Thursday 26 January 2017

NIHL Weekend Preview


WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE


Saturday 28th January 2017
Blackburn Hawks vs. Whitley Warriors
Telford Tigers vs. Solway Sharks

Sunday 29th January 2017
Whitley Warriors vs. Billingham Stars
Solihull Barons vs. Solway Sharks

Involved in just two fixtures last weekend, the Northern Trio are set to take part in a far busier schedule with Whitley Warriors icing in an NIHL North Cup game against Blackburn Hawks on Saturday before making the return trip for their second Tyne-Tees derby of 2017. Meanwhile, NIHL North Cup winners Solway Sharks switch to league action this week to play a tricky double header against Telford Tigers and Solihull Barons.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Preparing to make the trip to Lancashire on Saturday, Whitley Warriors face a difficult NIHL North Cup fixture against Blackburn Hawks for the first time since the Hillheads outfit triumphed over Steven Duncombe’s struggling side in a closely contested cup game at Whitley Bay Ice Rink in November. Since then, Whitley Warriors have played in two cup games against Billingham Stars and Solway Sharks, winning 4-1 in the Tyne-Tees derby before losing out by six goals to three against the North Cup champions on the road. By comparison, Blackburn Hawks have recorded defeats to both the Sharks and the Stars in the competition, finding themselves on the wrong end of respective 6-2 and 7-3 score lines. Whilst the Lancashire outfit exhibited poor form in the North Cup competition before Christmas, the side will be hoping that they can give a far better account of themselves in the contest for the remainder of their campaign, particularly if they want to compete with David Longstaff’s team who have recently managed to improve on their form in the competition to move into second place with twelve points from nine games. As a result, a regulation victory for Blackburn on Saturday would see the side displace the Warriors from their present situation whereas maximum points for the visitors would allow the outfit to increase the gap between themselves and their opposition as they strive to seal second place to finish ahead of both the Hawks and their close local rivals Billingham Stars. No longer boasting the talent of power forward Corey Stones who clashed with Whitley’s suspended enforcer Andre Payette earlier in the season, the Hawks do have tough guy Reece Cairney-Witter at their disposal whilst Warrior Jordan Barnes is certainly not one to shy away from confrontation. As a result, this game could make for interesting viewing due to the rivalry these clubs have constructed in recent seasons. Though Solway has snatched the North Cup from defending champions Billingham Stars, there is still much to play for in the competition as the sides go head-to-head for both points and pride. Speaking ahead of this game, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff shared: “Saturday is another chance for us to ice some younger players again. We’ll be hoping to ice one or two players who haven’t featured with the first team.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Also icing on Saturday, Solway Sharks will make the lengthy journey to Shropshire ahead of a league clash with Daniel MacKriel’s Telford Tigers who currently sit at the foot of the Moralee Conference with twelve points from nineteen games. Polar opposites in terms of league position, the clubs will meet for a third time this season, Solway having already recorded a 6-2 home victory against the side in November before triumphing over the Tigers on the road once again just one week later. Their last encounter with Telford perhaps most memorable for captain Struan Tonnar’s five goals, Sharks Connor Henderson, Duncan Speirs, two-way player Ben Edmonds, Slovakian import Juraj Senko and alternate captain Ross Murray have also been able to get onto the scoresheet against MacKriel’s men earlier this season whilst the player-coach and forward James Smith were the only scorers for the Tigers over the course of these two fixtures. With every point now vital due to the small margins between each league position, the Tigers will set out for a win to bounce back from last weekend’s league defeat to Blackburn Hawks but having only achieved five victories this season, this task could prove to be a monumental one for the home side who have suffered due to a short bench. Equally, underestimating MacKriel’s line-up could prove dangerous and therefore the Sharks must avoid complacence if they are to succeed; already this season, the Tigers have taken points from Sutton Sting, Whitley Warriors, Solihull Barons and Blackburn Hawks and should certainly not be ruled out of any contest. Whilst a win would again send Solway ten points clear of Billingham Stars at the top of the table, victory for the Tigers would allow the team to move into seventh place ahead of Sutton Sting who do not have a fixture this weekend. Looking ahead to this clash, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb took time to share his views: “Telford is always a difficult place to go and this game will be no different. We are going to have to go with our game plan and ensure that we play hard at both ends of the ice. They have the quality to hurt us if we don’t play to our capabilities so it will be about us going there ready to battle for sixty minutes.