PREVIEW: MATCH WEEK 31
A BRAND NEW season starts for the League’s top eight sides today as the National Ice Hockey League Moralee Division playoffs get underway with four quarterfinal ties. As top seeds, Billingham Stars will face eighth seed Leeds Knights 2 over two legs this weekend to decide who advances to next weekend’s semi-final.
Leeds left it until the very last moment to book their place in the playoffs. Despite being in eighth place for much of the second half of the regular season, a late surge by Widnes Wild almost pipped the Knights and left them needing a point from their final game last Sunday against Nottingham Lions. The Lions were 3-0 up and Leeds looking down and out until third period goals from Dylan Harcourt and two from Oliver Wagg tied things up and ensured they would get the point they needed regardless of the overtime result. Michael Danecko got the winner just over a minute into overtime to get the confidence boost that a win brings as they go into what coach Davey Lawrence has called a ‘free hit’ quarterfinal against top seed Billingham. Whatever happens, the Knights can be very proud of their inaugural season, and getting to the playoffs is just reward.
🔗 Leeds Knights 2 on Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/39756/leeds-knights-2
33 regular season wins, a new record, was the goal achieved last Saturday as the Stars despatched local rivals Whitley Warriors 8-2 before lifting the League trophy in front of a packed Forum. But now the focus must change as the slate is clean – Leeds Knights 2 stand in the way of Billingham and their next ambition, to claim the playoff crown they missed out on by such a narrow margin last year. The Stars should be at approaching full strength for the weekend’s ties, but with the Buccaneers also in playoff action, a number of two-way players will be with them as they start their defence of the Laidler playoff title.
Billingham travel to West Yorkshire to face Leeds Knights 2 in the National Ice Hockey League Moralee playoff quarterfinal first leg later today, face off 7.30pm. The second leg is back at the Forum tomorrow afternoon, face off 5.30pm. Tickets are priced at £14 adults, £10 concessions, £46 family [2+2].
Weekend Fixtures:
NIHL Moralee Playoff Quarterfinals Saturday:
✈️ Hull Jets 🆚 Deeside Dragons 🐉
🦁 Nottingham Lions 🆚 Blackburn Hawks 🦅
🏹 Whitley Warriors 🆚 Solihull Barons ⚜️
⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 🆚 Billingham Stars 💫
NIHL Moralee Playoff Quarterfinals Sunday:
🐉 Deeside Dragons 🆚 Hull Jets ✈️
💫 Billingham Stars 🆚 Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️
⚜️ Solihull Barons 🆚 Whitley Warriors 🏹
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 🆚 Nottingham Lions 🦁