Weekend Preview: Sharks v Stars 100922 / Stars v Scimitars 110922
BILLINGHAM STARS kick off their brand-new National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 campaign this weekend with a tough trip to reigning League and Playoff champions Solway Sharks today followed by a home opener tomorrow against ‘unknown quantity’ Sheffield Scimitars.
The backdrop for the weekend will be one of sombre reflection, the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II not resulting in any game postponements however the mood will certainly be dampened. Billingham Ice Hockey Club have also lost two stalwarts of the club going back many years in junior coach Peter Hammond and timekeeper John Greenwood in recent weeks, and tributes are planned for both games to mark all three’s passing.
Billingham travel to Dumfries this afternoon to face the strongest side in the Division last season, and a team that the Stars failed to take a single point from. Solway will be in the mix once again this year, their commitment to youth development keeping a steady stream of talented youngsters coming through ranks supported by ‘older heads’ such as Struan Tonnar, Richard Bentham and Ross Murray. Coached once again by the vastly experienced Martin Grubb, Sharks will be the team to beat by anyone with aspirations of silverware this season.
At this stage it remains to be seen who will arrive on the team bus for the Scimitars tomorrow. With no player announcements save those who have departed for other clubs or retired, the Sheffield roster is currently a blank page. With one of the healthiest junior setups in the country however, it is likely that the Scimitars squad will have a youthful look about it, with players competing to potentially catch the eye of the coaches higher up the Sheffield hierarchy. The Stars coaches will keep a weather eye on the Scimitars fixture against Blackburn Hawks this evening to get an idea of what they will come up against at the Forum tomorrow.
Billingham’s overachievement in making the Final Four last season will now need to be followed up with a virtually unchanged roster that now have a year’s experience under their collective belts. If anything the side is a little stronger, with the addition of former Whitley Warrior Rolands Gritāns to the squad. Latvian Gritāns was one of the League’s danger men last year, a move up front from his traditional role as a defenceman paying off for the Tynesiders as Gritāns bagged 21 goals in 22 games. The Stars have also added Ethan McLaughlin – another former Whitley player – and junior forward Sam Dowd will make the step up when able. The only outgoing players thus far have been Ben Davison who has decided to retire from the sport, and Lewis Crisp who has swapped Teesside for Tyneside. However this weekend has come a little too soon for Billingham who will have to do without a number of players as they try to get their season off to a flyer: Gritāns, McLaughlin, Chris Sykes, Callum Wilkinson, Tom Brown and Jack Emerson are all unavailable although it is hoped Wilkinson will return in time for tomorrow’s home game.
General Manager Allen Flavell is looking forward to seeing his Stars side push on after progressing so much last season:
“It’s been a long summer making sure we put all the pieces of the jigsaw together, and we’re delighted that we’ve managed to get the players to return. We showed last season that we are an up-and-coming team that can deliver results, and whilst we’re still one of the youngest sides in the Division, we will be looking to move up the table. Rolands [Gritāns] is going to give us a real boost, it’s unfortunate he won’t be available this weekend but once he’s back in the squad we’re confident he’ll make an impact. This weekend will be a little tricky with so many faces missing but we’ve battled through adversity before and we’ll be going all-out for the points.”
The Stars travel to Dumfries today for their opening National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 fixture against Solway Sharks (face off 7pm). They return to the Forum for a 5.30pm face off against Sheffield Scimitars tomorrow, tickets priced at £12.50 adults, £8 concessions, £40 family [2+2].
Weekend Fixtures:
NIHL(N)1:
Solway Sharks v Billingham Stars, Saturday 7pm
Sheffield Scimitars v Blackburn Hawks, Saturday 7.30pm
Whitley Warriors v Widnes Wild, Sunday 5pm
Billingham Stars v Sheffield Scimitars, Sunday 5.30pm
Blackburn Hawks v Solihull Barons, Sunday 6pm
Nottingham Lions v Solway Sharks, Sunday 7.15pm