REPORT: MATCH WEEK 20
BILLINGHAM STARS didn’t move much out of second gear in National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 on Sunday evening as Hull Jets were blanked at the Forum, 5-0 the score in this first home game of 2025.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Arriving on Teesside on the back of a wholly unexpected shootout loss at Sheffield Scimitars, a short-benched Hull needed to get a good start to steady the ship and were handed an early power play opportunity when Joe Walls was called for hooking in the third minute. Unfortunately for the visitors it was the Stars penalty kill unit that executed perfectly, Michael Elder breaking out of the defensive zone down the left wing and slotting into the far corner past the skate of Jets netminder Zach Brown a minute later. Billingham looked like they might run away with the game when Iain Brown found the same corner before the fifth minute marker, but despite plenty of possession the hosts had to wait until the 15th minute to move further ahead when Brown scooped into the roof of the net for a three-goal cushion at the break.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
A scrappy second followed, both sides failing to create many quality chances as both netminders stood firm. Zach Brown did have to pick the puck out of the net in the 32nd minute as his namesake tapped in at the far post for his hat trick on the power play.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
The third stanza followed a similar pattern, although Billingham maintained control of the game. With Mark Turnbull impenetrable in the home net, it fell to Callum Wilkinson to round off the scoring in the 56th minute, a second bite of the cherry out front finding the roof of the net.
Man-of-the-Match for the Stars was Mark Turnbull.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Stars Stats:
Iain Brown 3+1; Michael Elder 1+2; Callum Wilkinson 1+0; Chris Sykes 0+3; Tommy Spraggon 0+1
SOG: Mark Turnbull 29 (11 / 12 / 6)
Jets Stats:
SOG: Zach Brown 38 (16 / 9 / 13)
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Weekend Results:
NIHL N1 Saturday:
🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 5️⃣ - 4️⃣ Hull Jets ✈️ (after penalty shots)
⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 7️⃣ - 2️⃣ Widnes Wild 🐾
NIHL N1 Sunday:
🐉 Deeside Dragons 7️⃣ - 5️⃣ Whitley Warriors 🏹
💫 Billingham Stars 5️⃣ - 0️⃣ Hull Jets ✈️
🐾 Widnes Wild 5️⃣ - 7️⃣ Solihull Barons ⚜️
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 1️⃣4️⃣ - 1️⃣ Sheffield Scimitars 🗡️