PREVIEW: MATCH WEEK 11
BILLINGHAM STARS travel to West Yorkshire this evening for a first-ever National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 clash at Planet Ice Leeds with newbies Leeds Knights 2, their only fixture of the weekend.
It’s been a mixed bag of results for the Knights second team as they feel their way into North 1. Ostensibly a development side for the National League side, Knights 2 will look to continue the success that the senior side has had since the club’s inception just five years ago whilst providing a vital pathway for the juniors that are now beginning to come through the ranks to become the Knights of the future. One such prospect is Edgars Vengis, who at just 16 years of age has become the first Junior Knight to ice in the National League, Vengis having played three games for the National Knights alongside his duties for Knights 2. Leeds pushed Whitley Warriors all the way in their last home game, losing out 0-2 in a low-scoring game last Saturday, and they will be looking to improve their W column in the League table to three with a victory tonight.
🔗 Leeds Knights 2 on Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/39756/leeds-knights-2
Although this is a first League match-up in West Yorkshire between the two sides, Leeds is not an entirely unfamiliar rink to Billingham having contended the playoff final four weekend there two seasons ago. Stars expect to travel a little light for today’s encounter as suspensions incurred following the feisty post-game display against Nottingham Lions a few weeks ago continue to bite, whilst Connor McNulty is unavailable. It is vital that Billingham maintain focus whilst they negotiate this period without crucial members of the team, but last Sunday proved that the ‘next man up’ mentality is still strong and that the Stars are flexible enough to cope when the lines need to change.
Billingham travel to Leeds Knights 2 for a National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 clash later on this evening, face off 7.30pm. Travelling fans are reminded that Leeds United are at home this afternoon, which will restrict access to the rink until around an hour after the football crowds have dispersed.
Weekend Fixtures:
NIHL N1 Saturday:
✈️ Hull Jets 🆚 Deeside Dragons 🐉
⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 🆚 Billingham Stars 💫
NIHL N1 Sunday:
🐉 Deeside Dragons 🆚 Solihull Barons ⚜️
🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 🆚 Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️
🐾 Widnes Wild 🆚 Whitley Warriors 🏹
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 🆚 Nottingham Lions 🦁