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The action will then continue on Sunday as Billingham Stars travel to Hillheads for an encounter with David Longstaff’s Whitley Warriors, following the sides’ combined league and NIHL North Cup fixture just three weeks ago which resulted in a 4-1 loss for the Teessiders. Whilst captain Dean Holland grabbed two goals in this clash and forwards Callum Watson and Jordan Barnes also contributed to the Warriors’ offensive efforts, the Stars’ only scorer was forward Chris Sykes who is unavailable for this weekends Tyne-Tees derby. Capable of so much more than this defeat, Billingham will be aiming to improve on their recent poor performance against Whitley Warriors to take two points back to The Forum whilst simultaneously claiming the bragging rights on the road. Sitting in second place, the Stars have achieved eleven wins from sixteen games whereas their local rivals remain in fourth place with seventeen points from eighteen games, having also incurred a two-point deduction. Besides the result of this latest Tyne-Tees derby, since returning to the ice in the New Year, Whitley Warriors have recorded two cup losses to Solway Sharks as well as a hard fought victory over The Dragons. Meanwhile, Billingham have also suffered a cup defeat to the Dumfries outfit in recent games and went on to lose out in a league encounter to Solihull Barons, only to bounce back against Sutton Sting on home ice last weekend. Having achieved this positive result in front of a home crowd, it may be suggested that the momentum will be with Terry Ward’s team but it is likely that form will be forgotten when the local rivals confront each other once again, with bragging rights the real accolade when the final buzzer sounds on Sunday. Adding to his earlier comments, Longstaff noted: “It’s a local derby so anything can happen and I’d be shocked if we dominated Billingham again like we did a couple of weeks ago.” Further to this, Star Jack Watkins shared his views with NIHL Northern Trio: “I think this weekend against the Warriors will be a tough one. It’s always tough to go to Whitley and get points. They play well at home and we will be without the help of one of our top scorers, Chris Sykes. He will be a huge miss. We have had a good week at practice and are ready for the weekend ahead.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Last to ice this weekend, Solway Sharks will then make the trip from Telford Ice Rink to Hobs Moat Road as they prepare to take on Perry Doyle’s Solihull Barons. Playing the Barons at the Dumfries Ice Bowl in October, the Sharks recorded a 3-1 win as captain Struan Tonnar and Finnish import Kim Miettinen presented the side with an early two goal cushion; Baron Matthew Maurice then pulled a goal back for his team before Solway’s Juraj Senko rounded off the scoring to ensure Solway’s victoryThis was then followed by a second win against Solihull in November as Martin Grubb’s men took the lead through alternate captain Ross Murray before Tonnar, Senko and two-way player Jordan Buesa added to their team’s efforts to claim another two points against the third-placed Barons who by no means made life easy for the Sharks. Currently sitting behind Billingham Stars in the Moralee Conference, Solihull have eighteen points from eighteen games, losing two of their last four fixtures to Telford Tigers and Scott McKenzie’s Dragons. With the league so close and just one point between themselves and Whitley Warriors, Head Coach Doyle will send his team out onto the ice aiming for no less than maximum points as they look to break away from their competition. With the quality of forwards Thomas Soar, Josh Bruce, Joe Henry and import Niklas Ottosson to name but a few, not to mention a strong defence, the Barons are more than capable of competing with Solway and will look to demonstrate this on Sunday evening. The Sharks, on the other hand, will hope to be in a position to secure another four point weekend in their quest for silverware and will equally settle for no less than a victory which should make this contest an entertaining one to say the least. Considering this clash, Grubb added: “Solihull are a team who have speed, skill and grit and are always a well-drilled team who compete hard. We have always had tight games with them and I don’t see this one being any different. It will be about playing a solid road game and taking our chances as we look to get the points. We want to keep our momentum going.”

