Credit: Carly Lambert
BILLINGHAM STARS got the maximum return in both the National Ice Hockey League Moralee Division and the Moralee Cup at the weekend, two 5-2 victories sealing six points for the first time this season.
Credit: Carly Lambert
Solihull Barons were the visitors to the Forum on Saturday, a side that’s promising start has fallen away somewhat in recent weeks. Looking for a bounceback result after a mauling on home ice by Blackburn Hawks the previous Sunday, it was the Barons who opened the scoring in the sixth minute, Dan Mulcahy with the last touch out front to creep past Stars netminder Jacob Hammond. Billingham rode wave after wave of Solihull attacks before gradually working their way back into the reckoning, the tide turning when Darren Stattersfield’s point effort beat Graham Laverick between the Solihull pipes glove side in the 15th minute.
Credit: Carly Lambert
A cagey second session was looking like it would close out with no further additions to the score, but Rolands Gritāns had other ideas. His go-ahead goal on the back stick in the 38th minute was followed up less than a minute later by an outstanding piece of individual play that saw the Latvian go coast-to-coast beating every Baron on the ice before going round Laverick for 3-1 at the interval.
Credit: Carly Lambert
Gritāns hat trick marker in the 46th minute was almost as good as he chose to go it alone and beat Laverick on the wraparound. Solihull a shadow of their first period selves, a dominant third from the home side was finished by James Moss in the 57th minute, a late consolation from David Rogers far too little and too late for the visitors to mount any semblance of a comeback.
Man-of-the-Match for Stars was Rolands Gritāns.
Credit: Carly Lambert
Stars Stats:
Rolands Gritāns 3+1; James Moss 1+2; Darren Stattersfield 1+0; Michael Elder 0+2
SOG: Jacob Hammond 46 (19 / 16 / 11)
Barons Stats:
David Rogers 1+0; Dan Mulcahy 1+0; Niklas Ottosson 0+2; Phil Mulcahy 0+1; Max Soden 0+1
SOG: Graham Laverick 57 (18 / 16 / 23)
Credit: Carly Lambert
On the road at Hull Jets on Sunday, an unchanged Stars were quick out of the blocks and a goal to the good in the seventh minute, Matty Pickup capitalising on a defensive error to bag the opener. The home side had levelled things up through Will Durgan on the back stick in the 11th minute, but Pickup again in the 17th minute and a last-gasp Michael Elder lift over the glove of netminder Dominic Smith put Billingham in the driving seat going into the middle session.
Jets piled forward in the second period and had numerous power play opportunities to catch up, including a lengthy 5-on-3 situation. They were thwarted until the last minute when Jacob Race finally converted a power play chance to narrow the gap.
Stars tightened up in the third stanza and took their chances to make the game safe. Elder beat Smith from a tight angle in the 44th minute before Lucas Dowdle created a goal out of nothing in the 51st minute, robbing the defenceman out front before circling the net and finding his spot. A handy road win and a six-point weekend sees Billingham move up to fifth in the table and third in the Cup group, level on points but with a game in hand over Leeds Knights 2.
Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Michael Elder.
Jets Stats:
Jacob Race 1+0; Will Durgan 1+0; Boris Giba 0+1; Richie Haggar 0+1; Reaghan Taylor 0+1; Ian Kerman 0+1
SOG: Dominic Smith 34 (15 / 8 / 11)
Stars Stats:
Matty Pickup 2+0; Michael Elder 2+0; Lucas Dowdle 1+1; James Moss 0+2; Joe Dowdle 0+1; Callum Wilkinson 0+1
SOG: Jacob Hammond 47 (15 / 19 / 13)
Credit: Carly Lambert
Weekend Results:
NIHL Moralee Saturday:
💫 Billingham Stars 5️⃣-2️⃣ Solihull Barons ⚜️ (L/C)
🗡️ Sheffield Scimitars 3️⃣-0️⃣ Widnes Wild 🐾
NIHL Moralee Sunday:
🐉 Deeside Dragons 4️⃣-3️⃣ Nottingham Lions 🦁 (L/C)
✈️ Hull Jets 2️⃣-5️⃣ Billingham Stars 💫 (L/C)
🐾 Widnes Wild 🔟-2️⃣ Sheffield Scimitars 🗡️
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 1️⃣2️⃣-3️⃣ Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️