Tuesday 29 November 2016

NIHL Weekend Action

Hawks' wings clipped as Sharks claim victory

Blackburn Hawks  2
Solway Sharks      6

Beginning this game with a tribute to Whitley Warrior fan Bobby Dixon who sadly passed away this week, Blackburn Hawks lined up the stronger of the two sides with eighteen skaters and two netminders against Solway’s fourteen man team. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon
Taking to the ice for the first period, the Hawks were eager to shine on home ice and did so, claiming possession well in the opening stages to grab a goal with just 3:28 on the clock, Bobby Caunce making a pass to fellow forward Rick Bentham who was happy to punish young netminder Calum Hepburn. Travelling with less players than that of their opposition, the Sharks struggled to get off the mark against Blackburn who were clearly up for the challenge and it was therefore unsurprising that Bentham turned assist to allow junior James Royds to print his name on the score sheet with just over ten minutes played. Shortly afterwards, a bench minor for Solway Sharks saw the Hawks go on the power play but, with this penalty not yet over, Blackburn’s Nick Oliver found himself punished for interference, allowing Solway to turn the tables on their opposition. Though unable to capitalise on this occasion, the Sharks were then handed a second opportunity to do so when Ollie Lomax made way for roughing. Struggling to make their additional man count, the visitors were only able to find the net six seconds after the Hawks had returned to full strength, Duncan Speirs and Joe Coulter on hand to assist Ross Murray on 17:44 who again opened his team’s account for a third successive game. With the Sharks rapidly beginning to increase their chances in front of goal, the side saw out the first section of the game with much optimism and were soon awarded for their perseverance when Lomax incurred another roughing penalty before the break to hand the Sharks a power play at the start of the second period. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Applying pressure to shot stopper Stuart Ashton in the early stages of the middle stanza, Solway were again unable to add to their tally with the advantage as the Hawks worked hard to kill the penalty but it was not long after that the Dumfries outfit drew level, forward Ben Edmonds slotting home courtesy of youngster Scott Henderson and skilled blue liner Kim Miettinen. Seventeen seconds later, Blackburn suffered a further setback when forward Aaron Davies conceded two minutes for charging. Solway worked hard in the Hawks’ defensive zone but another strong penalty kill from the home side prevented the Sharks from getting ahead in the game. Instead, Martin Grubb’s men were only able to make the most of their possession on 27:25 when Edmonds played the puck to captain Struan Tonnar who lit the lamp to give his team a 3-2 lead. Just over a minute later, Blackburn were stunned further as Ashton picked the puck out of the net for a fourth time when Duncan Speirs found the target; alternate captain Juraj Senko with the assist. With the Hawks’ sudden change of fortune leaving the side with a two goal deficit to overturn, the home side opted for a time out and were then offered some reprieve when Henderson made way for tripping. Making an attempt to test Hepburn, Blackburn struggled to find the back of the net and watched their opposition return to five men only to score around five minutes later when Miettinen sent youngster Daniel Abercrombie through on goal to achieve his second cup goal of the season.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With this goal tying up the action in the middle section of the game, Blackburn returned to the ice with much work to do in the final instalment which was only added to as Abercrombie snatched another with just over a minute played, forward Connor Henderson and alternate captain James Hutchinson with the assists. The shots on each goal far more even in this period, the Hawks were eager to recover lost ground but were hindered in their efforts when Bentham headed to the sin bin just under eight minutes later for goaltender interference. This penalty served without Solway extending their lead further, Reece Cairney-Witter was next to be side-lined for the same offence on 55:23 but the playing field was soon levelled when Murray headed to the box for high sticks. The Sharks returning to full strength with a minute and a half remaining in the game and the score line still 6-2, there was nothing left but for both teams to see out the inevitable. Commenting on Solway’s performance after this encounter, Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew going into Blackburn would be tough and we didn’t help ourselves with a poor start. We gave away two sloppy goals but we managed to regain our composure and get a goal back before the end of period one. We had a good talk at the break, I asked the players to make sure we played our own game and do the little things right and they deserve lots of credit for stepping up and playing the way we can. We scored six unanswered goals and could have scored more. We showed great discipline to get another three points in the cup and to make up for our home defeat by Blackburn early in the season. I hope the game was a fitting tribute to Bobby Dixon after both teams and supporters showed their respect with the minute’s applause.”