For those fans hoping to attend a game this weekend, Solway Sharks face off against Daniel MacKriel’s Tigers from 5:30pm at Telford Ice Rink on Saturday whilst Whitley Warriors encounter the Hawks in their NIHL North Cup fixture from 5:45pm at Blackburn Ice Arena. On Sunday, Billingham Stars make the trip to Whitley Bay Ice Rink for a 5:00pm faceoff against Whitley Warriors before Solway Sharks take on Perry Doyle’s Solihull Barons from 6:00pm at Hobs Moat Road. Can’t make it to a game? Fear not! Please find NIHL Radios listings below.

NIHL Radio Listings

Sunday 29th January
5:00pm on NIHL Radio 1
Whitley Warriors vs. Billingham Stars


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


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


Monday 23 January 2017

NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors knocked for six as Sharks secure North Cup title


Solway Sharks         6
Whitley Warriors       3

Facing Whitley Warriors on home ice for the third time this season, Solway Sharks were able to take a great deal of confidence into this clash, having yet to lose out to the Hillheads outfit this campaign. Notably, both teams were short benched as the Dumfries outfit took to the ice without suspended alternate captain Ross Murray and two-way player Ben Edmonds, not to mention forwards Duncan Speirs and Connor Henderson. Meanwhile, the Warriors were equally depleted with player-coach David Longstaff deciding to coach from the bench and suspended enforcer Andre Payette, captain Dean Holland, alternate captain Shaun Kippin, forward Liam Brown, defenceman Joe Stamp and youngsters Anthony Wetherell and Ross Douglass missing for the visitors. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Knowing that a regulation win for the Sharks would put Solway on course to win the North Cup title with an unbeatable twenty three points, the Warriors were aware of the immense challenge facing them as Solway headed onto the ice with silverware in their sights. In the opening minutes of the first period, both shot stopper Chris Rae and netminder Richie Lawson were called upon to ensure the deadlock remained unbroken as the two teams battled to get off the mark. The contest close, it was not long before tempers frayed, Warrior Jordan Barnes and Solway’s Stuart Andrews clashing on 8:05 to earn themselves minor roughing penalties. These penalties running until the halfway point of the period, both teams returned to full strength to continue their search for the first goal of the game and it was not long after that the Sharks were able to take the lead, defenceman Andrews finding the back of the net to redeem himself for his previous misdemeanour whilst left winger Steven Moore and forward Marc Fowley were on hand to pick up assists. Disappointed to lose out having kept Solway at bay in the early stages of the game, the Warriors sought their own opportunities in front of Rae’s goal but it was Whitley’s netminder Lawson that found himself under the most pressure as the Sharks outshot their opposition by fourteen to eight. A slashing penalty against forward Callum Watson on 13:11 presented the Dumfries outfit with a power play but the Warriors’ blue line remained strong to prevent attempts from Solway’s hardworking contingent from causing further damage. Shortly after returning to full strength, the visitors then incurred another penalty as ‘D’ man Josh Maddock headed to the sin bin for hooking to leave the Warriors shorthanded until the final minute of the period. Performing well on the penalty kill, Longstaff’s line-up were able to defend exceptionally well to prevent the determined Sharks from scoring a second ahead of the interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Racing onto the ice for the second period, both teams resumed their heated battle before Whitley conceded another minor when Maddock was found to be guilty of tripping by referee Steven Wardell. This time the Sharks needed little persuasion to capitalise and, with only eleven seconds of their advantage remaining, young prospect Daniel Abercrombie was able to hit home courtesy of strong link up play from Fowley and Finnish import Kim Miettinen. Made to pay for their lack of discipline, the Warriors were again shorthanded just minutes later as returning Warrior Alan Yarrow found himself punished for a crosscheck to hand the opposition the advantage once more. Try as they might, Solway could not make their chances count but the Warriors then incurred a further minor just seconds before Yarrow’s punishment was over to extend the Sharks’ power play; this time forward DJ Good shown to the sin bin for hooking on 29:26. Fortunately for Longstaffs men, these penalties were not entirely to Whitleydetriment as Good was restored to the ice, only to present stand-in captain Barnes with the perfect opportunity to place the puck beyond Rae which reduced the deficit to one goal. Spurred on by this, the Warriors were then handed an advantage when Sharks’ captain Struan Tonnar was made to sit out for holding over two minutes later but the home side made for difficult opposition to prevent Whitley from equalising on the power play. Instead, the Dumfries outfit were able to get on the scoresheet soon after returning to five men, Miettinen with his second assist of the evening as he played the puck to two-way player Jordan Buesa who comfortably punished Lawson on 37:31. Undeterred by this setback however, the Warriors were able to snatch a second goal in the last minute of the period when play between Maddock and Watson worked its way to forward Ben Richards who lit the lamp to make it 3-2. Feeling that this would provide them with a good footing as they headed into the third period, the visitors were then stunned when the Sharks bounced back to regain their two-goal cushion as Tonnar found the target with just five seconds of the stanza remaining; forwards Joe Coulter and Buesa with the assists.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Facing off for the final period, Solway were more determined than ever to hold onto their lead whilst the Warriors were aware that their short benched side would have much work to do to but were willing to give the game their all under the circumstances. Opting for backup netminder Jordan Boyle between the pipes in place of Lawson, the Warriors continued to use the cup competition as an opportunity to provide ice time to those players who do not feature on a regular basis. Making an excellent start to the period, the Sharks were able to create several chances in their offensive zone but strong defending from Whitley meant that scoring a fifth goal was no easy task for Solway who were unable to extend their lead until 48:15 when Tonnar grabbed his second of the game following creative play from Buesa and Miettinen. Now three goals adrift, Whitley could feel that the game was slipping further from their grasp and a hooking penalty against Richards approximately four minutes later added to the visitors’ problems as the Sharks quickly capitalised just twenty four seconds into the Warriors’ penalty kill; Abercrombie threading a pass to Fowley who slotted home to make it 6-2. It was not long after this goal that long-serving Warrior Watson was side-lined for the remainder of the game as the forward conceded a two minute penalty for roughing followed by a ten minute misconduct for making his feelings clear on the matter. With less than six minutes remaining in the period, Solway continued to cause problems for the Hillheads outfit as the Warriors efforts on goal gradually dwindled whilst the home team were able to test Boyle, though without further success. Despite this, the Warriors were provided with one last chance to gain a power play goal when Sharks’ blue liner Andrews headed to the sin bin for a crosscheck on fifty nine minutes. Piling the pressure onto Rae and his defence in the hope that they could earn themselves a consolatory goal, the Warriors were delighted when Richards snatched another to make it 6-3 with just twenty four seconds of the period to play. This goal sparked some rather tempestuous scenes however, as Solway’s newest signing Darren Stattersfield checked power forward Barnes to spark a fight. Whilst both players earned themselves 2+2 for fighting, the youngster picked up an additional ten minute penalty for his actions, leaving both sides punished as the buzzer called time on Solway’s victory.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Achieving their first piece of silverware this season following this regulation win, Solway Sharks now have twenty three points from nine games with three fixtures still to play in the competition whilst Whitley Warriors remain in second place with two games in hand on Billingham. Speaking after the game, player-coach David Longstaff shared: “It was a decent game for us. We played every player and some got ice time they wouldn’t normally get in a league game.” Meanwhile, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb also took time to comment: “The game was a scrappy affair with both teams short on key players and I felt we didn’t get into it as quick as I would have liked. We eventually got the lead and managed to be in control of the game although Whitley battled hard but we got the win in a game that was hardly a classic. It’s great for the boys to collect the first trophy of the season and we are still focused on improving and gaining confidence from this but it’s nice for the players and supporters to share success.”

