PREVIEW: MATCH WEEK 29

WITH THE National Ice Hockey League Moralee Division Championship secured, attention for Billingham Stars this weekend turns to Deeside Dragons and the opportunity to add six more points to what could be a formidable final League tally.

To say Deeside have had an up-and-down season would be somewhat of an understatement. Without doubt an offensive powerhouse led by the supremely talented Jake Witkowski, the Dragons Achilles’ heel has been a very leaky defence that has thus far conceded 176 goals, almost a hundred more than their opponents today. Their current position of fourth looks likely to be where they finish, the gaps to third and fifth respectively are almost too great to be overhauled at this late stage of the season. Fourth place would see them in the Stars half of the playoff draw, so should both sides get past their quarter final opponents, this weekend could be a dress rehearsal of a semi-final series in just three weeks’ time.

🔗 Deeside Dragons on Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/5129/deeside-dragons

The ‘one game at a time’ mentality will not be relinquished this weekend for the Stars, despite securing their second consecutive League title last Sunday. The coaches refuse to be drawn on discussing playoffs or any game beyond the next one, a mindset that has cemented itself in the Billingham dressing room. There are still League targets that the Stars want to hit, and putting up the highest points tally that they can is amongst those goals. Billingham are two-nil in the series with the Dragons thus far, but with Deeside hitting form recently, the Stars will need to be on their game to get past what can be a very strong Dragons outfit.

Billingham travel to Deeside Dragons for their final regular season National Ice Hockey League Moralee Division road trip later today, face off 5.15pm. The reverse fixture is back at the Forum tomorrow evening, face off 5.30pm. Tickets for tomorrow’s game are priced at £14 adults, £10 concessions, £46 family [2+2].

Weekend Fixtures:

NIHL N1 Saturday:

🐉 Deeside Dragons 🆚 Billingham Stars 💫

🏹 Whitley Warriors 🆚 Widnes Wild 🐾

⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 🆚 Hull Jets ✈️

NIHL N1 Sunday:

🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 🆚 Solihull Barons ⚜️

💫 Billingham Stars 🆚 Deeside Dragons 🐉

✈️ Hull Jets 🆚 Widnes Wild 🐾

🦅 Blackburn Hawks 🆚 Whitley Warriors 🏹