Warriors' struggle against short benched Sting pays off


Whitley Warriors   4
Sutton Sting         2

Following the Warriors previous hard fought 4-2 victory on home ice against Simon Butterworth’s Sutton Sting, this was an encounter which was always going to be a difficult one irrespective of Whitley’s opposition. Paying tribute to long serving Whitley Warriors’ fan Bobby Dixon who sadly passed away last week after a lengthy battle with cancer, both clubs participated in a minute’s applause before faceoff; the Warriors also wearing black armbands. Travelling with just eleven skaters, the Sting were two men lighter than their last visit to Hillheads whereas Whitley’s only absentees were enforcer Andre Payette, backup netminder Jordan Boyle and forwards Ben Richards and Alan Yarrow.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Readying themselves for faceoff, both teams were clearly up for the fight and, though Sutton pinged the post early on, the home side were able to make the most of their early offensive opportunities as power forward Jordan Barnes, starting on the same line as his player-coach, hit home on 5:10 with the help of alternate captain Shaun Kippin and leader Longstaff. Just over a minute later, Sutton’s netminder Dmitri Zimozdra found himself punished once again as blue liners Joe Stamp and Harry Harley passed the puck around the Sting’s defensive zone to provide DJ Good with the perfect opportunity to achieve his fifth league goal of the season. From here, a stalemate quickly developed as Sutton continued to work hard on their blue line whilst Whitley constructed several opportunities to extend their lead further, only to see each one either frittered away or met by Sutton’s steely defence. Though the Warriors held onto their two goal cushion for most of the first period, it was a very narrow lead and could easily be halved as Longstaff’s line-up soon found out when forward Charlie Thompson printed his name on the scoresheet; Chris Wilcox and alternate captain Mark Turner grabbing assists just seven seconds before the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With this goal indicating the uncertainty of the contest, Sutton set their sights on an equaliser on their return to the ice whilst Whitley were eager to extend their lead, knowing that the Sting have a habit of taking their chances at exactly the right moment. Despite these intentions, play was much the same as that of the first period as Whitley held possession in and around Zimozdra’s goal for lengthy spells whilst breakaways from the Sting saw shot stopper Richie Lawson tested by some of Sutton’s strongest players, including ex-EPL forward Lloyd Gibson, captain James Spurr and youngster Joe Colton. The game penalty free up until the twenty eighth minute, referee Steven Wardell made his first call against Warrior Harley who made way for interference to hand Sutton a power play. Though unable to contend with Whitley’s precise penalty kill, the Sting were able to capitalise on their growing possession three minutes later when Matt Jeffcock hit the back of the net following link up play from Thompson and Colton. Fearing that Butterworth’s men would then take the lead as the side looked to be making a comeback, the Warriors appeared unnerved and immediately attempted some offensive play but, just over a minute later, the team were reduced to four men when forward Martin Crammond headed to the box to serve two minutes for slashing. This penalty did not deter Whitley from their previous undertaking though and it was with character that the team went on to achieve a shorthanded goal through Callum Watson, Harley with his second assist of the game following a pass from fellow ‘D’ man Craig Johnson. Continuing on the penalty kill with a 3-2 lead, Whitley were further punished for their lack of discipline as captain Dean Holland warmed a seat in the sin bin for delaying the game. Crammond returning to the ice in the meantime, defenceman Dan Pye then incurred a boarding penalty to set the home side back once again as Sutton gained a second five-on-three situation which was only terminated in the final minute of the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
A narrow margin separating the two outfits yet again, both teams returned feeling that the points could be claimed by their opposition but a hooking offence from Thompson with a little over four minutes played was enough to hand Whitley their first power play. Thirty seconds later, Zimozdra was beaten by Watson for a second time as Longstaff and Kippin picked up assists. Soon after, it was Sutton’s turn to go on the advantage as a minor for Holland placed Whitley on the penalty kill but the Sting’s pressure was not enough to send Sutton within one goal of equalising. Zimozdra’s decision to trip youngster Anthony Wetherell then resulted in Turner serving a two minute penalty which was quickly followed by a second successive penalty kill for Sutton as Goodman was shown to the sin bin for boarding. Feeling that they could still take something from the game, Sutton opted for a timeout on 59:16 but pulling their shot stopper for an additional skater did not have the desired effect and the final buzzer called time on Whitley Warriors 4-2 victory to take the side into third place ahead of Solihull Barons. Reflecting on this game, player-coach David Longstaff stated: “We’ve got another two points against a well drilled Sutton team. It’s always hard to break them down and, if you do, you have to beat the best goalie in the league. I thought our defencemen struggled. They gave the puck away countless times when we had good possession and the reason for that is they started doing things they’re not good at so we’ll sit down and talk to them about how we expect them to play going forward.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

