REPORT: MATCH WEEK 28
BILLINGHAM STARS are back-to-back National Ice Hockey League Moralee League champions!
Credit: Keith & Jenny Davies
A historic season for the Stars could be in the making as they made sure of a second consecutive Moralee League title after defeating Solihull Barons 4-8 in the Midlands on Sunday evening. Needing a regulation time win to clinch first spot after Blackburn Hawks dropped a point away at Hull Jets the previous night, the match did not get off to the best of starts as a defensive lapse let in Alex Whyte to poke past Jacob Hammond between the Billingham pipes in the fifth minute. An individual goal from Rolands Gritāns exactly four minutes later evened things up, but Solihull went in at the interval a goal to the good when Zach Yokoyama was given far too much room to pick his spot in the 18th minute.
Credit: Keith & Jenny Davies
Billingham pushed their possession advantage home in the second session, but not before Niklas Ottosson extended the hosts’ lead in the 27th minute with a delayed penalty marker. Just 42 seconds later Iain Brown closed the gap back up, then Gritāns was quick to pounce on a near post rebound just 28 seconds after that to see the Stars level within 70 seconds of the Barons goal. A five-on-three power play opportunity was capitalised on in fine style in the 33rd minute, James Moss walking in from the point to rifle home, then a rare Tommy Spraggon slapshot less than a minute later saw the visitors in at the break two ahead and looking good for the win that would make them Champions once more.
Credit: Keith & Jenny Davies
The game looked safe in the 44th minute when Gritāns secured his hat trick, but a second Whyte goal from a rebound less than two minutes later narrowed the lead back to two. A scramble around Graham Laverick in the Barons net saw the puck eventually come out to Michael Elder in the slot who fired past Laverick’s glove in the 51st minute, the advantage three goals now and Billingham looking very comfortable. The celebrations started in earnest in the 57th minute, Darren Stattersfield rounding off the scoring to make the long trip for a large band of happy travelling fans more than worth the journey.
Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Rolands Gritāns.
Credit: Keith & Jenny Davies
Barons Stats:
Alex Whyte 2+0; Niklas Ottosson 1+2; Zach Yokoyama 1+1; Dan Mulcahy 0+2; Max Soden 0+2; Matt Maurice 0+1
SOG: Graham Laverick 53 (22 / 18 / 13)
Stars Stats:
Rolands Gritāns 3+1; James Moss 1+2; Iain Brown 1+2; Michael Elder 1+1; Tommy Spraggon 1+0; Darren Stattersfield 1+0; Chris Sykes 0+3; James Hellens 0+1; Conner McNulty 0+1
SOG: Jacob Hammond 45 (16 / 11 / 18)
Credit: Keith & Jenny Davies
Weekend Results:
NIHL N1 Saturday:
🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 4️⃣ - 🔟 Deeside Dragons 🐉
✈️ Hull Jets 4️⃣ - 5️⃣ Blackburn Hawks 🦅 (after penalty shots)
🐾 Widnes Wild 8️⃣ - 4️⃣ Nottingham Lions 🦁
NIHL N1 Sunday:
🏹 Whitley Warriors 9️⃣ - 4️⃣ Nottingham Lions 🦁
🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 1️⃣ - 7️⃣ Blackburn Hawks 🦅
🐉 Deeside Dragons 9️⃣ - 3️⃣ Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️
⚜️ Solihull Barons 4️⃣ - 8️⃣ Billingham Stars 💫