  
Stars strike back to shoot down Sting

Billingham Stars   5  
Sutton Sting           3

Playing host to Sutton Sting, Billingham Stars headed into this league fixture with victory on their agenda after last weekend’s double defeat to Solway Sharks and Solihull Barons. Icing a much strengthened squad, the Stars had sixteen skaters at their disposal for this encounter as Andy Finn and Jack Davies returned to the Stars line-up, though blue liners Tom Keeley, Matthew Campbell and the injured Ben Davison were unavailable for the clash. Likewise, Sutton Sting were equally hoping for maximum points after losing their last three games and Head Coach Simon Butterworth made the trip with a strong squad of twenty which included outstanding netminding duo Dmitri Zimozdra and Zack Brown. Knowing that victory was not an impossibility having defeated the Stars once already this season, Sutton went into this fixture with their usual tenacity.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Heading into the first period, Billingham took to the ice with a thirst for glory which was met by the Sting’s determination to prevent the Stars from claiming a goal in the early stages of the game. Defending exceptionally well in the opening minutes, Sutton were able to dig in deep to prevent the home side from going ahead in the game and, whilst the visitors had their fair share of chances, it was clear that Zimozdra was the busier netminder as Billingham’s forwards strove to make an impact in front of goal though to no avail. With time passing and both teams regretting their missed opportunities, forward Chris Sykes was finally able to beat the Sting’s sturdy shot stopper with an unassisted effort on 14:29 to give his side the lead. Whilst it may have taken over fourteen minutes for the first goal of the game to be scored, the next followed just twenty nine seconds later when Sutton’s reliable blue liner Ryan Johnson, who found himself playing as a forward for this clash, took control of the puck to make the most of fast-paced passing play from captain James Spurr and experienced defenceman David Pyatt. The score line 1-1, the two teams continued to battle but the Stars ultimately found themselves no further forward due to the outstanding efforts of the Sting and headed in at the break with much work still to be done.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Returning for the middle section of the game, both outfits resumed their war of attrition, with Sutton beginning to see their fair share of chances though excellent netminding at either end of the ice ensured neither side could creep ahead in the game. Whilst Spurr continued to appear particularly dangerous in offence for the Sting, Billingham’s Swedish imports turned their attention towards the net on more than one occasion but to no avail. In the same way that the first period passed by without any impact on the score line, the second unfolded in a similar manner and both teams had played beyond the halfway point in the stanza before the lamp was lit again, this time Billingham’s Daniel Palmebjörk printing his name on the scoresheet with help from fellow forward Jack Watkins. Claiming this narrow lead, the Stars were unable to build any momentum from this goal as a result of the Sting’s pre-emptive play. Facing fourteen shots to Zimozdra’s twelve, it was clear that shot stopper James Flavell was called upon more frequently as the visitors continued to put him to the test, yet Sutton could not deliver a goal in spite of their many chances. Provided with the ideal opportunity to draw level in the latter stages of the stanza when Sykes made way following a holding call on 38:26, Butterworth’s men battled to make the additional man count but were unable to do so. Holding onto the hope that they could make the most of the remaining twenty six seconds of the Stars’ penalty kill after the interval, the Sting looked on as matters were made worse for the Teessiders; Jack Davies incurring a ten minute penalty for abuse of an official as the period came to an end.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Resuming their power play, the Sting found themselves unable to capitalise and were soon punished as the Stars took possession of the puck to see Dennis Boström fire home an unassisted effort seventy seven seconds later. The margin which separated the two teams now more noticeable than before, Sutton continued in the same vein to break up the Stars’ creative play, thereby ensuring that they were not yet out of the contest. Playing with strength to counteract Billingham’s unrelenting attack, Butterworths men made full use of their power and it was not long after that a hard hit against the Stars’ saw forward James Moss clash with the Sting’s alternate captain James Goodman; both players earned themselves 2+2 for fighting whilst the latter conceded an additional two minutes for roughing. Just over two minutes later, shot stopper Zimozdra was then found to be guilty of tripping which presented Billingham with a power play. As a result, the Teessiders did not hesitate to capitalise as Boström struck the back of the net for a second time, following build-up play from player-coach Michael Bowman and blue liner Finn. The scoreboard reading 4-1, Sutton’s hopes of victory were fast slipping away as the Stars continued their control of the period, peppering Zimozdra with shots whilst Flavell coped comfortably with the Stings counterattack. Aware that the clock was against them, Butterworth called a timeout on 57:12, making the decision to pull Zimozdra from his net to ice an additional player. Quick to reap the rewards of this tactic, the Sheffield-based outfit were able to hit home just four seconds after returning from their timeout, Spurr linking up with experienced forward Scott Morris on this occasion to successfully send Joe Colton through on goal. The score line now 4-2, it was clear that the Sting were feeling buoyed by Butterworth’s words and the side then added another to their tally with eighteen seconds remaining in the game as Spurr finally reaped the rewards of his hard work with a goal; Colton turning assist alongside junior Oliver Mitchell. This a nerve-racking turn of events for the Stars who had previously been in control of the game, the side set out to regain possession to eliminate Sutton’s chances of a comeback and did so in the dying seconds as forward Callum Davies collected the puck to find Boström who sealed his hat trick with an empty net goal one second before the final buzzer.

As a result of this victory, the Stars have reduced the points gap between themselves and league leaders Solway Sharks to eight once again whilst Sutton Sting slip into the league placement playoff place as a result of this road loss. Commenting after the game, Star Chris Sykes shared his views on Billingham’s 5-3 victory against his former team: “Back to winning ways for the Stars and in the first game on home ice of 2017 which is a good start! We played some good hockey and we had a 4-1 lead, Sutton pulled their goalie with about three minutes left to play and got a couple of bounces and some goals but we managed to pick up the ENG and just make sure the points were ours. It was a real good game.”