  
Hawks tailspin to fifth cup loss against fired up Stars

Billingham Stars       7
Blackburn Hawks     3

Relishing the opportunity to host Blackburn Hawks in their only NIHL North Cup fixture of the weekend, Billingham Stars commenced their game, like The Dragons against Solihull, with a minute’s applause for dedicated Warriors’ fan Bobby Dixon; the club there for their local rivals when they needed it most.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Facing off for the first period, Billingham Stars were quick to put pressure on Steven Duncombe’s men as Star Chris Sykes opened the scoring on 6:23 courtesy of build-up play from player-coach Richie Thornton and Jack Watkins. Just over a minute later, the Stars’ lead was doubled as Swedish import Dennis Boström held onto possession before beating netminder Niks Trapans with an unassisted shot. Subsequent to this goal, emotions ran high, causing Boström to drop the gloves with Blackburn’s captain Ollie Lomax which earned both players 2+2 for fighting. Soon after, youngster Corey Stones then joined his team mate on 9:17 to hand Billingham a power play. Wasting no time in converting their advantage into a goal, the Teessiders made it 3-0 almost ten minutes in as Watkins and fellow forward James Moss united to set up Michael Elder for his third cup goal of the season. With Blackburn bombarded by the Stars’ offence, there was little the side could do to get a foothold in the game and the Hawks suffered a further setback when Scott Ward lit the lamp, Elder and assist specialist Callum Davies offering support. Racking up this four goal deficit, Duncombe’s men were pleased to see Billingham go on the penalty kill in the latter stages of the period as Thornton headed to the box for roughing but the few chances that fell to Blackburn did not make an impact on the game as the home side filed in at the break with their considerable lead intact.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Resuming their search for a goal, Blackburn returned to the ice only to receive the perfect opportunity to get on the scoresheet when Star Daniel Palmebjörk incurred a minor for delaying the game. However, the Hawks were unable to capitalise in this instance, though goal threat Rick Bentham was on hand to cause Billingham a moment of concern. Restored to full strength, netminder Mark Watson then contended with a close attempt from youngster James Royds who proved to be tricky opposition on occasions and, though Palmebjörk tried to redeem his earlier misdemeanour, it was the visitors who were next to score as Tom Parkinson lit the lamp; hardworking forward James Riddoch and Lomax with the assists. Now off the mark, it took little time for the Hawks to claim their second, this time Philip Mulcahy playing the puck to Stones who did not miss his mark. Chipping away at their deficit to make it 4-2, the Lancashire outfit were edging their way into the game and it was shortly after this goal that forward Aaron Davies tried his luck but to no avail. Blackburn’s creative opportunities were then inhibited by an interference call against goal scorer Parkinson which saw Billingham go on a fruitless power play before heading for the second interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Hoping to secure the points in the final period of the game to avoid overtime, Billingham chose to demonstrate their firepower in the opening stages of the stanza as defenceman Ben Davison worked with Watkins and Boström to trouble Trapans whilst Royds looked lively at the other end of the ice. Though these early efforts failed to make a mark on the game, it was not long before the puck was again in the back of the net as the Stars made it 5-2 on 48:43, Palmebjörk slipping a pass to Watkins who shelved his shot to damage Blackburn’s hopes of a comeback. Unwilling to give up, the Hawks fought on to reduce their deficit once again as Parkinson notched a second with help from Riddoch and forward Carl Price. Despite this, Billingham were equally reluctant to release their grip on the game and it was Sykes who made it six for his side on 58:46 as Palmebjörk and Thornton both collected their second assists of the game. Pulling Trapans from his goal in the dying seconds of the period, Duncombe’s men lost possession as Watson played the puck to Callum Davies who then found Elder to seal a 7-3 victory with an empty net goal.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Taking time to share his views after the game, Man of the Match Chris Sykes observed: “It was nice to get a win under our belt after last weekend away in Sutton. We had a bad start there and we had to rectify that. We found ourselves 4-0 up at the end of the first and in a good stride. We died off a little in the second but we pulled through and got the points in the cup. All of the lads got ice time and that’s what the cup is about. It was good fun all round on a sad day. Just a side note, Bobby would have been proud of all the support from all teams across the NIHL. It was nice to see and hear. All for one and one for all. There’s only one Bobby Dixon. Rest in peace.”


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

Friday 25 November 2016

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE


Saturday 26th November 2016
Blackburn Hawks vs. Solway Sharks

Sunday 27th November 2016
Whitley Warriors vs. Sutton Sting
Billingham Stars vs. Blackburn Hawks

