The Whitley Warriors suffered their second defeat of the season last night after putting in an abject performance at iceSheffield. The Spartans out-skated, out-fought and out-thought the Warriors during the final two periods to claim a well-deserved victory, in what was a complete contrast to the way both teams approached the game the previous week. Even hockey writers that only see games through rose-tinted glasses could notice that.
Due to a major traffic delay on the A19 it meant I missed the opening eight minutes of the game, and with that probably the best part too. (Without pretending like I was there for the opening action). By the time I had arrived at the arena, The scoreline was 1-1. Spartans had taken an early lead through Olli Barron with Whitley responding with a well-worked move from Harry Harley and David Longstaff, to set up Jamie Tinsley. It was a rare powerplay goal for the visitors, whose success with the man-advantage this season has been like gold dust.
What I did see of the opening period, suggested that Whitley were playing decent hockey. At one stage they forced Spartans goalie Andrew Bagshaw into a world class save that had it happened in the NHL would have been on highlights reels across the globe.
The second period was a major disappointment from a Whitley perspective. Had it not been for Richie Lawson, then it is safe to say the margin of victory for Sheffield would have been far greater. The Warriors goalie put in a Man-of-the-Match performance with a string of great saves, despite finding himself with a 2-on-1 situation several times throughout the game. His defensemen giving the Spartans far too much room in front of him.
It was on one of those situations that the Spartans got their go-ahead goal, which would also prove to be the game-winner at 29:11. Nick Manning hit a great shot, which Lawson did well to save but the puck fell back to Scott Morris who was on hand to fire home. It was unlucky for Lawson who had been fantastic throughout the game but could do nothing when faced with two Spartans forwards having been granted the freedom of Sheffield.
Whitley laboured through-out the remainder of the game, with only a few chances created. Callum Queenan did well to pick out David Longstaff, but the puck wouldn’t sit for the Warriors coach. The top-line combined well again moments later with Longstaff finding Jamie Tinsley, who in turn fed Queenan, who somehow was bundled over in the goalmouth as he prepared to shoot.
The main talking point of the game came with 1:52 remaining in the second. Martin Finkes, he of the red helmet, charged at Whitley youngster Callum Queenan before delivering an elbow to his head which sent him flying into the boards. Queenan’s team mates were understandably angered by such a deliberate and violent act. Referee David Emmerson surprisingly signalled for a delayed penalty call rather than stopping play immediately while Queenan lay prone on the ice, then bizarrely only called a 2 minute penalty on Finkes for boarding, when a match penalty would have been more fitting. One can only assume he didn’t get a clear view of the hit, and calls into question why the two referee system was used on such a large ice surface.
Finkes had 8 seconds remaining on his penalty as the period ended, but instead of leaving the box to skate off decided he would take the cowardly action of shutting the door and hiding so as not to face the Whitley protests. Not even the most partisan of Spartans fans (to which there are many it seems) could have complained had a Whitley player dropped the gloves and sorted Finkes out for his violent assault on a youngster. That’s hockey, that’s what happens. However in twenty years of following the sport I have never witnessed such a cowardly act. Instead of accepting what he had done was wrong and face his punishment, he hid. The only hockey player to have ever ‘Turtled’ in a penalty box. The Spartan players had to form a line around him, protecting their ‘Cowardly Lion’ as both teams left the ice. The travelling supporters were angry by the whole event, much to the amusement of Olli Barron who entered into some banter with the fans as he headed to the room.
If the second period was disappointing for the Warriors than the third was disastrous. Gone were the fore-checking and big hits that had characterised their victory over the same opponents last weekend. There was none of the high intensity either, as Sheffield bullied Whitley out of the game (before I get further abuse from Spartans fans this is not meant as a negative, quite the opposite in fact as it’s what won them the game). The Spartans were like a Jack Russell snapping away at the heels of the Warriors. Stephen Weeks shoved Queenan over into the goal but somehow it was Andrew Turner who was penalised with a hooking call. Both Scott Morris and Chris Wilcox were trying to get Andre Payette to react, but the big Canadian was disciplined with the possibility his team could still salvage something from the game.
Whitley always seem to find life difficult on the large ice surface in Sheffield, but that should not take anything away from the Spartans, who deserved their win. The Warriors must get back to winning ways and fast though. They welcome the Senators to Hillheads next week before a six game schedule that could make-or-break their season. Tough trips to Telford and Billingham are due at the end of November in a deadly double-header weekend, before the Blackburn Hawks series starts, with both sides facing each other in successive games either side of Christmas.
With Blackburn skating away with the league that leaves three playoff berths remaining. Right now Whitley are in pole position to claim one of them but that could all change with no less than six teams hunting them down. Telford have looked classy and capable of beating anyone right now. Solihull have got stronger with each game and look a much different side to the one which the Warriors defeated down in the West Midlands in September, while since beating Whitley last month the struggling Solway Sharks have reeled off Five straight wins. Billingham are sure to be in the mix come seasons end while Sheffield-based sides the Spartans and Sutton Sting should not be ruled out either. It all makes for an exciting remainder of the season.
Team News
25 Longstaff - 27 Tinsley - 15 Queenan
11 Kippin - 9 SJ Good - 8 Smedley
13 Ross/71 Tomlinson - 18 Crammond - 17 Barnes
5 Yarrow
19 Maddock - 38 Pye
3 Stamp - 24 Harley
21 Cooper - 7 Payette
23 Pritchard
35 Lawson - 29 Boyle
Opposition View
Sheffield changed their line up slightly from the side that played at Hillheads last week. Shaun Wild returned and replaced Elliott Knell on Stuart Brittle's line. Whilst Will Barron played as a center with Michael Mawer and Andrew Turner. The Spartans also named eight defensemen too with, Thomas Barry and Ben Jones getting some ice time. Andrew Bagshaw came into the side instead of Brandon Stones, but put in an equally impressive display between the pipes.
7 O. Barron 24 Brittle 19 Wild
9 Manning 14 Morris 16 Knell
29 M. Mawer 6 W. Barron 3 Turner
5 Pyatt 28 Wilcox
15 Finkes 81 R. Jordan
22 D. Jordan 11 Weeks
13 Barry 27 Jones
30 Bagshaw 20 Stones
Other Results
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Sheffield Spartans v Solway 1-2
Telford v Sheffield Senators 7-2
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Sutton v Solway 2-4
Solihull v Billingham 6-3
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