game will be far more competitive than some of the encounters previously played between these two sides this season as Billingham prepare to harness the desire of past derby games to seek revenge against their rivals whilst Whitley will not forsake the points without a battle.

Ready to confront derby rivals Whitley Warriors on home ice, Billingham’s alternate captain Chris Sykes observed:

“It’s the last weekend of the season, away to the Hawks and at home against Whitley so a derby day to finish. We need a big performance on Saturday to then take into Sunday against the Warriors. They beat us last week and we want to win at home, take a win to end the season and go into the playoffs in good form. It should be a good weekend.”

Considering his team ahead of this derby clash, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff noted:

“We’ll be resting players with little niggles to make sure we’re ready for playoffs.”

For any fans attending this game at The Forum on Sunday evening, there will be a collection for Billingham Food Bank should you wish to donate. For more information, please visit https://billingham.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/.

For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.

NIHL Weekend Action

Steeldogs in seventh heaven as Warriors beaten on road

Sheffield Steeldogs      7

Whitley Warriors          0

Travelling to Sheffield with eighteen skaters and netminders Mark Turnbull and Rory Dunn at their disposal, Whitley Warriors found themselves without defencemen Josh Maddock and Dan Pye, youngsters Anthony Wetherell and Ross Douglass, forward Adam Finlinson and usual first choice shot stopper Richie Lawson going into this fixture. League leaders Sheffield Steeldogs, by comparison, lined up with a short bench which included player-coach Ben Morgan, Player of the Month Dmitri Zimozdra and stand-in captain Lloyd Gibson.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Though hoping to achieve something from this game having claimed a victory over the Steeldogs on home ice last month, Whitley Warriors headed out with the knowledge that this encounter would be an incredibly difficult one as Sheffield prepared to give their all to continue in the race for the league title. As a result, the opening moments of the game proved tough for both teams, with captain Dean Holland amongst those standing out for Whitley in his efforts to beat Zimozdra whilst Warriors’ shot stopper Turnbull was also called upon several times but dealt with Sheffield’s offensive play to keep his side in the game. With neither team able to find the net before the halfway point in the period, tempers soon began to fray, causing Steeldogs’ left winger Ashley Calvert and Warriors’ alternate captain Shaun Kippin to drop the gloves; the pair receiving penalties of 2+2 for fighting as a result. Shortly afterwards, Sheffield were handed a power play when Warrior Jordan Barnes joined his teammate in the sin bin for charging on 13:08. Making the most of their additional skater, Slovakian forward Milan Kolena hit the target over a minute into his team’s advantage following neat work from player-coach Morgan and defenceman Jamie Scott to make it 1-0. Less than two minutes later, Turnbull was picking the puck from his net for a second time when the Steeldogs doubled their lead through stand-in captain Gibson who was helped onto the scoresheet by forwards Charlie Thompson and Joe Cross on 16:17. Though striving for a goal in retaliation, the Warriors could not find the back of the net and filed from the ice at the first interval with a 2-0 deficit to deal with.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming to claw their way back into the game, the Warriors sought a goal and it was forward Ben Richards who was first on hand with a chance for his team, only for Zimozdra to make the save. Moments later, a shot from Steeldog James Spurr was prevented by Turnbull and, continuing to build pressure, Sheffield’s hardworking forward Cameron Brownley chimed the post to make Whitley’s defence work. Countering this play, Warriors’ Canadian import Philip Edgar utilised his skill to trouble Sheffield’s blue liners but, unable to make this count, the visitors were pleased to be handed a power play on 31:52 when Kolena was sidelined for boarding. Despite their efforts, the Steeldogs killed their penalty with ease and resumed their onslaught on Turnbull’s net after returning to full strength; the netminder dealing with twenty four shots in this stanza alone. As the period drew to a close, Morgan’s men were keen to extend their lead and were handed the perfect opportunity when Warriors’ defenceman Sam Zajac was shown to the sin bin following a slashing offence to allow the Steeldogs a power play. With just seven seconds of the period remaining, Slovakian forward Adrian Palak threaded a pass to Brownley who fired home to make it 3-0 ahead of the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Looking to bounce back from this in the third and final stanza, the Warriors were disappointed to suffer a further setback when Brownley netted his second of the evening on 42:15 to alter the scoreboard to 4-0, this time Palak working with left winger Liam Charnock to assist. Just over two minutes later, the Steeldogs achieved a fifth goal as Kolena collected his second of the game from a tight angle with 44:41 on the clock, Calvert and Spurr with the assists. This goal prompted a change of netminder for Whitley who switched Turnbull for Dunn to allow the latter some ice time. Continuing to work hard in offence in spite of the score line, the Warriors were disappointed to see their chances slip by and instead watched on as the Steeldogs made it 6-0 on 51:52, Gibson again hitting home following passing play between Morgan and defenceman Tom Barry. It was not long after this goal that the game again boiled over as Steeldogs’ forward Charlie Thompson and long serving Warrior Callum Watson exchanged blows to each earn penalties of 2+2 for fighting on 56:44. With Whitley still seeking a consolatory goal and Sheffield comfortable in their lead, it was the latter who were able to add to their tally on 58:50, Palak beating Dunn on this occasion courtesy of Calvert and Barry to complete the scoring. In consequence, the final buzzer confirmed a 7-0 defeat for the Warriors who hit the road with nothing to show for their efforts.