With two NIHL North Cup games taking place this weekend, as both Solway Sharks and Billingham Stars encounter Blackburn Hawks in the competition, Whitley Warriors will be the only team of the Northern Trio to play a league fixture as they take on Sutton Sting for the second time this month.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
First to ice this weekend are Solway Sharks who make the trip to Lancashire to confront Steven Duncombe’s Blackburn Hawks for the first time since their 5-3 cup defeat at the Ice Bowl in September. With this the Sharks’ only defeat across all competitions this season, the side will be cautious against their opposition on Saturday, particularly as they do not ice in front of a home crowd on this occasion. In their previous game against Blackburn, alternate captain Ross Murray was the first to open the scoring whilst summer signing Rick Bentham and two-way forward Jordan Buesa also found themselves on the scoresheet for the Dumfries outfit. However, since this fixture, Bentham made the switch back to defending champions Blackburn Hawks and, as a result, this game will prove to be an interesting reunion between the two sides as the forward takes on his former teammates. Recently, the Sharks have been difficult to beat, with Murray opening the scoring in Solway’s double header last weekend whilst captain Struan Tonnar was also in fine form in front of goal to bag six goals, five of which were delivered against Telford Tigers. By contrast, the Hawks have found it difficult to contend this campaign, losing four of their last five games across all competitions. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Agonisingly close cup clashes against Billingham Stars and Whitley Warriors over the last fortnight saw the Hawks miss out in the latter stages of these games; first in a penalty shootout to the Stars and then to a penalty shot which sent the Warriors on to achieve a 7-6 victory in regulation time, following Blackburn’s comeback. Developing as a team and growing ever closer to gaining points, Duncombe’s men will turn their attentions to this latest cup fixture in the hope that they can record a victory against the Sharks to go within one point of top spot, especially now that the Warriors are looking over their shoulder. Solway, on the other hand, have the potential to stretch their lead at the top of the table to seven points should they claim a regulation win but, with contests such as this one proving so close of late, the points really are there for the taking. Looking ahead to this fixture, Head Coach Martin Grubb told NIHL Northern Trio: “We will be going into this game on the back of a good weekend and it is important to make sure we can continue to do the little things that are making us successful right now. We know the Hawks are a team who have quality throughout their line-up and we will need to execute our game plan to give ourselves a chance to win along with winning the battles and taking our chances. It will be a good game I’m sure and we look forward to it. Also, myself, the players and the club wish to pass on our condolences to the family of Bobby Dixon who will be missed by the NIHL hockey family.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Icing on Sunday, Whitley Warriors will host Sutton Sting, having just played the side two weeks ago in a game which was edged by the Hillheads outfit, the side claiming a narrow 4-2 victory to hold onto fourth place whilst Simon Butterworth’s men remain just outside of the playoff positions. With this game so close, it was clear that both sides were fairly evenly matched throughout and scoring was particularly difficult for the home side who were faced with tenacious shot stopper Dmitri Zimozdra as well as the Sting’s compact defence. Triumphing over Billingham Stars last weekend, Sutton claimed a 4-3 victory against the Teessiders, having been three goals up at the end of the first period. Gradually beginning to show their might, the side will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with once more as alternate captain Ryan Johnson, former EPL forward Lloyd Gibson and youngster Joseph Colton set out to make life difficult for David Longstaff’s line up. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Meanwhile, Whitley Warriors will also apply their own blend of power, pace and punchiness to the game with captain Dean Holland planning to continue his recent good run of form. Having accumulated eight goals and six assists in the Moralee Conference to date, Holland also excelled in last Sunday’s cup game against the Hawks, scoring twice during normal play before completing his hat trick with a penalty shot in the dying seconds of the third period. Also working hard recently to earn more ice time is Warrior Lawson Glasby who, signing for Whitley in the summer, has made a great impact, already tallying four league goals and influencing play with his excellent work rate. With both teams possessing players of a high quality to make this game as intense as their previous clash, this game will certainly be one to watch, particularly as a win would send Sutton level on points with the Warriors, whereas victory for Whitley would see the side edge away from their closest competition at present. In preparation for this game, player-coach David Longstaff shared: “It should be another tough game as we needed an empty net goal to ensure we won more comfortably last time. They have a goalie who can win games on his own at this level so it’s always a hard game against Sutton. Obviously, after losing Bobby [Dixon] this week to cancer I’m sure the lads will be trying to show their best.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Last, but not least, Billingham Stars prepare to take on Blackburn Hawks who travel north for their second cup game of the weekend following their home clash with Solway Sharks on Saturday. Currently bottom of the NIHL North Cup table, defending champions Billingham Stars will be disappointed with their current position after winning the silverware in the competition last season but will equally hope to get back on track with a win, having already recorded three cup wins from a possible four against the Hawks. So far, Stars Dennis Boström and Michael Elder have caused the most damage against Blackburn this season, the former burying five goals past the side whilst Elder has three to his name. Whilst Billingham’s firepower is made up of several skilled forwards, including top points scorer Chris Sykes, assist specialist Callum Davies and goal scorer Dennis Boström, the Hawks also boast a great deal of talent in their squad with forwards Rick Bentham and Aaron Davies proving tricky opposition, defenceman Nick Oliver contributing to the Hawks’ offence where possible and former Tiger Philip Mulcahy demonstrating a good work ethic in the face of adversity. With both teams showing their strengths of late, though results have not always gone their way, it is clear that both will engage in another enthralling battle to ensure they claim points in the closely contested atmosphere of the North Cup. At present, just five points separate the fourth placed Stars from competition leaders Solway Sharks, meaning a regulation win could bring Billingham within two points of top spot should the Dumfries outfit lose out to the Hawks on Saturday. On the other hand, maximum points for Blackburn could see the side go ahead of Martin Grubb’s men should they claim success across both NIHL North Cup games this weekend. Looking forward to this clash, Star Chris Sykes expressed his thoughts on Billingham’s upcoming encounter: “It’s back to the cup at home against Blackburn again. Last time, it went to penalty shots and was a great game for all of the fans. Hopefully, this will be another game like that one but without the nerves of penalty shots would be nice. Blackburn have struggled this season and we’ve got the upper hand against them at the moment, and at home I feel like we benefit from the smaller ice against them. We will work on a few things in practice this week and get to grips with what we are planning to do to be ready for Sunday.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
On another important note, Billingham Stars will also be holding their annual ‘Air the Bear’ event, hoping to collect soft toys, games, gift sets and other presents for children who will be in hospital over the Christmas period. If you would like to help the Stars with their collection, please bring the item you wish to donate along to The Forum on Sunday.

