Weekend Roundup: Match Week 4

BILLINGHAM STARS could not have asked for a better return on their latest road trip in National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1, securing all four points and posting 19 goals in the process as Nottingham Lions and local rivals Whitley Warriors were put to the sword.

A rare early afternoon face off saw the Lions and the Stars do battle in the Motorpoint Arena rather than the usual National Ice Centre pad next door, Billingham travelling without first choice netminder Thomas Brown, Callum Wilkinson, Jack Emerson and the suspended Patriks Grigors. Mark Turnbull stepped up between the pipes, and the coaches added young forward Sam Dowd to the lineup after impressing with the N2 Buccaneers. Rolands Gritāns retained his slot up front on the first line meaning some rejigging at the back to plug the gaps left by the two missing Latvians. The Teessiders started on the front foot and applied some early pressure but it took until the ninth minute before Iain Brown unlocked the Nottingham defence to open the scoring. A second swiftly followed, Tommy Spraggon finding the net just 33 seconds later, then a belter from Gritāns less than two minutes after that put the visitors firmly in the driving seat. The Lions were able to pull one back through Kieran Gibbs in the 13th minute after Turnbull pulled off a great save only to see the puck fall at the feet of Gibbs, but in truth the period was mostly one-way traffic and a two-goal disadvantage at the break probably flattered the hosts.

 A Joe Walls shorthanded effort in the 29th minute effectively killed the game as a contest, Walls breaking from the defensive zone and showing good hands to beat Luca Sheldon in the home net. Lucas Dowdle was next up to get his name on the scoresheet in the 33rd minute, some clever stickwork creating the opportunity that he made no mistake from. A somewhat fortuitous power play goal in the 36th minute saw the Stars move further ahead, James Moss’ shot across the goal hitting Brown before bouncing to his feet and, with his back to goal, Brown tapped the puck through his legs and past Sheldon at his near post.

With Jacob Hammond coming on for Turnbull, Billingham lit the lamp again early in the final session, Joe Dowdle firing home from the left handle circle with just 28 seconds played. Michael Elder’s low shot across Sheldon in the 44th minute found the bottom corner, then Gritāns bagged his second from the slot in the 47th minute. Another Joe Walls shorthanded effort in the 55th minute saw the guests hit double figures, with a consolation effort from Tristan Grimshaw 35 seconds from the buzzer the final action in a game that the Stars dominated throughout.

Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Joe Walls.

Lions Stats:

Kieran Gibbs 1+0; Tristan Grimshaw 1+0; Zach Yokoyama 0+2; Daniel Martin 0+1; Tyler Somerton 0+1

SOG: Luca Sheldon 66 (30 / 13 / 23)

Stars Stats:

Rolands Gritāns 2+1; Iain Brown 2+1; Joe Walls 2+0; Tommy Spraggon 1+3; Joe Dowdle 1+2; Michael Elder 1+1; Lucas Dowdle 1+0; James Moss 0+2; James Hellens 0+2; Chris Sykes 0+1; Shaun Galloway 0+1; Lewis Hall 0+1; Alex Preston 0+1

SOG: Mark Turnbull 22 (11 / 11); Jacob Hammond 14

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

A tricky trip up to Hillheads was anticipated on Sunday, the previously unbeaten Warriors having dropped their first points of the season at Hull Jets on Saturday. The close game many expected looked like it would play out as the sides battled through a goalless first twenty where either side could have had their noses in front by the end.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

The deadlock was broken 34 seconds into the second period, Chris Sykes finding Elder at the top of the slot and he shot high past Whitley netminder Dean Bowater to register a power play marker. Billingham looking visibly sharper, Ben Greenhalgh doubled the advantage with another high shot from just inside the blue line in the 27th minute. It was three just over a minute later, Gritāns poking through Bowater’s pads despite being tripped by Connor Lewis. The Warriors down to four skaters, Sykes sneaked his shot through the five-hole in the 33rd minute. The home side looked in danger of falling apart completely but were able to get one back in the 36th minute through Harry Harley’s penalty shot, but not even a minute later Gritāns blasted home a fifth after some great work behind the net by Sykes to win the puck and set up the Latvian’s second of the game.

Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos

Harley’s 43rd minute shot through traffic might have sparked a comeback from the home side but once again their guests were super-quick to respond, Spraggon allowed to coast in from the blue line and pick his spot just 31 seconds later. Billingham reasserted their dominance, Shaun Galloway teeing up James Moss for the seventh in the 47th minute before Gritāns secured his hat trick marker with a top shelf effort in the 50th minute. That goal saw the end of Bowater and Ryan Wardell took over between the pipes for the remainder of the game. His hopes of keeping his former teammates at bay were thwarted in the 53rd minute when a four-on-one breakaway saw Alex Preston finish through Wardell’s skates to complete a miserable evening for the Tynesiders, a heavy derby loss rounding off a zero point weekend.

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

Warriors  Stats:

Harry Harley 2+0; Matthew Betham 0+1

SOG: Dean Bowater 42 (12 / 22 / 9); Ryan Wardell 8

Stars Stats:

Rolands Gritāns 3+0; Chris Sykes 1+3; James Moss 1+2; Michael Elder 1+1; Ben Greenhalgh 1+0; Tommy Spraggon 1+0; Alex Preston 1+0; Iain Brown 0+3; Joe Walls 0+2; Shaun Galloway 0+1; Lewis Hall 0+1;

SOG: Mark Turnbull 37 (13 / 12 / 12)

Weekend Results:

NIHL N1:

Nottingham Lions 2 Billingham Stars 10

Hull Jets 4 Whitley Warriors 2

Whitley Warriors 2 Billingham Stars 9

Deeside Dragons 4 Solihull Barons 1

Blackburn Hawks 5 Sheffield Scimitars 4

Nottingham Lions 4 Widnes Wild 1