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




Thursday 19 January 2017

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE


Saturday 21st January 2017
Solway Sharks vs. Whitley Warriors

Sunday 22nd January 2017
Billingham Stars vs. Sutton Sting

Following a busy schedule of league and cup action in recent weeks, this weekend sees the Northern Trio involved in just two fixtures as Whitley Warriors travel to the Dumfries Ice Bowl for an NIHL North Cup encounter with Solway Sharks before Billingham Stars resume their league campaign on Sunday with a fixture against Sutton Sting at The Forum.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Having already played two combined cup and league fixtures both at home and on the road against Whitley Warriors this season, not to mention a more recent league game, Solway Sharks will prepare to host the Hillheads outfit for a third time as David Longstaff’s men make the trip to the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday for their latest NIHL North Cup clash with the side. Triumphing over the Warriors twice in the competition already this season, the Sharks recorded a 9-2 road victory in Whitley’s first home game of their campaign before claiming a 6-3 win against the team at the end of October. With these successes in mind, Solway will aim to continue their winning streak on Saturday whilst the Warriors will be seeking to avenge their losses, knowing that they were able to contend with the Sharks earlier this month. The result of this meeting a 5-3 score line in favour of Martin Grubb’s men, Solways alternate captain James Hutchinson was a key influence for his side when these two teams last met, picking up a goal and two assists to earn himself the Man of the Match award. Also performing particularly well were Hutchinson’s fellow defencemen and imports Juraj Senko and Kim Miettinen, both of whom tallied a goal and an assist each to ensure their team’s comeback against the resilient Warriors. Of note for the visitors, captain Dean Holland and blue liner Harry Harley achieved a goal apiece against the Sharks to initially present Whitley with a two-goal lead in this game and the duo, who continue to impress on a weekly basis, will hope to do so again when they take to the ice this weekend. With Solway leading the way at the top of the NIHL North Cup standings at present, Whitley Warriors currently sit eight points behind the Dumfries outfit in second place and will give their all in search of a regulation win which could see Longstaff’s line-up reduce the gap significantly ahead of next week’s cup fixture against the Hawks. Considering this contest, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff shared: “The next two games are cup games. In all honesty it would be a miracle if Solway don’t win so it’s a chance for us to give ice time to the players who haven’t had as much as they’d like and a chance for our fans to see some younger players.” Meanwhile, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb also took the time to look ahead: “We go into Saturday knowing we are in for another tough game against the Warriors. They played well against us a few weeks ago and it will be even harder this week as they are playing with confidence. We are fully aware of the threat they pose and also what we need to do to execute our game plan and give ourselves a chance to win. We have started 2017 pretty well. It is important that we try and keep our momentum going into a difficult run of games and we will take it one game at a time.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Meanwhile, Billingham Stars will play host to Sutton Sting on Sunday as the sides face each other for the third time this season, each having claimed a victory over the other already this campaign. Presenting an edge over Billingham Stars at Ice Sheffield in November to record a 4-3 win over the Teessiders, Simon Butterworth’s Sting then lost out on the road as the Stars battled to triumph by eight goals to six over their visitors. Hoping for a repeat performance against Sutton on home ice this Sunday, having lost out in last weekend’s double header to Solway Sharks and Solihull Barons, the Stars will be looking to make amends for recent performances with a home win. This will, of course, be no easy task as the side are set to take on the Sting’s steely defence which includes the excellent leadership of alternate captains James Goodman and Ryan Johnson, experienced ‘D’ men Chris Wilcox, David Pyatt and Mark Turner, Czech import Martin Finkes and youngsters Cameron Glasby and Jamie Scott. Looking to counter Sutton’s difficult defence will be the Stars’ top points scorers; hardworking forward Chris Sykes, Swedish import Dennis Boström, alternate captain Callum Davies and the dexterous Michael Elder who have collectively accumulated one hundred points to date. As a result, these forwards have picked up more points than any other top points scoring quartet in the league this season, though Dragons’ Scott McKenzie, Markus Kankaanranta, James Parsons and Filip Supa are not far off with a combined points production of ninety six. Setting their sights on victory this weekend, the Stars will require their offensive players to be at their very best but will equally hope that they have far more defencemen at their disposal than that of last weekend, the side having travelled to Dumfries with just two blue liners before adding two more to their line-up prior to their trip to Hobs Moat Road last Sunday. Currently sitting behind Solway in the Moralee Conference, the Stars must begin to chip away at the ten point deficit separating the two sides or risk slipping from second place and away from the league title. Two points for the Sting however, would be a fantastic boost for the outfit who require some momentum having lost their last three league games. Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio ahead of this contest, Star Chris Sykes noted: “Sunday is a big game for us to get back on track. We’ve had a terrible start to 2017 but it’s not helped by the fact we’ve only had a handful, or less than a handful, of ‘D’ men to choose from with commitments keeping them away from the games. Sunday is back on home ice and a chance to get back to winning ways after a terrible weekend last week. Last time we played Sutton it became a shootout and we beat them 8-6 in the end. Hopefully, we can rectify that this time and make sure they don’t score any, or as little as possible, and our forwards produce what we know they can.”

For those fans hoping to attend either of these games at the weekend, Solway Sharks host Whitley Warriors from 7:00pm at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday before Billingham Stars faceoff against Sutton Sting at The Forum from 6:30pm on Sunday. Can’t make it to a game? Fear not! Please find NIHL Radio’s listings below.
NIHL Radio Listings