For those fans hoping to attend a game this weekend, Solway Sharks travel to Blackburn Ice Arena for a 5:45pm faceoff with the Hawks on Saturday, before the Lancashire outfit arrives at The Forum to take on Billingham Stars from 6:30pm in their second consecutive NIHL North Cup clash of the weekend. Meanwhile, away from the cup competition, Whitley Warriors will encounter Sutton Sting at Hillheads from 5:00pm on Sunday where fans will hold a minute’s applause before the game to celebrate Bobby Dixon and the positive impact he had within the ice hockey community.

Can’t make it to a game? Below are the listening details for NIHL Radio.

NIHL Radio Listings
Saturday 26th November
5:45pm on NIHL Radio 1
Blackburn Hawks vs. Solway Sharks

Sunday 27th November
5:00pm on NIHL Radio 1
Whitley Warriors vs. Sutton Sting

5:45pm on NIHL Radio 2
The Dragons vs. Solihull Barons

6:30pm on NIHL Radio 3
Billingham Stars vs. Blackburn Hawks


Click on the link to listen: http://tunein.com/.                   


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



Wednesday 23 November 2016

NIHL Weekend Action

Tigers knocked for six as Tonnar steals show

Telford Tigers  1
Solway Sharks 6

Travelling to Shropshire to face Daniel MacKriel’s eighth placed Telford Tigers, Solway Sharks made the trip without forward Marc Fowley, defenceman James Wallace and netminder Kieran Hobbins who were sidelined through injury. Not all was bad for the Dumfries outfit though as blue liner Stuart Andrews and two-way player Jordan Buesa were available for this game to ensure that Solway lined up with the same number of skaters as that of their opposition; the Tigers’ absentee list including forwards Matt Viney, Ben Simister and Owen Bennett.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The two teams finding themselves quite evenly matched in the opening stages of the game, a stalemate developed and neither side, despite their many chances, could find a way through on goal; Brittle brothers, Luke and Adam working hard for the home team alongside Slovakian import Karol Jets and forward James Smith. Meanwhile, Sharks’ captain Struan Tonnar fought his way through Telford’s defence, linking up with Buesa and ‘D’man Juraj Senko to challenge netminder Daniel Brittle at the other end of the ice. Though the score line remained 0-0, with both sides failing to make the most of their chances in the early stages of the game, an interference penalty against Jets handed the visitors the advantage on 9:02. Unable to capitalise with the additional man, Solway went on to open the scoring soon after the Tigers were restored to full strength as left winger Steven Moore and skilled forward Duncan Speirs played the puck to alternate captain Ross Murray who went on to achieve his first league goal of the season. Having waited so long for the sides to open the scoring, the Sharks were able to add another just over two minutes later when Tonnar tapped the puck into the net courtesy of line mates Senko and Buesa. Buoyed by their two-goal lead, Solway were quick to punish the Tigers for a third time as Senko and Buesa linked up once more to find Tonnar who rocketed a shot beyond Brittle to make it 3-0 on 16:39. With Telford’s deficit growing rather rapidly, mainly due to defensive error, MacKriel’s men were eager to get back on track but were unable to do so before the interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Despite their efforts, the Tigers did not have the best start to middle section of the game as forward Callum Griffin conceded a minor penalty for tripping with just over three minutes played. On the power play, Solway attempted to extend their lead further but again found themselves unable to score until their opposition were at full strength; Tonnar claiming his hat trick with less than half of the game played whilst Buesa and Finnish import Kim Miettinen were on hand to grab assists. Shortly afterwards, Murray warmed a seat in the sin bin for elbowing to provide the Tigers with their first power play of the game but Telford’s efforts were not enough to snatch a goal against young shot stopper Calum Hepburn. With opportunities missed at both ends of the ice, it was MacKriel’s men who were made to regret their inability to score when Buesa teamed up with fellow two-way player Ben Edmonds to provide Tonnar with a chance to grab his fourth goal of the game which he took with just under five minutes remaining. Sixteen seconds later, Smith headed to the sin bin for a boarding offence to present the Sharks with a power play and this time the visitors were able to slot home on the advantage, Tonnar again with the finishing touches to find the target on 37:14.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The score line 6-0 heading into the third stanza, the Tigers were eager to find a goal in the hope that they could gain a foothold in the game and the perfect opportunity arose with over five and half minutes of the period played as a roughing penalty for Tonnar presented Telford with a power play which was swiftly converted into a goal; Smith making his mark on the game with help from Jets and defenceman Simon Harrison. With the deficit ever so slightly reduced, Telford were eager to grab another and were able to put Hepburn under pressure to force some excellent saves from the netminder but the side failed to double their tally. It was not long after this that the Tigers’ fight led to a clash; Tonnar checking Luke Brittle which quickly resulted in a scrap between the two. Dishing out penalties to both players, referee Roy Hamilton gave 2+2+10 to Brittle for fighting whilst Tonnar received and additional two minutes for checking from behind. With neither player able to return before the final buzzer, the sides continued to battle through the remaining seven minutes but neither team could find the net as the clock ran down, the gap between Telford and Solway proving too great for the home side to overturn. Reflecting on this game, Solway Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew we were going to play a strong Telford team and that we would need to be solid in defence and take our chances. We got off to a good start and played at both ends of the ice to limit their scoring chances and it helped when Struan scored five straight goals in a great night for him. We were a little slack in the third but we done the job.”


