Weekend Roundup: Match Week 14
TOP-OF-THE-TABLE Billingham Stars moved four points clear of their nearest National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 rivals with a hard-fought victory over Blackburn Hawks on Sunday.
Credit: Dave Arrowsmith
With both sides missing key players, a close game was expected, the Hawks arriving on Teesside as the only team to take points away from the Forum thus far. Billingham started the match with reshuffled lines, the first and second lines especially having a different look to them as injuries took their toll. Blackburn came to play, their intent clear from the first drop of the puck as they pressurised their hosts and got themselves on the scoresheet before two minutes had gone, James Royds receiving the puck from behind the net and forcing under Stars netminder Thomas Brown through a crowd. A questionable call on Chris Sykes in the fifth minute let the visitors in once again, Josh Crawley following up his own rebound on the power play in the sixth minute for an early 0-2 lead. Billingham battled their way back into the game as the new lines started to find some rhythm, their determination getting its reward with just over two minutes left on the period when captain Michael Elder put one over Hawks’ netminder Ben Keddie’s shoulder to pull a goal back.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
The home side stepped up a gear in the second session and got themselves back level with a Jack Emerson snipe from the circle in the 26th minute. The Stars now looking dangerous on every attack, it was little surprise when James Hellens found the top shelf in the 32nd minute to move the Teessiders ahead. Keddie had to be at his very best to keep Billingham at bay, the advantage just a single goal going into the final period.
Credit: Tony Burgum Photography
The Stars again found Keddie in excellent form to keep the game finely balanced throughout the final twenty, Billingham’s solitary marker coming just seconds into a power play in the 48th minute as Tommy Spraggon found the back of the net from the point. Keddie was pulled for the closing minutes of the game but despite numerous attempts going just wide of the empty net Billingham could not add to the score and the game closed out 4-2 to the home side.
Man-of-the-Match for the Stars was Patriks Grigors.
Credit: Dave Arrowsmith
Stars Stats:
Michael Elder 1+2; James Hellens 1+1; Tommy Spraggon 1+0; Jack Emerson 1+0; Chris Sykes 0+1; Shaun Galloway 0+1; Callum Wilkinson 0+1
SOG: Thomas Brown 36 (15 / 10 / 11)
Hawks Stats:
Josh Crawley 1+0; James Royds 1+0; Matty Cross 0+1; Devids Jurinenoks 0+1
SOG: Ben Keddie 56 (16 / 24 / 16)
Credit: Dave Arrowsmith
Weekend Results:
NIHL N1:
Hull Jets 5 Nottingham Lions 4 after overtime
Widnes Wild 1 Whitley Warriors 5
Whitley Warriors 4 Solihull Barons 7
Deeside Dragons 4 Sheffield Scimitars 2
Billingham Stars 4 Blackburn Hawks 2
Nottingham Lions 2 Widnes Wild 5