REPORT: MATCH WEEK 31

BILLINGHAM STARS put up some big numbers as they overpowered eighth seed Leeds Knights 2 in their National Ice Hockey League Moralee Division playoff quarterfinal series over the weekend, an aggregate score of 22-5 testament to the one-sided nature of the tie.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Arriving in West Yorkshire missing just Jacob Hammond and Joe Dowdle from the regular line-up, Billingham were immediately on the front foot and peppered Luca Tessadri in the Knights goal but the Stars were guilty of not making the Leeds netminder work hard enough and would have only a single marker to show for their efforts come the first buzzer, a postage stamp goal from Callum Wilkinson into the roof of the net in the 13th minute.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Stars netminder Mark Turnbull would remain largely a spectator for the second session, however the visitors found their shooting sticks and effectively killed the tie off with four periods to go. Captain Michael Elder went near post in the 22nd minute, then in the 29th minute Chris Sykes delayed his cross crease pass just long enough to feed Iain Brown for the one-timer. A lovely power play set piece was finished by a Wilkinson loft into the net in the 34th minute before James Hellens released Conner McNulty for the breakaway with just Tessadri to beat, which he did going past the glove in the 35th minute.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Keeping their foot on the Knights’ throat, Rolands Gritāns moved Billingham further ahead with a low shot into the far corner in the 41st minute before a lone consolation came via a rebound for Daniel Harrison in the 44th minute. The Stars would not even allow that single marker to go with no response, and just 30 seconds later three passes from front to back released James Moss who beat Tessadri on the backhand. A whole line effort was finished when Gritāns’ deflection looped over Tessadri in the 51st minute, Joe Walls forced in at the far post on the wraparound a minute later before Lucas Dowdle made it three goals in less than two minutes with a low shot to complete the first leg scoring. 1-10 the final score and an unsurmountable lead for Leeds to overcome in the second leg.

Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Michael Elder.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Knights Stats:

Daniel Harrison 1+0; Nathan Bennett 0+1; Edgars Vengis 0+1

SOG: Luca Tessadri 68 (23 / 26 / 18)

Stars Stats:

Rolands Gritāns 2+1; Iain Brown 2+0; Lucas Dowdle 1+2; Conner McNulty 1+1; Callum Wilkinson 1+1; Joe Walls 1+0; Michael Elder 1+0; Chris Sykes 0+4; Darren Stattersfield 0+3; Ben Greenhalgh 0+2; Tommy Spraggon 0+2; James Hellens 0+2; James Moss 0+1; Shaun Galloway 0+1

SOG: Mark Turnbull 20 (4 / 9 / 7); Jack Wakefield 2

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Sam Dowd and Tom Wakefield were added to the roster for Sunday’s second leg, both having played for the Buccaneers in their Laidler quarterfinal earlier in the day. The second leg began much as the first leg had, only this time Leeds were quick to pounce on the few opportunities given to them and despite the home team’s dominance of possession, it was the visitors who found themselves ahead on the night at the interval. The Knights opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when a wayward pass out of the defensive zone found Owen Dell who showed his class to beat Turnbull stick side. Billingham responded less than three minutes later when a cross-crease pass at speed from Elder was one-timed home by Brown. The hosts were ahead in the 13th minute when Wilkinson’s initial shot was kicked out to Shaun Galloway who made no mistake, but Leeds found themselves a goal to the good when first Arron Jordan on the power play and then Dell again on the breakout gave the guests an unlikely lead.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

The Stars were in no mood to give the Knights the smallest chance of a leg victory, and the scores were level in the 22nd minute when the first line stood their ground in front of Tessadri’s net, Elder eventually finding Brown who lifted high. In the 26th minute, it was Sykes alone on the left wing who waited for Brown to join him and teed him up perfectly for the one-timer and hat trick marker. Two minutes later Wilkinson pounced on a rebound and fired high into the net, then in the 34th minute Lucas Dowdle went over Tessadri’s shoulder for the sixth. It was eight for the home side by the buzzer, Sykes picking his spot in the 36th minute before McNulty saw his deflected shot loop over Tessadri less than two minutes later.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Both sides took the opportunity to change their netminder at the start of the third stanza, Jack Wakefield getting his second taste of playoff action for Billingham after having the final seven minutes on Saturday, whilst James Adamson replaced Tessadri for the Knights. It took until the 44th minute for Adamson to be picking the puck out of his net, Moss going through the legs and onto his backhand before roofing for a glorious finish. In the 47th minute Brown deflected a Sykes shot high into the net before firing a rocket from a face off in the offensive zone which was past Adamson before he knew the shot was coming in the 53rd minute. It was a double hat trick for Brown in the 58th minute as he knocked the puck under Adamson from close range, a last-minute consolation – and a hat trick – for Dell spoiling Wakefield’s clean sheet and putting a full stop on the quarterfinal, 12-4 the leg score making it 22-5 on aggregate.

Man-of-the-Match for the Stars was Iain Brown.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

After a thrilling tie that eventually went to overtime, Deeside Dragons overcame Hull Jets and will be the Stars semi-final opponents over two legs this coming weekend.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Stars Stats:

Iain Brown 6+0; Chris Sykes 1+3; Lucas Dowdle 1+3; Shaun Galloway 1+1; Callum Wilkinson 1+1; James Moss 1+0; Conner McNulty 1+0; Michael Elder 0+6; Ben Greenhalgh 0+2; Tommy Spraggon 0+2; Joe Walls 0+1; James Hellens 0+1; Rolands Gritāns 0+1; Darren Stattersfield 0+1

SOG: Mark Turnbull 20 (11 / 9); Jack Wakefield 9

Knights Stats

Owen Dell 3+0; Arron Jordan 1+0; Michael Danecko 0+2; Daniel Harrison 0+2; Edgars Vengis 0+1; Fritz Heinzle 0+1

SOG: Luca Tessadri 47 (23 / 24); James Adamson 18

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Weekend Results:

NIHL Moralee Playoff Quarterfinals:

🐉 Deeside Dragons 1️⃣1️⃣ - 🔟 Hull Jets ✈️ (after overtime)

💫 Billingham Stars 2️⃣2️⃣ - 5️⃣ Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️

⚜️ Solihull Barons 1️⃣3️⃣ - 4️⃣ Whitley Warriors 🏹

🦅 Blackburn Hawks 1️⃣6️⃣ - 8️⃣ Nottingham Lions 🦁