Last minute winner for Warriors sees battling Blackburn lose out

Whitley Warriors   7
Blackburn Hawks 6

With Whitley Warriors gaining the upper hand in recent contests between these two outfits, it appeared that Steven Duncombe’s Blackburn Hawks were going to have a challenge on their hands if they were to achieve maximum points. Whilst Whitley’s absentee list included forward Jordan Barnes, blue liner Harry Harley and netminder Richie Lawson, the Hawks travelled with a strong line-up, with only Tom Parkinson unable to ice.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The game got off to a flying start as young Hawk James Royds made way for tripping with only twenty five seconds played to hand the Warriors a power play which they immediately took advantage of; Shaun Kippin sweeping the puck into the net following snappy build up play from enforcer Andre Payette and player-coach David Longstaff. With this one goal advantage, the Warriors had their eye on a second but Blackburn were also able to move into Whitley’s defensive zone as ‘D’ man Nick Oliver and forward Philip Mulcahy attempted to surpass Longstaff’s blue liners. With both teams clearly up for the contest, it was not long before the first penalties of the game were dished out as Payette and Mulcahy incurred two minutes for holding and slashing respectively. As these penalties were served with no further addition to the score line, the Warriors continued to pressure Blackburn’s backup netminder Niks Trapans and it was not long before they reaped the rewards as Callum Watson played the puck to captain Dean Holland who lit the lamp to double his team’s lead. With the Hawks stunned by their early concession, Blackburn were further perplexed when Holland and Watson linked up to assist DJ Good. Shortly after this goal, the Lancashire outfit conceded yet another penalty as captain Ollie Lomax received 2+10 for holding. Just over one minute into their power play, Whitley’s Ben Richards then incurred a minor for high sticks to give the advantage to Blackburn for almost a minute and a half after the Hawks’ fifth man was restored to the ice. Unable to act on this short advantage, Duncombes men then went shorthanded for a fourth time as Oliver found himself side lined for boarding but the reaction of Kippin also saw the Warrior receive a ten minute misconduct penalty. Icing five men against Blackburn’s four as a result, there was a shift in power play as Whitley gained the advantage to hammer home their fourth goal of the game on 18:13 as Richards made amends for his earlier misdemeanour with support from Dan Pye. Just twenty nine seconds later, Hawks’ defenceman Chris Butler earned himself a 2+10 for a check from behind which only added to his team’s difficulties ahead of the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Returning for the second period, Blackburn switched Trapans for first choice short stopper Stuart Ashton whilst Longstaff opted to coach his players from the bench with the gap between the two teams so great. The Warriors were quick to extend their lead as Watson collected a pass from Martin Crammond to make it five with just thirty two seconds played; Pye with the additional assist. It was in the aftermath of this goal that tough guy Reece Cairney-Witter received two minutes for interference to spark an episode of ill-discipline in the game which saw both teams collectively rack up an astounding sixty eight penalty minutes from this moment onwards; Whitley ‘D’ man Josh Maddock heading to the sin bin for interference whilst Hawks’ player-coach Duncombe served two minutes for roughing on 22:16. These penalties not yet over, referee Scott Brown stopped the game to dish out a tripping penalty to blue liner Joe Stamp, a 2+2 for Lomax, another minor for Cairney-Witter and a call for high sticks against skilled forward Mulcahy. Concurrent to these disruptive stoppages, the Hawks began to increase their momentum in the game and it was not long before they were able to punish the home side as sharp forward Aaron Davies buried his unassisted effort beyond Boyle. Subsequent to this goal, Payette clashed with Duncombe’s new signing Corey Stones and both players were side lined for roughing. It was during this time that Cairney-Witter made his feelings clear towards Payette, invading the sin bin to find himself ejected from the game. With Blackburn appearing more dangerous by the minute, Payette and Stones were restored to the ice and it was clear that both players were eager to pick up from where they left off; Stones landing several heavy punches to knock the Warrior to the ice but a quick recovery from Payette saw the Hawk tied up and the fairly even contest over with. Calls for fighting against both earned the contenders four minutes in the sin bin but it was to be to the Warriors’ detriment as forward Rick Bentham made his mark to add another to his team’s tally courtesy of fellow forward Bobby Caunce. However, Bentham’s celebrations were cut short as the Hawk remonstrated about a crosschecking call to receive an additional ten minutes whilst Whitley’s persevering forward Lawson Glasby also picked up a minor in the same instance which ran into the third period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Resuming play for the final instalment of the game, Longstaff chose to dress for the third stanza, sensing that game was far from over. Just nine seconds in, Lomax was the first to incur further punishment; kneeing his offence on this occasion. It was shortly after this incident that Pye was made to join Glasby in the sin bin. With Blackburn increasing in confidence as the game progressed, it was little surprise when Finnish import Mikko Sierman hit home following a pass from Oliver to make it 5-3. Trying to recover the ground that Blackburn were very evidently claiming back, the Warriors struggled to challenge Ashton and a tripping penalty for Crammond hindered the flow of their game further. Building up possession on the power play, the Hawks broke down Whitley’s defence to reduce their deficit to a single goal as Sierman and Davies set up Butler. Unnerved by Blackburn’s comeback, Whitley fought for offensive opportunities and were finally able to create some breathing space between themselves and their visitors as Kippin sent young defenceman Liam Smedley weaving through the crowd to integrate Holland who flicked the puck into the net. The Warriors’ joy was short-lived however as Davies claimed his second unassisted effort just over a minute later to transfer the pressure onto the home side once more. A few near misses from the Hawks saw Whitley’s defence tested on more than one occasion but Boyle remained strong in goal, pulling off some excellent saves to keep the Warriors ahead. Seeing a lot more of the puck in this late stage of the game, the Hawks decided to call a timeout with less than five minutes remaining in the period but it was not until 59:47 that Blackburn could execute their game plan, Bentham the man to hit the target with help from team mates Oliver and Davies. The scoreboard now reading 6-6, many might have thought this goal would take the game to overtime but, with just thirteen seconds remaining, the Warriors found themselves awarded a penalty shot following the Hawks’ attempts to prevent their attack and, as Holland rose to the challenge, the captain lead by example to seal his hat trick and to subsequently earn himself Man of the Match.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio, player-coach David Longstaff looked back on the Warriors’ latest game against the Hawks: “The result was a good one but we were pretty poor overall. I’m sure the fans enjoyed it but from a coach’s point of view it was a nightmare, seeing mistake after mistake. Our face offs were terrible; losing them at crucial times in our zone resulted in two goals in the third period. I thought [Lawson] Glasby, [Liam] Brown and [Dean] Holland were our best players. We have one or two players who are really under performing at the minute so we’ll probably look to shake up our lines over the coming weeks.”


