Weekend Preview: Match Week 19
BILLINGHAM STARS will make sure of top spot in the Moralee Cup table with a win over local rivals Whitley Warriors at the Forum this evening, not forgetting that National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 points are also on the line in this the first League derby of the season on Teesside.
A season that looked so promising for the Tynesiders during the summer has not lived up to expectations thus far. Regardless of the result today, they cannot qualify for the Cup semi-finals and must now focus on putting pressure on the teams above them in the League to secure the best possible draw for the playoffs. Whitley can boast a trophy after a Northern Challenge Cup aggregate win at SNL side Edinburgh Capitals yesterday afternoon, however they will want more than that in the cabinet to consider this first campaign under Head Coach Tony Hand a success. The recent losses of import Kyle Pow to Bristol Pitbulls and Josh Hodgkinson to Hull Seahawks have weakened the Warriors blue line, although they have been able to add Adam Wood back into the squad. They are also struggling up front with goal scoring a real issue, a League tally of 73 from 22 games is some way behind the scoring rate of any of the top three sides. Whitley do have the incentive of revenge, the Stars two trips to Hillheads this season were painful for the Warriors and they will want to inflict that kind of hurt on their derby rivals to start to tip the scales back in their favour.
Billingham are starting to see light at the end of their injury tunnel and should be at close to full strength for this evening’s derby clash, however Joe Dowdle is still missing. The Stars have successfully battled through without several key players and are now unbeaten since early October. The business end of the season is approaching and Billingham need to bring their A game every week if they are to retain pole position and secure a first League title in 12 years, but there is certainly no talk of a title in the dressing room as the team take a one-game-at-a-time approach. The Stars are keen to retain the North East ‘top dogs’ tag today, especially as this is the first derby game in front of the Forum faithful since the pre-season challenge game back in September, and an opportunity to rubberstamp their place in the Moralee Cup final four with top spot in the bag.
The Stars take on Whitley Warriors in National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 this evening, face off 5.30pm. Tickets are priced at £12.50 adults, £8 concessions, £38 family [2+2].
Weekend Fixtures/Results:
NIHL(N)1:
Hull Jets 4 Sheffield Scimitars 2
Widnes Wild 5 Solihull Barons 3
Deeside Dragons v Widnes Wild, Sunday 5.15pm
Billingham Stars v Whitley Warriors, Sunday 5.30pm
Nottingham Lions v Blackburn Hawks, Sunday 7.20pm