Whitley got off to the best possible start at iceSheffield, with two goals in the opening 15 minutes. David Longstaff, who along with Callum Queenan was reunited with Jamie Tinsley and that line combined twice to put the Warriors ahead. Sutton looked at sixes and sevens during the opening exchanges with Lobby capitalising on their hesitation. Even the ever reliable Dmitri Zimozdra didn’t look comfortable, which led to some people questioning whether or not he was carrying an injury.
With 41 seconds remaining in the opening period, Sutton got themselves back into the game when James Goodman and John Ross combined to set up Carl Ashton. That goal gave the Warriors something to think about during the first intermission, but just 63 seconds had elapsed when the game resumed before the visitors restored their two-goal advantage. Harry Harley helping Dean Holland to set up Shaun Kippin on the power play.
Everything seemed to be going to plan as far as the Warriors were concerned until Sutton suddenly sprang into life and their play clicked into gear. Ritchie Oliver passed the puck to Carl Ashton on the break, who in turn found John Ross waiting at the blue line. The veteran sniper rolled back the years with a great turn of pace and well-taken shot, as he fired his side within a single goal.
Just 64 seconds later and the Sting tied the game. Ryan Johnson played the puck out of defense where he found fellow-blue-liner Mark Turner. The Sting were looking to catch the Warriors on the break once again and when Turner found import Center Vjaleslavs Movko, they did exactly that.
With those two goals the home side were now in the ascendency, and despite Whitley trying their hardest to re-gain the lead, with a lot of action in the Sting zone, they couldn’t seem to find a way past what was now a well-organised side. Sutton were putting on a master-class in soaking up the pressure and were looking to hit the Warriors on the break at every opportunity. It looked increasingly likely that the hosts would snatch a winner as they were clearly the better side in the final two periods, especially with Zimozdra in excellent form.
At 52:27 Ryan Johnson was called for slashing. That would prove costly for Sutton as 44 seconds into the power play Dean Holland was cleverly played in by his coach David Longstaff to break the deadlock. Whitley had netted what they hoped would prove to be the winner, but Sutton were not about to throw away all their hard work in getting back in the game.
With one minute to go Dean Holland was called for tripping, setting up a powerplay opportunity for the Sting. At the same time Sutton decided to pull Zimozdra for the extra attacker giving them a 6-on-4. Thanks to Richie Lawson the Warriors held on to take both points in a game they twice held a two goal lead in, but were hanging on for a point for much of it.
Team Line Up
Jamie Tinsley moved back to Center the top line with David Longstaff and Callum Queenan, while Shaun Kippin formed an experienced second line with Dean Holland and Adam Reynolds. DJ Good was able to call upon two pacey wingers in Callum Queenan and Martin Crammond, while Scott Cooper, Liam Smedley and Kyle Ross formed something of a ‘Kid Line’. Alan Yarrow travelled with the team but didn’t get any ice time.
The ever-reliable Joe Stamp posted a lot of ice time and was once again partnered by Harry Harley. Stamp was man-of-the-match for me as he proved to be a calm and steadying influence at the back, reading play well and stopping everything coming his way. Harley is the perfect foil for him and is able to join the attack at will and shoot huge slap shots from the blue line. My co-commentator during the game even mentioned how he thought the pair had been excellent for the Warriors this season, calling Stamp ‘The find of the year’ while saying Harley is the best ‘Offensive Defenseman in the league’. Craig Johnson lined up with Dan Pye, while Josh Maddock and Andre Payette didn’t receive as much ice time. Phil Pritchard was named but never left the bench.
Richie Lawson, was eventually named ‘man-of-the-match’ after the award was initially announced as going to his back Mark Turnbull, who posted no ice-time. Lawson once again had another great game but would save his best display for the following night.
25 Longstaff – 27 Tinsley – 15 Queenan
14 Holland – 11 Kippin – 44 Reynolds
18 Crammond – 9 DJ Good – 6 Watson
21 Cooper – 8 Smedley – 13 Ross
22 Yarrow
4 Johnson – 38 Pye
3 Smedley – 24 Harley
19 Maddock – 7 Payette
23 Pritchard
35 Lawson – 84 Turnbull
Sutton had a much shorter bench than Whitley, with only 14 skaters named. Shaun Ashton lined up with James Spurr and Jon Woolhouse to take the opening face-off, while Richie Oliver and player-coach John Ross flanked Vjaleslavs Movko on the second line. Carl Ashton also centered Oliver and Ross throughout the game to great effect, the trio linked up for the first two goals for the Sting.