  

Warriors demolish Billingham as Stars suffer derby defeat

Whitley Warriors     5

Billingham Stars     0

Playing host to local rivals Billingham Stars, Whitley Warriors took to the ice with a strong line-up which consisted of twenty skaters and shot stoppers Richie Lawson and Mark Turnbull, the side missing only youngsters Anthony Wetherell, Ross Douglass and forward Adam Finlinson. The Stars, meanwhile, made the trip to Hillheads with a squad of eighteen players, including starting netminder James Flavell, captain Michael Elder and youngsters Ethan Hehir and James Hellens; the Teessiders’ absentee list made up of forwards Joshua Nertney and Scott Ward, player-coach Richie Thornton and defencemen Darren Stattersfield and Andy Finn.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Planning to make the best possible start to this contest, Whitley Warriors flew out onto the ice with intensity and it quickly paid off as the side’s second line worked together to open the scoring; alternate captain Jordan Barnes passing to player-coach David Longstaff who coolly carved a path through Billingham’s defence to ease the puck around Flavell just fifty six seconds in. This lead prompted a reaction from the Stars and they began to build up some pressure around Lawson’s net to call the shot stopper into action but the Warriors were able to deal with their rivals’ attempts to return to their offensive zone in search of another goal. Whilst Canadian forward Philip Edgar was amongst those striving to join Longstaff on the scoresheet, Billingham tried their luck against Lawson with youngster Ethan Hehir appearing a real threat to Whitley’s lead. However, remaining composed, the Warriors dealt with the Stars’ attacking play and continued to look dangerous, firing chance after chance at experienced netminder Flavell. As the period drew to a close, the home team’s perseverance soon paid off as Whitley doubled their tally after some scrambling play in front of Flavell’s net allowed captain Dean Holland to net his fourteenth league goal of the season on 17:01, forward Callum Watson receiving the puck from Edgar to assist. As such, the Warriors were able to head in with a 2-0 lead at the break, much to Billingham’s disappointment, the Stars having equalled Whitley’s fourteen shots on goal.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Returning to the ice, the Warriors were keen to build on their positive start to the game whilst the Stars were hopeful that they could recover some lost ground, the outfit playing a man on the edge of Whitley’s defensive zone in the hope that they could beat the Warriors’ blue liners in this period. Despite setting out with this objective, the Stars found that their rivals were able to dominate play as the Warriors remained composed in defence to control possession going forward. Countering Whitley’s play, the Stars’ efforts were repeatedly shut down by Lawson and his ‘D’ men whilst the Warriors continued to cause problems for Flavell, the side finally bagging themselves a third goal when Barnes slotted home on 27:14 after Longstaff set his sights on Billingham’s net once again. Comfortable in their lead, the Warriors attempted to add to their tally, experienced defenceman Sam Zajac working hard to ensure the puck remained within the Stars’ defensive zone to thereby cause problems for Flavell. With Barnes’ goal the only one of this period, Whitley then suffered a setback as referee David Emmerson called the first penalty of the evening against Holland for holding on 37:41. Making use of rapid line changes to battle the Stars’ attempts to get onto the scoresheet, the Warriors returned to full strength with their three-goal lead intact before filing from the ice at the second interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off for the third and final stanza, the Warriors showed no signs of easing off in offence and instead Zajac raced through on Flavell’s goal moments after play resumed to see his shot fly over the net. Remaining the dominant force in this contest, Whitley pushed for another goal whilst the Stars fought for their first of the game, with captain Michael Elder, alternate captain Chris Sykes, forward James Moss and player-coach Michael Bowman amongst those seeking to make the most of their possession but without success. Their frustrations beginning to show, Stars’ Latvian import Deniss Baškatovs made way for a slashing offence on 47:04 to hand the Warriors their first power play of the game. Just fifty three seconds into Whitley’s advantage however, Warrior Dean Holland and Stars’ defenceman Ross Hanlon clashed, the former earning a minor for interference whilst the latter received a penalty for crosschecking. As these penalties had little impact on Whitley’s flow of play, the side were able to build on their opening chances to see alternate captain Shaun Kippin fire past Flavell on 50:26 courtesy of blue liner Liam Smedley to make it 4-0. Despondent as a result of their growing deficit, the Stars failed to retaliate and were soon punished again when Whitley made it 5-0 less than three minutes later, Holland playing the puck to Harley who danced his way through Billingham’s defence to fire the puck into the net on the backhand. Looking to hold onto their shutout as the game came to a close, Warrior Josh Maddock found himself sidelined when the fieriness of the derby came to the fore, the defenceman clashing with Stars’ captain Elder to find himself warming a seat for crosschecking and roughing in the final two minutes of the game. Aiming to kill this penalty without allowing Billingham a consolatory goal, the Hillheads outfit then found themselves punished further when Holland vented his anger at referee Emmerson thirty eight seconds later to find himself ejected from the game for abuse of an official. Despite this unexpected turn of events, the Warriors saw out the game to collect two points and a shutout from their local rivals ahead of next weekend’s road fixture against the Teessiders. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Speaking after this game, Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff shared: “I was really pleased with the score and to beat our rivals for the third time this season is really pleasing, especially a 5-0 win.”

