The YKK Widnes Wild faced the Billingham stars for the first time this season on Sunday, failing to secure 2 points after a 1-9 home defeat. Widnes retained the same core squad (17+2) as the previous weekend, once again missing Rhys Edwards and Damarni James, but boosted by the Scottish 2-ways + Harrison Walker was in for Luca Tessadri. The stars also saw some additions to their side (16+2) with netminder Thomas Brown and Latvian import Rolands Gritāns returning to action.
Billingham won the initial face-off and soon grabbed an early edge just 39 seconds into the game through captain #32 Michael Elder from #26 Rolands Gritāns and #15 Chris Sykes. The Stars then gained a man advantage at 4:02 when #84 Tom Jackson sat 2 minutes for hooking. However, this was cancelled out 13s later as Billingham’s #15 Sykes was called for interference. Once both penalties expired, the stars quickly doubled their lead to 0-2 at 9:44 with #98 Alex Preston from #23 Jack Emerson. Widnes had created several chances throughout the 1st period, having as many shots on goal as the stars did, but they failed find a way past #30 Brown in the Billingham net. #26 Gritāns punished the Wild late in the opening frame at 19:47, giving the stars a strong 0-3 lead.
Widnes returned for the second period eager to open their scoring, and were handed an opportunity early on when #19 Galloway headed to the box for tripping at 21:50. The puck was fired at Brown multiple times, but he retained the 0-3 lead for his team on the PK. Billingham’s #26 Gritāns soon fired another past Walker at 26:33 from #15 Sykes and #12 Spraggon to put them ahead by 4 goals. The Wild continued to shoot at the stars goal, determined to claw the score back with several clever plays but Brown kept the Widnes forwards at bay.
Another 2 shots were put away by the stars at 31:53 and 35:20: The first by #91 Iain Brown from #77 Hall, and the other by #5 James Moss via #91 Brown and #19 Galloway leaving the score at 0-6. Tensions then spilled in the final moments of the 2nd, seeing Wild’s #9 Gregor Donaldson and Billingham’s #5 James Moss both head to the box for roughing following a tussle on the boards. The break in play worked in Widnes’ favour, with #39 Matty Barlow finally opening the scoring off a pass from #63 Joey Coulter at 39:45. However, Billingham didn’t let the Wild fans celebrate for long, after #32 Elder fired one past Harrison at 39:54 to end the 2nd at 1-7.
The Wild opted for a change of netminder, seeing #30 Phil Pearson play his first official minutes for this season. The change seemed to unsettle the Billingham squad, allowing Widnes to push for the offense. As a result, #17 Andrew Hopkins was awarded a penalty shot after being taken down on the breakaway and landing in the Stars goal at 46:30. #30 Tom Brown denied the Wild another goal, and his captain #32 Elder found the net on the other end of the ice to score his hat-trick goal at 47:40.
Tensions spilled again at 52:53 when #11 Will Harper and #15 Chris Sykes were both sent to the box for fighting after an initial roughing penalty on Harper. The hat-trick goal for #26 Gritāns came from a face-off at 55:23, assisted by Elder to complete the 1-9 damage on the Wild. Harrison Walker then had to finish the final 5 minutes for Widnes after #30 Pearson was taken off with an ankle injury. The buzzer sounded soon after, ending a disappointing night for Widnes.
MVPs were presented by NIHL GM Haydn Hunter, were awarded to hat-trick goal scorer #26 Rolands Gritāns for Billingham Stars and defenceman #18 Johnathon Williamson for Widnes.
Your YKK Widnes Wild are back in action on Sunday 22nd October, for an away trip to play the Blackburn Hawks at Planet Ice Blackburn, face-off 6pm.
Officials: Anderson, MacKinnon, Kolarz
STATS-
Widnes: Matty Barlow 1+0, Joey Coulter 0+1
SOG: Walker – 23 (10/11/2) Pearson 8 (0/0/8)
Billingham: Michael Elder 3+1 , Rolands Gritāns 3+3 , James Moss 1+1, Iain Brown 1+1, Alex Preston 1+0, Chris Sykes 0+2, Jack Emerson 0+1, Tommy Spraggon 0+1, Lewis Hall 0+1, Shaun Galloway 0+1
SOG: Brown – 36 (10/17/9)
Article written by Fleur Tobin