Sergevs Jegorovs joined James Goodman on the top Defensive pairing, while Simon Offord and Ryan Johnson were the alternate duo. Scott Glover also saw some ice time back on the blue line, while Mark Turner and Scott Howells had limited minutes.
Sutton didn’t name a back-up goaltender, but when you have Dmitri Zimozdra to call upon, you don’t really need to. The Russian-born shot-stopper put in another impressive display.
7 S.Ashton – 14 Spurr – 8 Woolhouse
15 Oliver – 21 Movko /27 C. Ashton – 16 Ross
61 Jegorovs – 11 Goodman
23 Offord/20 Glover – 10 Johnson
18 Turner
73 Howells
34 Zimozdra
Sutton Assistant Coach Dean Smith: 'That was a quality game tonight. Probably the best I've seen this season. Whitley are a good side, no doubt about that, but I think we matched them tonight and we're unlucky not to get a share of the points. The game was also a good advert for the league too.'
Sutton Assistant Coach Dean Smith: 'That was a quality game tonight. Probably the best I've seen this season. Whitley are a good side, no doubt about that, but I think we matched them tonight and we're unlucky not to get a share of the points. The game was also a good advert for the league too.'
Other Results
Sheffield Spartans v Billingham Stars 3-4
As I was commentating for all three encounters at iceSheffield it gave me the chance to get a good look at Whitley’s opponents for the following night. Billingham got off to a great start with Swedish import Dennis Bostrum netting on the power play. Player-coach Michael Bowman doubled the Stars lead with a delayed penalty goal less than five minutes later. The major talking point of the game was 16 year old Liam Kirk playing for the Spartans who was a threat throughout. The youngster is expected to make it big in this country and pulled his team back into the game at the start of the second period. However two minutes later the Stars were awarded a Penalty Shot after Ben Davison was hauled down in front of goal when he was shaping to shoot. Davison picked himself up to restore his sides two goal lead, before Michael Elder scored a power play goal less than four minutes after that. Billingham bossed the opening two periods with Sheffield’s indiscipline showing. However with 20 minutes remaining to save their season and indeed a chance of an appearance at their own play-off party, the Spartans suddenly woke up. First a powerplay goal of their own from Nick Manning, and then an Even Handed marker from Elliott Knell brought the team from the Steel City back into contention. Billingham were looking like throwing the game away and matters were not helped when Luke Brown was involved in a spat with his bench coach Terry Ward. Brown who had appeared during the game on the top line was benched for the remainder of this encounter with Bowman moving back up from the third line to replace him. With just a single goal separating them, most inside the Arena were expecting Spartans goalie Brandon Stones to be pulled for the extra attacker, however by the time he did eventually leave the ice and the sixth skater arrived there were five seconds left on the clock. Too little, too late. Billingham held on for a must-win game to revive their own stuttering playoff push and giving their sizeable travelling fans renewed optimism ahead of the Tyne-Tees derby the following night.
Sheffield Senators v Solway Sharks 1-9
No surprises with the outcome of this one, as the visiting Sharks rattled nine goals passed a spirited Senators side. Struan Tonnar opened the scores 1:11 into the game and had completed his hat-trick by the 15:55 mark. The Senators did shock the Sharks at 9:24 though, when Callum Rawson pulled a goal back, but that is as close as the home side got. Further goals from Stuart Andrews, Stuart Kerr, Marc Fowley and Ross Murray compounded the home sides misery, along with a brace of goals from Martin Cingel. The major flash point of the game occurred at the 47:42 mark when a mini-brawl occurred in the Senators defensive zone. Ross Murray was dragged away, much to his annoyance and so he proceeded to drop the gloves and had a good bout with Andy McEwan right in front of the media gallery. With so few fans in the building at that stage to create any noise, there was an eerie back drop as you could hear fists pounding against flesh that left a trail of blood on the ice. That caused a slight delay as the officials waited for the ice to be cleaned up before resuming with the action. Stuart Kerr stood out on the blue line, the 17 year old spending a lot of time alongside experienced import Juraj Senko. The latter had a great game for the Sharks and was at the heart of a lot of his sides best play.
News
* I was fortunate enough to commentate on all three games played at iceSheffield on Saturday. NIHL Radio launched a second channel ahead of the weekend so myself and Anthony-James Lowe were on Channel 1 covering the games in Sheffield between us, while Oz Phillips was in Telford bringing listeners coverage of the Hawks 7-1 road win on Channel 2.
* The Sutton announcer was keeping most inside the arena entertained. Aside from announcing the wrong goalie for the MOTM awards, she called Whitley the Whitby Warriors, while that famous French Canadian that ices for them was called ‘Andrew’ Payette.
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