Sharks overpowered by Barons as Solihull claim victory

Solihull Barons         5

Solway Sharks          3

Travelling to Hobs Moat Road with sixteen skaters including two-way players Josh Grieveson and Jordan Buesa, youngster Liam Stenton and top points scorer Iain Bowie, Solway Sharks were keen to get back to their best after last weekend’s heavy defeat to Hull Pirates. By comparison, Solihull Barons had twenty players at their disposal with starting netminder Josh Nicholls, skilled forward Thomas Soar and Swedish import Niklas Ottosson amongst those available for this difficult contest.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off against Solway Sharks, Solihull Barons were eager to make the best possible start to this game and did so, the side immediately making an impact in front of Calum Hepburn’s net to gain an early lead on 4:38 through experienced alternate captain Marcus Maynard who made the most of a pass from forward Luke Brittle to print his name on the scoresheet. Soon after, Solway suffered a further setback when forward Joe Coulter made his way to the sin bin for tripping to hand the Barons a power play. Seventeen seconds later, Hepburn was beaten for a second time as Swedish import Niklas Ottosson presented Luke Brittle with an opportunity to grab a goal of his own on 5:54 to make it 2-0. Disappointed to see their deficit grow so quickly, the Sharks were determined to establish a foothold in this game and were able to pull back a goal two minutes later when forward Scott Henderson beat Nicholls following a pass from Buesa. Continuing their offensive work to have twice as many shots on the Barons’ net than those which were fired against them, Solway were pleased to find themselves awarded a power play on 11:22 when forward Andrew Whitehouse was shown to the sin bin for holding. Though attempting to draw level with the additional man, Solway were unable to find a second goal as the Barons worked hard to kill their penalty. Both teams seeking their next goal, Solihull deployed their usual cohort to break down the Sharks’ defence, including Soar, Ottosson and Brittle brothers Adam and Luke whilst the Dumfries outfit looked to top goal scorers Bowie, Duncan Speirs and Czech defenceman Marek Charvát to equalise. Though neither team were able to find the net ahead of the first break, the Sharks were handed another power play on 19:17 as defenceman Richard Crowe was shown to the sin bin for charging to allow the visitors to return with the advantage after the interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Failing to make the most of this opportunity, the Sharks were presented with a third power play in the early stages of the second stanza as Solihull’s alternate captain Tomas Janak was sidelined for interference on 22:03 but again, Solway could not punish the Barons’ misdemeanour to leave the score line at 2-1. Just over three minutes later, it was the Sharks’ turn to go shorthanded as defenceman Scott Cooper was made to sit out for kneeing to allow Solihull the advantage. However, the home team were equally unable to make the most of their additional skater and returned to full strength only to battle with Solway for possession, the side denied by Hepburn on several occasions. With the score line unchanged for much of the period, the Barons