Sunday 22nd January
5:45 pm on NIHL Radio 1
Blackburn Hawks vs. Telford Tigers

6:30pm on NIHL Radio 2
Billingham Stars vs. Sutton Sting


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

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

Tuesday 17 January 2017

NIHL Weekend Action

Sharks snap up cup points as Stars fail to shine

Solway Sharks      8
Billingham Stars   1

Travelling to the Dumfries Ice Bowl for their NIHL North Cup encounter with Solway Sharks, Billingham Stars were aware that they were going to face a challenge from the off as they made the trip short benched with just two defencemen at their disposal and eleven skaters making up their lengthy absentee list. Solway, on the other hand, continued to make the best of their reduced roster, again taking to the ice without forwards Duncan Speirs and Connor Henderson, though the side were able to introduce junior Darren Stattersfield to the Moralee Conference as the youngster made his debut following his return from the GMHL.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Hitting the ice with the intention of making Solway work for the points, the Stars appeared to have given themselves an excellent chance in the contest when they took an early lead with just over three minutes of the game played; Jack Emerson breaking free of Solway’s defence to fire his unassisted effort beyond netminder Calum Hepburn. With the concession of this goal a shock to the Dumfries outfit, the Sharks began to seek a greater share of possession to test Billingham’s blue line which consisted of regular ‘D’ men Ben Davison and Matthew Campbell as well as player-coach Michael Bowman and forward Jack Watkins. Continuing to challenge shot stopper Mark Watson, the Sharks eventually drew level when forward Ben Edmonds integrated fellow two-way player Jordan Buesa to see the lamp flash red on 11:16. The score line 1-1, Solway were aware that they must work hard to add to their tally as Billingham sought a way to regain their lead. However, as the period progressed, the Sharks did not let up and became increasingly dangerous in front of Watson’s goal before Buesa turned assist for Edmonds who sent his team ahead, Slovakian import Juraj Senko also bagging himself an assist. With less than three minutes of the period remaining, the Stars were still very much in the game and went in at the break with hopes that their lost ground could be recovered.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Returning for the second period, Solway were happy to pick up from where they left off whilst the Stars headed into the stanza aiming to equalise at the very least. Testing Watson on more than one occasion, it was little surprise when the home side extended their lead to 3-1 as alternate captain Ross Murray linked up with forward Joe Coulter to see his line mate print his name on the scoresheet. Under fire from the Sharks, Billingham’s defence began to struggle with the onslaught and sure enough it took just over two minutes later for Watson to pick the puck from his net once more as young prospect Daniel Abercrombie achieved his fourth cup goal of the season courtesy of defenceman James Hutchinson and forward Marc Fowley. Unrelenting, Solway ensured the Stars had little time for recovery as the side quickly added to their lead seventy eight seconds later to make it 5-1; skilled defenceman Kim Miettinen threading a pass to captain Struan Tonnar who was able to hit home to leave Billingham bewildered by their growing deficit. Their chances few and far between, with Solway having twenty shots on Watson’s goal to Billingham’s eight, the Stars found themselves failing to cope and unable to find the back of the net again as the Sharks became merciless in front of the net. Abercrombie was able to add his second of the game on 34:21 as quick-thinking left winger Steven Moore collected the puck from Hutchinson to see the youngster beat Watson before going on to complete his hat trick just under a minute later with a superb unassisted goal. Feeling cast adrift by the six goal gap, the Stars were unable to conjure a response and, susceptible to further concession as a result, the Sharks were able to hammer another past Billingham as Buesa claimed his second goal of the evening following assists from Murray and Hutchinson. Trying to further enhance their scoring before the interval, the Sharks went in with an 8-1 lead with the hopes that they could secure victory on their return whilst Billingham knew that the remainder of the game would simply be damage limitation.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Icing for the third and final period of the cup encounter, it was clear that the game was not going to overtime but the Stars, having switched netminder Watson for first choice shot stopper James Flavell, were able to get an early chance to double their tally when Coulter incurred a minor penalty for hooking on 41:28; the first penalty of the game. Try as they might to snatch a second goal on the power play, the Teessiders were unable to contend with Solway’s organised penalty kill, though the situation allowed for a more level playing field; Billingham beginning to increase their efforts in offence as regular goal scorers Dennis Boström, Chris Sykes and Michael Elder looked to work their magic. Despite this offensive play, the Stars were unable to find the net for a second time and were up against Solway’s fast-paced forwards who continued to wreak havoc as Buesa, Edmonds and Abercrombie set their sights on goal. A little before the halfway point in the period, the Stars then suffered a further setback as temporary blue liner Bowman made his way to the sin bin for a slashing offence. Though this presented the home team with a power play, Billingham performed well on the penalty kill to see off the threat, Flavell’s sterling efforts preventing Martin Grubb’s men from causing further damage. With Bowman’s penalty almost up, the Sharks ran into trouble as power forward Murray was ejected from the game for a check to the head. Whilst this may have presented the Stars with a faint glimmer of hope as they looked to contribute further, it was clear that the points were now beyond their reach. As time ran out, the Sharks did all they needed to in order to prevent the defending cup champions from lighting the lamp a second time and, as referee Emmerson dealt Sharks’ captain Tonnar a two minute holding penalty with one second remaining of the game, the teams faced off only for the final buzzer to confirm the Teessiders’ undeniable defeat. Reflecting on Solway’s performance in this cup clash, Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew we wanted to improve after last weekend and again we started too sluggish, went a goal behind and didn’t turn up for the first ten minutes but we managed to get our noses in front after the first. I asked for more at the end of the period and for us to play to an acceptable level. The players responded to score some well-taken goals and we punished the Stars for travelling short. The third period was a bit of a non-event but we knew Billingham wouldn’t lie down. It got a bit chippy and we took a silly penalty but overall, we did our job to keep ourselves in pole position in the cup so we are happy.”