Sharp Sharks attack Barons to remain undefeated

Solihull Barons  1
Solway Sharks    4

Having collected maximum points from the nine games played prior to this fixture, Solway Sharks made the trip to Hobs Moat Road with another victory in their sights as they lined up against Perry Doyle’s steely Solihull Barons. Aiming to go at least four points ahead of close rivals Billingham Stars who were facing Sutton Sting on the same evening, the Dumfries outfit were aware that the game would be no mean feat; the Barons typically proving to be difficult opposition since their promotion to Division One in 2015.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Whilst Solihull are known for their tendency to rack up penalty minutes as well as their skill, it was perhaps ironic that Shark James Hutchinson was the first to head to the sin bin with just over four minutes played to hand the home side the advantage. Despite icing five men against Solway’s four, the Barons were unable to open the scoring and the visitors returned to full strength only to pile the pressure onto netminder Josh Nicholls who absorbed the Sharks’ attack in the early stages of the period. With both sides scrapping for possession on occasions, the Barons equally sought to test young shot stopper Calum Hepburn but to no avail. As the nature of the game required both teams to dig in, it was not long before two-way player Jordan Buesa found himself sinbinned for boarding whilst Barons’ defenceman Dave Rogers made way for his retaliation to the incident. Approximately two minutes after these penalties were served, Solway’s efforts in front of goal eventually paid off as alternate captain Ross Murray found the back of the net to catapult his team into the lead for a second consecutive evening as forwards Joe Coulter and Duncan Speirs assisted. Shortly after this goal, Solihull’s Matthew Maurice then incurred two minutes for charging to leave his side shorthanded with 17:34 on the clock. Though on the power play, Solway failed to double their tally and filed from the ice at the break with a narrow 1-0 lead to their name.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Returning for the second period, play continued in much the same vein as the first. Both sides enduring a battle for possession, the Sharks were able to make it 2-0 just over six minutes in as captain Struan Tonnar lit the lamp to achieve his tenth league goal of the season, following passing play from Coulter and strong defenceman Kim Miettinen. With both teams having their fair share of shots on goal, it was clear that the Barons were still up for the fight and it showed when a crosscheck from Buesa also resulted in roughing penalties for Solihull’s Maurice, Rogers and blue liner Richard Crowe, as well as Shark Scott Henderson. With only forty four seconds of these penalties served, Barons’ forward Ed Eaton joined his teammates to see Solway gain a slight advantage but it was not until three minutes later that the Sharks were able to find the back of the net for a third time, Tonnar setting up Buesa who did not miss his mark with just ten seconds of the period remaining.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The score line 3-0, Solihull were under no illusion as to the work required to compete with Martin Grubb’s outfit and a fourth goal for the side, scored by an unassisted Juraj Senko, on 44:48 only made matters worse for the Barons as they desperately tried to get back on track. Less than five minutes later however, the home side were able to grab a goal as Elliot Farrell printed his name on the scoresheet following build up play from former Dragon Paul Davies and forward Andrew Whitehouse. This goal arriving just before the halfway point in the period, there was time enough for a Barons’ comeback but with the game still closely contested, defenceman Dale White picked up four minutes for holding and slashing on 53:43 which saw the visitors enjoy a lengthy power play, though they could not creep further ahead in the game. This penalty somewhat hindering Solihull’s chances to chip away at their deficit, Solway saw out the remainder of the game with the character and determination required to defeat Doyle’s men. Adding to his earlier comments, Grubb stated: “We knew this would be a tough game against a title contender and that we needed to start well as they hadn’t played for a few weeks. I was pleased that we won the battles needed and executed a gritty road game; this was a huge character win. The boys have shown the ability and spirit we have and we now need to keep this momentum going as long as we can.”