were disappointed to find themselves reduced to four men on 35:13 when forward Philip Mulcahy made way for slashing to award Martin Grubb’s men a power play. Whilst the Sharks hoped that this turn of events would provide them with a chance to draw level, it was Solihull who were able to add to their tally as Soar broke free of Solway’s defence to achieve a shorthanded, unassisted goal on 36:41. Just over a minute after returning to full strength, the Barons then accomplished a 4-1 lead as Luke Brittle teamed up with Ottosson to see the Swede achieve his twenty fourth league goal of the season with less than two minutes remaining in the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Disappointed to have fallen even further behind in the latter stages of the second stanza, Solway were determined to get back into the game when they returned to the ice for the third period and were able to hit the net just over two minutes in when alternate captain Ross Murray made the most of a pass from captain Struan Tonnar to reduce his side’s deficit to two goals. This goal seemingly igniting the Sharks’ comeback, Czech defenceman Charvát then buried the puck beyond Nicholls with an unassisted shot just forty three seconds later to take his team within one goal of their opposition. Buoyed by their swift progress, Solway were then pleased to gain a power play opportunity when Whitehouse was sinbinned on 45:33 but, failing to contend with the Barons’ penalty kill, the Sharks could not snatch an equaliser before Solihull returned to full strength. Less than two minutes later, both teams ran into penalty trouble as ‘D’ man Dave Rogers crosschecked Buesa, causing the pair to clash; Rogers receiving a penalty of 2+2 for crosschecking and roughing whilst Buesa received the same punishment for roughing only. Fifty nine seconds after these penalties terminated, Solihull’s Stephen Heape then incurred a punishment of 2+10 for roughing and instigation after the forward dropped the gloves in an attempt to entice Murray into a fight, a tactic which backfired on the Baron. Despite this penalty, the home team did not lose sight of their objective and returned to full strength to find the net for a fifth time as Soar bagged his second unassisted goal of the evening to make it 5-3 on 57:49. Shortly after this goal, tensions between the two sides boiled over again as Solihull’s defencemen Daniel Harrison and Solway’s blue liner Grieveson came to blows, the duo receiving minors for roughing with less than two minutes remaining in the game. With the score line now beyond them in spite of their ability to outshoot their opposition by fifteen shots to four in this period, the Sharks were forced to leave Hobs Moat Road empty handed as the final buzzer called time on their loss to the Barons.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Reflecting on his team’s defeat, Solway Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew this would be a tough game and we would have to play for sixty minutes but we didn’t do that and it cost us. When you give a good team a 4-1 lead, it’s always difficult to pull that back. We played well for ten minutes in the third period and gave ourselves a chance but ultimately paid the price for conceding weak goals.”

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