Warriors extinguish Dragons’ fire in hard fought win

Whitley Warriors  7
The Dragons        5

Preparing to host Scott McKenzie’s Dragons for the second time this season, Whitley Warriors were able to line up with a strong squad of nineteen skaters and two netminders, though suspended enforcer Andre Payette, youngster Anthony Wetherell and forward Liam Brown were unavailable for the clash. Meanwhile, The Dragons journeyed to Hillheads with a slightly stronger roster than that of last month. Travelling with defenceman Gavin Austin, backup netminder Matt Compton and forwards Andrew Chappell and Marc Lovell on this occasion, the Welsh outfit were out to avenge the Warriors’ pre-Christmas comeback with a win of their own on the road.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon
Taking to the ice for faceoff, the Dragons were hoping to achieve an early lead against David Longstaff’s men, having already claimed a goal against the side last month with just fifty five seconds of the game played. As such, it seemed that the Welsh outfit were out to better this feat and outstandingly did so with just fourteen seconds on the clock as captain James Parsons sent Slovakian import Filip Supa through on goal, his shot trickling beyond netminder Richie Lawson and into the net. Whilst the Warriors were stunned by this early concession, the Dragons continued to make good progress as they doubled their lead soon after when Parsons integrated left winger Simon Furnival into play to successfully set up Finnish forward Markus Kankaanranta who showed his skill to beat Whitley’s defence with ease. It was after this goal that Whitley opted to switch netminder Lawson for backup shot stopper Rory Dunn, the side having conceded twice in such a short space of time. Just over a minute later, referee Steven Wardell then made matters worse for the Warriors as he called player-coach Longstaff to the sin bin for a tripping offence which saw McKenzie’s team take the advantage. Working hard to kill the penalty, Whitley were able to see off the Dragons’ attack but returned to full strength only to concede a second minor less than four minutes later when forward Ben Richards headed to the sin bin for tripping. Again, trying to find a way back into the game, the Warriors were able to counteract the Dragons’ creative play but lost out with only twelve seconds of their penalty kill remaining when alternate captain Matthew Wainwright took control of the puck to pick out McKenzie who lit the lamp for the eleventh time this season whilst Furnival was on hand to claim an assist. The score line 3-0 on 12:36, the Warriors were aware that they needed to grab a goal to ensure the game was not beyond recovery and a holding call against defenceman Ross Kennedy shortly afterwards presented the home team with the opportunity they were searching for; Whitley took possession in the Dragons’ defensive zone before Richards punished young netminder Jonah Armstrong with help from his player-coach and fellow forward DJ Good. Spurred on by this goal, the Warriors then sought another before the break but were unable to add to their tally to go in at the interval two goals down.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon
Returning for the second period, the Warriors were in search of another goal and made an excellent start with some early pressure on the Dragons’ net. Performing far better than they did in the first period, the Warriors were then able to force Ryan Jones to commit a tripping offence which saw the ‘D’ man sit out for two minutes to hand Whitley a power play on 25:08. Try as they might, Longstaff’s line-up failed to capitalise as McKenzie, Parsons, Kankaanranta and Supa continued to pose a threat with the Warriors’ defence so far up the ice. As a result, it was not long before Whitley were punished, only this time by Jones who made his return to the ice to find the back of the net just twelve seconds later, despite the best efforts of defenceman Josh Maddock. Disappointed to concede after so much creative work in offence, the Hillheads outfit recovered themselves quickly to claim possession and resume their excellent domination of the Dragons’ defensive zone. Finally reaping the rewards of their labour, the Hillheads outfit were next to find the target following some clever play from defenceman Niall Simpson, the blue liner picking out Good to see captain Dean Holland print his name on the scoresheet. Buoyed by this goal, the Warriors continued to outshoot their opposition but their efforts were painstaking as time passed with very little reward. It was almost five minutes after their second goal that the side could fire home again, power forward Jordan Barnes receiving the puck from blue liner Dan Pye to play in Longstaff, rather than take the shot himself. Just over a minute later, Parsons was side-lined for delaying the game to present Whitley with the additional man. Though the Warriors endeavoured to test Armstrong on the power play, the home team were given some cause for concern when Wainwright played the puck to Supa who broke free of Whitley’s defence to earn himself a shorthanded goal as Parsons’ penalty ran out. With the score line 5-3 as the two teams filed from the ice ahead of the third period, the Warriors were frustrated to have conceded so late in the middle section having been close to drawing level whilst the Dragons were relieved to have restored their two-goal cushion once again.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon
Facing off for the final instalment of the game, the Warriors, having switched back to netminder Lawson, were presented with a helping hand early on as Kankaanranta was shown to the sin bin for tripping on 41:43 to hand Whitley a power play. Having failed to make the most of their advantages in the second period, Longstaff’s men were eager to claw their way back into the game and were able to snatch a fourth goal as defenceman Harry Harley shot from just inside the blue line to leave Armstrong helpless following passing play from his player-coach and captain. Soon after, it was Whitley’s turn to go shorthanded as an interference call was made against Holland but it seemed that the Warriors were not the only team to make hard work of the power play as the Dragons struggled to snatch a goal, Lawson pulling off some fine saves to keep his side in the game. Restored to full strength, Whitley continued with the knowledge that one more goal would see them draw level and they were able to do so on 47:10 when Pye played the puck to Barnes who fired his shot through the Dragons’ defence to make it 5-5. The points now within their grasp for the first time in the contest, Longstaff’s men were handed the perfect opportunity when a delayed tripping penalty against Furnival resulted in the Warriors pulling their netminder to benefit from an additional skater. Surging forward into their offensive zone, Whitley’s actions were quick and decisive as Longstaff played the puck to Richards who found Barnes behind the net, allowing the power forward to flick the puck beyond Armstrong as he stretched for the wraparound. The score line 6-5 in Whitley’s favour, the side were eager to hold onto their lead having gone ahead for the first time in the game but with the Dragons continually posing a threat at every chance, it was felt that another goal would be required if the Warriors were to hold on to claim maximum points. Digging deep to establish a two-goal cushion, the extent of Whitley’s character was realised when Holland wove his way through the Dragons’ defence just over three minutes later to unleash a shot which flew beyond Armstrong to leave McKenzie and his men deflated. A final interference penalty for Whitley conceded by Maddock on 57:35 saw the Warriors go shorthanded until the final twenty five seconds of the game but it was clear, with time fast running out, that there was no way back for the Dragons who had played admirably throughout only to fall at the final hurdle. As a result of this victory, Whitley Warriors hold onto fourth place with seventeen points from eighteen games whilst the Dragons also remain two places below the Hillheads outfit, though tied on twelve points with Blackburn Hawks and Telford Tigers. Commenting after the game, player-coach David Longstaff noted: “I thought we were very lucky against the Dragons. We lost a lot of speed in the off season and it really shows in certain games when we lack intensity.”

