Weekend Roundup: Match Week 28
BILLINGHAM STARS finally got their hands on the National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 crown at the weekend, securing the point they needed with a 0-3 win at Hull Jets on Saturday before lifting the trophy in front of their own fans at the Forum on Sunday, a 2-3 loss to Solihull Barons not enough to dampen the party atmosphere as the town celebrated their first title in 12 years.
The Teessiders travelled to Humberside on Saturday in confident mood, and it showed from the first drop of the puck as Billingham sought to dominate their hosts. Playing effective possession hockey and restricting Hull to minimal chances in front of goal, the Stars had threatened a few times before they finally made the breakthrough in the 11th minute, Joe Walls crashing the net to follow up Jack Emerson’s effort. Alex Kent was unhappy that the goal was allowed to stand and protested far too strongly to the officials, referee Anderson left with little option but to eject him from the game.
The second session saw Billingham step up a gear but found Jets netminder Zack Brown in excellent form, Thomas Brown at the other end called in action comparatively less but nevertheless on his toes for every rare Hull foray forward. The Stars got their reward in the 39th minute, James Moss following up his own rebound high past Brown to double the lead.
The goal seemed to take the wind out of the home side’s sails and Billingham capitalised within 31 seconds of the restart, Chris Sykes sealing the deal with a backhand effort. Late drama in the form of a five-on-three penalty kill did not trouble the visitors and the clock was counted down by a noisy travelling contingent of Stars fans before the celebrations got underway in earnest on the final buzzer.
Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Thomas Brown.
Jets Stats:
SOG: Zack Brown 26 (7 / 9 / 10)
Stars Stats:
James Moss 1+0; Joe Walls 1+0; Chris Sykes 1+0; Shaun Galloway 0+1; Jack Emerson 0+1; Rolands Gritāns 0+1; Callum Wilkinson 0+1
SOG: Thomas Brown 20 (9 / 4 / 7)
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
An understandably tired-looking Stars took to the ice on Sunday after a night celebrating. Solihull still had points to play for with Blackburn Hawks breathing hard down their necks for second place and they jumped out of the blocks, Niklas Ottosson firing through the pads with less than a minute gone. A huge mistake on the blue line whilst on the power play in the sixth minute let in Ottosson once again, the home side looking jaded early in the game and being punished accordingly. Moss was on hand to pull a goal back in the 15th minute as Billingham looked to drag themselves back into the game.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
A goalless second ensues as both sides played out a chess-like game to try and gain the advantage, the Stars gradually looking more like themselves as the game wore on.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Barons netminder Graham Laverick blotted an otherwise flawless performance between the pipes when he bundled a Joe Dowdle effort over the line in the 45th minute to draw the hosts level. From that point it looked like the Stars might snatch the win, but for the second week running a controversial late call by referee Dave Emmerson sent Rolands Gritāns to the box and Solihull pounced, Max Soden firing straight through Brown in the 56th minute to bag the two points they need to set up a clash for second place against the Hawks at Hobs Moat Road next Sunday.
Man-of-the-Match for the Stars was Jack Emerson.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Stars Stats:
James Moss 1+1; Joe Dowdle 1+0; Rolands Gritāns 0+1
SOG: Thomas Brown 45 (16 / 13 / 16)
Barons Stats:
Niklas Ottosson 2+1; Max Soden 1+1; Alex Whyte 0+1; Richard Crowe 0+1
SOG: Graham Laverick 46 (14 / 14 / 18)
Weekend Results:
NIHL(N)1:
Sheffield Scimitars 3 Blackburn Hawks 9
Hull Jets 0 Billingham Stars 3
Whitley Warriors 6 Hull Jets 1
Billingham Stars 2 Solihull Barons 3
Blackburn Hawks 7 Nottingham Lions 1
Widnes Wild 4 Deeside Dragons 5