REPORT: MATCH WEEK 15
BILLINGHAM STARS took three from six in their National Ice Hockey League (N) Moralee Division 1 battle with Blackburn Hawks over the weekend, their demolition of the Hawks at the Forum on Sunday more than making up for a narrow defeat in Lancashire the previous evening.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
The Stars gladly welcomed defencemen Darren Stattersfield and Ben Greenhalgh back into the fold to bolster what had been a stretched blue line. Joe Walls was unavailable for the trip over the Pennines on Saturday, which started in similar fashion to the previous visit with an early goal for the home side, Adam Barnes with the opener in the fourth minute. This time the Stars were able to reply before the hosts could get any momentum, Iain Brown firing through Ben Keddie’s pads in the ninth minute. Three minutes later and Billingham moved ahead, Chris Sykes beating Keddie one-on-one in the 12th minute. The lead was doubled three minutes later, Lucas Dowdle pouncing on a rebound after Keddie had dealt with a shot from Stattersfield. Less than a minute after that the visitors looked comfortable when Rolands Gritāns repeated the feat by netting on the follow-up.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
The second session saw the Hawks wrestle control back, starting in the 28th minute when they capitalised on a power play opportunity through Andy McKinney’s screened effort. Two minutes later they cut the lead to one, Jacob Lutwyche creating space for himself to flick the puck over Jacob Hammond’s shoulder. Blackburn completed the turnaround with two goals in the final two minutes of the period, Aaron Davies and new man Liam Charnock on the mark to see the home side go into the dressing room ahead by a single score.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Both sides battled to gain the upper hand in the final twenty, but quality shots were harder to come by and Keddie and Hammond stood firm. Keen to force bonus hockey, Billingham withdrew Hammond for the final three minutes of the game but fell to a Barnes empty netter still with over two minutes left on the clock. Hammond resumed his place and the remaining time ticked off to hand the Hawks another victory on home ice.
Man-of-the-Match for the Stars was Callum Wilkinson.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Hawks Stats:
Adam Barnes 2+1; Andy McKinney 1+3; Aaron Davies 1+0; Jacob Lutwyche 1+0; Liam Charnock 1+0; James Riddoch 0+3; Ethan Mayoh 0+1; Bobby Streetly 0+1
SOG: Ben Keddie 34 (14 / 11 / 9)
Stars Stats:
Chris Sykes 1+0; Rolands Gritāns 1+0; Lucas Dowdle 1+0; Iain Brown 1+0; James Moss 0+1; Conner McNulty 0+1; Michael Elder 0+1; Darren Stattersfield 0+1; Callum Wilkinson 0+1
SOG: Jacob Hammond 33 (8 / 17 / 8)
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Back at the Forum on Sunday, Walls replaced Stuart Jackson in the lineup but the Stars were otherwise unchanged. Blackburn arrived missing McKinney but hopeful of another three points to close the gap at the top of the table to just one win. Hawks looked to have got off to another flyer when they thought they had scored in the fourth minute, but the puck did not cross the line, and the ‘goal’ was washed out. Billingham grew into the game and dominated possession, but it took until the 18th minute to get the breakthrough, Conner McNulty with the tip-in after a James Hellens slapshot from the blue line on the power play. Less than 40 seconds later it was 2-0, a top shelf effort from Brown putting the hosts further ahead before the interval.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Two goals in 17 seconds in the 25th minute broke Blackburn’s resistance. First Michael Elder saw his breakaway effort loop over Keddie, then Brown was on hand to follow up when Hellens pinged the post. Just before the halfway point, Elder tried one from the right dot and the rebound fell to Brown on the back stick for his hat trick marker. When James Moss slammed home in the 37th minute for 6-0, Keddie decided he’d had enough and was replaced between the pipes by Oliver Thomasson.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
There was simply no let-up from the hosts in the third stanza. Sykes broke clear from the defensive zone and slotted past Thomasson in the 44th minute, then two minutes later Brown bagged his fourth of the night when he poked the puck under Thomasson with the Blackburn net under siege. The gloss was put on a complete team performance in the 53rd minute when Sykes released Elder for a shorthanded marker, 9-0 the final score and the perfect response from the Stars to their nearest challengers for the title.
Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Jacob Hammond.
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Stars Stats:
Iain Brown 4+0; Michael Elder 2+3; Chris Sykes 1+4; James Moss 1+1; Conner McNulty 1+1; James Hellens 0+2; Joe Dowdle 0+2; Rolands Gritāns 0+1
SOG: Jacob Hammond 35 (13 / 15 / 7)
Hawks Stats:
SOG: Ben Keddie 37 (21 / 16); Oliver Thomasson 25 (5 / 20)
Credit: Colin Edwards, CJE Photos
Weekend Results:
NIHL N1 Saturday:
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 6️⃣ - 4️⃣ Billingham Stars 💫
⚜️ Solihull Barons 8️⃣ - 2️⃣ Widnes Wild 🐾
⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 3️⃣ - 2️⃣ Sheffield Scimitars🗡️
NIHL N1 Sunday:
🐉 Deeside Dragons 8️⃣ - 5️⃣ Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️
💫 Billingham Stars 9️⃣ - 0️⃣ Blackburn Hawks 🦅
✈️ Hull Jets 6️⃣ - 1️⃣ Whitley Warriors 🏹
🦁 Nottingham Lions 4️⃣ - 8️⃣ Solihull Barons ⚜️