Striving Stars struck by Solihull as Barons seize points

Solihull Barons            7
Billingham Stars      5

Making the trip to Hobs Moat Road for their second game of their double header, Billingham Stars travelled with a much strengthened line-up than that of Saturday evening as, though without blue liner Ben Davison, defencemen Richie Thornton, Scott Cooper and Ross Hanlon were available to ice in addition to fellow ‘D’ man Matthew Campbell whilst forward Josh Nertney also joined his team mates for the encounter. Solihull Barons’ line-up, on the other hand, consisted of sixteen skaters, just one more than that of their opposition, including top points scorers Niklas Ottosson, Joe Henry and Matthew Maurice.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The first period underway, it was clear that both teams were willing to give their all in a bid to claim maximum points, particularly as Billingham and Solihull are situated in second and third place respectively and are aware that just one victory can make a big difference to the league standings. As the outfits went head to head for possession in the opening moments of the game, it was not long before the visitors were able to benefit from their initial efforts on goal as the Barons incurred a bench minor for abuse to hand the Stars a power play. Making the most of the additional man, Billingham began to challenge Solihull’s shot stopper Sam Hewitt and, just when it appeared that their opposition would return to full strength unscathed, forward Chris Sykes played the puck to line mate Jack Watkins who capitalised with one second of the Stars’ power play remaining. Taking confidence from this goal, Billingham continued to try their luck in the Barons’ defensive zone whilst Perry Doyle’s men strove to counter this with several attempts arising through forwards Thomas Soar as well as skilled import Ottosson, youngster Maurice and the experienced Richard Slater. The contest close, both James Flavell and Hewitt were made to work between the pipes to keep their respective teams in the game, with the latter surviving attempts from Swedish import Dennis Boström, dexterous forward Michael Elder and alternate captain Callum Davies amongst others. As the game progressed, Billingham’s endeavours to double their lead soon paid off as James Moss slipped the puck to Boström who slotted home on 12:15. Recognising their need to grab a goal having had several chances already, the Barons were eventually able to make their mark on the game when Slovakian import Tomas Janak worked with Maurice to setup Slater who beat Flavell to make it 2-1 just over two minutes later. A boarding penalty for Star Scott Ward soon followed to result in a power play for the home side, however Solihull were unable to make the most of this opportunity to head in at the break with just a goal between themselves and the Stars.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Whilst Billingham returned hoping to maintain their lead, it was evident that the Barons had other ideas when Ottosson unsurprisingly found the target courtesy of fellow forward Soar just twenty two seconds into the period. Spurred on by their equaliser, Doyle’s men appeared fervent as they battled against the Teessiders’ defence to add another to their tally just over two minutes later when Maurice lit the lamp following support from forward Andrew Whitehouse. Soon after, matters were made worse for Billingham as Ward then headed to the sin bin for a second time to serve two minutes for interference. Though peppering Flavell with shot after shot, the netminder was unwavering in goal and prevented the home outfit from adding to their 3-2 lead. Continuing to outshoot the Stars in this period, having recorded twenty one shots to Billingham’s seventeen in the first stanza, the Barons saw the better share of possession but failed to capitalise. Relentless in offence, Solihull were eventually able to reap the rewards of their perseverance when Billingham’s newest signing Ross Hanlon incurred a minor for high sticks which presented Doyle’s team with the advantage. Unwilling to waste the opportunity to creep even further ahead, the Barons were able to find the back of the net with over a minute of Hanlon’s penalty served as Maurice grabbed his second of the game assisted by Whitehouse once again. Disappointed with their sudden two goal deficit, the Teessiders were eager to show that they were down but not out and did so with a rapid response as Davies beat the buzzer following a pass from Boström to see his side head in with three goals to the Barons’ four.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With the game still to be decided, the two teams returned for the final period knowing that the contest would continue to be a close one. Not yet out of the fixture, Billingham played with resilience and determination as they sought a way beyond the Barons’ defence and they were eventually successful in their efforts with less than four minutes played as Elder found an equaliser following a pass from Hanlon to tie the game at 4-4. Any jubilation felt by the Stars proved to be short lived however, as less than two minutes later, the puck was again in the back of the net but this time it was the Barons who had cause to rejoice as Soar achieved his ninth goal of the season when Ottosson returned the favour to assist his line mate. It was shortly after this goal that Solihull’s Brandon Anderton was made to sit out for kneeing on 49:50 but the Barons demonstrated the depth of their fortitude as Slater broke clear of Billingham’s offensive zone to snatch a shorthanded goal. The scoreboard reading 6-4 to the credit of the home team, the Stars quickly bounced back to reduce their deficit just seventy five seconds later when Davies achieved his second of the game courtesy of Boström once again. A delayed penalty against the Stars on 53:55 then saw the Barons assume possession to their visitors’ detriment, the side scoring sixteen seconds later through Henry as Ottosson picked up his second assist of the evening. With the score line 7-5 and the Stars still giving their all, the Barons then went shorthanded as Soar made his way to the sin bin for a tripping offence which provided Terry Ward’s men with a power play. It was all too little, too late for Billingham however and the side were unable to add to their tally to record a defeat against Doyle’s tricky Solihull outfit who are now just two points away from second place and could potentially pose a threat to the Teessiders’ league placement in the coming weeks. Feeling at a loss due to the Stars’ performance this weekend, Billingham’s Chris Sykes shared: “I don’t have much to say this week. I’m pretty annoyed and it’s a bad weekend for the Stars.”

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