 Stars fall short as Billingham stung by Sutton

Sutton Sting               4
Billingham Stars   3

Travelling to Ice Sheffield for their first game against Sutton Sting this season, Billingham Stars were eager to continue their recent good form with a win against Simon Butterworth’s men but were under no illusion as to how difficult the game would be, Sutton having climbed the league table over the last few weeks to contend with the tough opposition of the Moralee Conference.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With the game underway, Sutton’s desire was evident from the start and, though netminder Dmitri Zimozdra was called into action by a quick-fire shot from Swedish import Dennis Boström as play commenced, the Sting saw the best part of the puck in the early stages to challenge shot stopper James Flavell at the other end of the ice. Despite making a positive start to the game, Butterworth’s team then incurred a minor penalty for holding which saw alternate captain James Goodman warm a seat in the sin bin to hand the visitors the advantage. Though shorthanded, Sutton remained unscathed and were able to find the target a little over two minutes later when captain James Spurr played the puck to forward Lloyd Gibson who buried his shot to punish Billingham’s listlessness. Having opened the scoring, it was not long before the home side added to the Stars’ woes as Gibson snatched another on 15:29 to establish a two-goal cushion when Spurr combined with young prospect Joseph Colton to assist his teammate once more. Fifty four seconds later however, Gibsongood work was placed on the back burner as he found himself sinbinned for hooking whilst blue liner Ryan Johnson conceded a ten minute misconduct for voicing his despair at the decision. Again, the Stars were unable to make the most of their possession with the additional man and this was to be one wasted opportunity that the side would regret as Gibson returned to the ice only to complete his hat trick twenty eight seconds later.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading in with this three-goal lead at the first interval, the stunned Stars returned for the second period with the knowledge that they must act fast to gain a foothold in the game. A slashing penalty against Charlie Saunders on 22:11 saw Billingham go on the power play but the chance did not last long as forward Michael Elder then made way for hooking. Both sides eventually returned to full strength to try their luck in front of goal but another holding penalty for Goodman saw his side reduced to four men yet again. Though failing to light the lamp on the power play, Boström managed to place the puck beyond Zimozdra but referee Deana Cuglietta decided not to give the goal on finding that Scott Ward was offside. Failing to punish the Sting for their misdemeanours, Billingham then found themselves serving a minor of their own as Ben Davison, making his return from injury, was found guilty of high sticks. It was not long after this penalty was over that the Stars were able to edge back into the game as forwards Chris Sykes and Callum Davies linked up to allow line mate Elder to achieve his tenth goal of the season on 36:59. With renewed confidence, the Teessiders began to sense that the comeback was not an impossibility and hit home less than two minutes later as Boström slipped the rebounding puck past Zimozdra; Scott Ward and Matthew Campbell with the assists. At the close of the period, a tripping call against Jack Davies saw the Star receive 2+10 for his offence to place the Sting on the power play going into the final instalment of the game.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Heading into the third period with hopes of equalising at the very least, Terry Ward’s men worked hard on the penalty kill before breaking into Sutton’s defensive zone. Pressuring dexterous netminder Zimozdra, Billingham eventually reaped the rewards of their perseverance when Boström grabbed his second goal of the game with approximately forty seven minutes played to lift his team. Disappointed to concede in this manner, the Sting were determined to regain their lead but suffered a setback as defenceman Chris Wilcox was side-lined around the fifty minute mark to provide Billingham with yet another power play which was unsurprisingly squandered, considering the side’s inability to capitalise throughout the game. Killing the penalty effectively, the Sting continued to labour for a goal and were soon rewarded as Gibson claimed his fourth of the game in a bid to secure victory. Visibly unsettled by this goal, the Stars called for a timeout in the latter stages of the period. Pulling netminder Flavell to ice an additional skater, the outfit could not draw level, try as they might, to leave the score line 4-3 in Sutton’s favour. Sharing his thoughts on the game, forward Chris Sykes observed: “We had a bad day at the office against Sutton. We always seem to struggle on the big ice in Sheffield and we ended up 3-0 down at the end of the first. We clawed our way back into the game and made it 3-3 but, with around four minutes left, we conceded and we threw everything at them but we just couldn’t get the puck in the net. We had a few disallowed goals and a referee mistake cost us time in the attacking zone but we can’t win them all, as they say! We are disappointed as, in my opinion, we should be beating Sutton but they’ve got their game plan and it worked.”





NIHL Northern Trio would like to take this opportunity to pass on condolences to the family of Whitley Warriors' fan, Bobby Dixon who will be greatly missed.





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