PREVIEW: MATCH WEEK 23
BILLINGHAM STARS welcome Leeds Knights 2 to the Forum this evening for a National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 fixture with consequences at both ends of the table.
Leeds’ 7-0 demolition of bottom club Sheffield Scimitars last night was a massive boost for the West Yorkshire outfit as they look to secure a playoff berth in their first season. Perhaps understandably the Knights form has been patchy throughout the campaign, but with the end of the regular season on the horizon they are sat fairly comfortably in eighth place with neither Widnes Wild nor the Scimitars seemingly able to make up ground. Leeds are more than capable of testing the bigger sides in the division as they showed last weekend when they pushed Blackburn Hawks all the way before eventually succumbing 6-3 in Lancashire, so Billingham will need to be on their guard this evening and prepared to battle for the three points.
🔗 Leeds Knights 2 on Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/39756/leeds-knights-2
Blackburn cut the gap at the top of the table to six points with a win over Deeside Dragons yesterday evening, but with no game for the Hawks tonight, the Stars can stretch that lead back out to nine points with victory tonight. Billingham will be missing Joe Walls but will hand Lennon Thomas an opportunity to step up in his place. With the finishing line less than two months away, the Stars can ill afford to let up in their pursuit of back-to-back Championships and must be up for the challenge that the Knights will put up tonight.
The Stars host Leeds Knights 2 in National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 later this evening, face off 5.30pm. Tickets are priced at £14 adults, £10 concessions, £46 family [2+2].
Weekend Fixtures/Results:
NIHL N1 Saturday:
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 8️⃣ - 5️⃣ Deeside Dragons 🐉
⚜️ Solihull Barons 8️⃣ - 6️⃣ Nottingham Lions 🦁
🐾 Widnes Wild 2️⃣ - 4️⃣ Hull Jets ✈️
⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 7️⃣ - 0️⃣ Sheffield Scimitars 🗡️
NIHL N1 Sunday:
🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 🆚 Nottingham Lions 🦁
🐉 Deeside Dragons 🆚 Solihull Barons ⚜️
💫 Billingham Stars 🆚 Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️