The Whitley Warriors ground out a hard-fought win against a good Sutton Sting side, to all but book their place in the end of season playoffs. With just Seven games to go, the Sheffield Spartans can no-longer catch the Warriors, while both the Solway Sharks and Billingham Stars can only match their current tally of 39 points.
The game started off quite slowly with only a couple of Dan Pye shots from distance testing Sutton’s Russian-born goalie Dimitri Zimozdra within the opening 90 seconds. As the period wore on Zimozdra was forced into action again, snatching Adam Reynold’s shot out of mid-air at 6:11. Not long after David Longstaff’s good work, almost set up Reynold’s again, but Zimozdra was in a defiant mood.
The Omsk native has always been a bit unorthodox when it comes to his style of goaltending, but on one occasion, he swung his stick hand out to block a shot and in so doing let go of the stick which flew some distance through the air.
In a game of few clear cut chances, it was still Whitley applying most of the pressure, so when Sutton grabbed the lead at 9:37 it came against the run of play. Latvian import Sergevs Jegorovs, was playing as a forward, and it was his clever pass that picked out defenseman Ryan Johnson on the blue-line, whose huge slap shot found the back of the net.
Within seconds of the ensuing faceoff Shaun Ashton could have doubled his side’s lead, when he sprang the Whitley defense, and presented himself with a one-on-one with Richie Lawson, however his shot just went wide of the net. As the period ticked on Sutton were looking the side more likely to score again. Vjaleslavs Movko had the best opportunity when he fired through traffic, but he couldn’t beat Lawson.
Whitley showed signs they were getting back into the game at 17:50 when Craig Johnson fired a shot from the point following a face-off in the Sutton defensive zone, but like Lawson, Zimozdra was proving tough to beat.
However it wasn’t long before Whitley finally did solve Zimozdra, with DJ ‘Stuck in the mud’ Good at the heart of it. The Whitley play-maker turned on the style and changed the outcome of the game in just 38 seconds. Good, stole the puck off a Sutton defenseman, before setting Callum Watson away towards goal. Watson’s first shot hit the post, but the speedy winger was on hand to collect his own rebound and fire home.
Straight from the face-off Whitley attacked again and this time it was Callum Watson who returned the favour. Following great work from Watson and fellow line mate Dean Holland the puck found DJ Good in front of goal. The Whitley Center had the time to collect the pass and fire under Zimozdra to claim what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
In many ways the first intermission came at the wrong time with Whitley well on top at that stage. Once the second period got under way the game became much more scrappy with no real flow to either side’s play.
There were some chances created though, a huge slap shot from the blue line caused Zimozdra no end of trouble as it bounced up and out of his grasp, however no Whitley player was on hand to capitalise on the rebound.
Either side of the mid-point in the game both teams had a chance to score again. At 29:20 Richie Lawson looked rooted to the spot as he was expecting a shot down low, however as the puck looked like sailing over him, he reacted with cat-like reflexes to stretch out an arm, and in a flash grab the puck out of mid-air as it was going over his head. Yet again Lawson pulled off an impressive save, following on from his world class one the week before against Billingham.
Soon after Sutton got a powerplay opportunity and at 30:40 Mark Turner fired from the point, and had Lawson beat, but the puck clanked the bar and went over. Whitley did try to keep the pressure on Sutton and out-shot their opponents 24-13 in the middle period, but couldn’t seem to find a way past Zimozdra.
The third period got off to a terrible start, with Callum Queenan having to be helped off the ice after he appeared to fall awkwardly. There was no update after the game. The loss of the Whitley youngster seemed to deflate the crowd somewhat and chances were now at a premium. The few that did fall Whitley’s way still couldn’t get passed the Sutton goalie.
Craig Johnson fired another fierce one-timer from the blue line but Zimozdra’s out-stretched hand was comfortably able to gather. Then with 8:53 remaining Adam Reynolds cleverly found David Longstaff, but the Whitley player-coach could only fire over. The last meaningful chance for the home side came to Shaun Kippin who controlled the puck well before firing just inches passed the net.
Skippy had probably his best defensive game of the season and was working hard during his shifts. Despite being moved down to center the third line, he was still able to orchestrate play and looked in control and composed on the puck at all times.
It wasn’t the prettiest of games, and was certainly a case of the result and the points that came with it being more important than the performance itself. However nothing should be taken away from the Sutton Sting. They have been in fine form these past few weeks and have only lost to Whitley [twice] during that time, proving perhaps, what a good team the Warriors are, to be able beat them.
Come the end of the season the record books will show the Warriors having swept the Sting, however in all four games Sutton have given Whitley a very hard time, and next season will be in the mix once again for a playoff place.
Team News
David Longstaff made changes to his lines again. Shaun Kippin took the opening faceoff with Dean Holland and Callum Watson, but was soon replaced by DJ Good and moved down to the third line with Kyle Ross and Adam Reynolds. Jamie Tinsley had started on the Left Wing with Ross and Good but moved up to center the top line with Longstaff and Callum Queenan following the re-shuffle that also saw Reynold’s moved from centering Longstaff’s line to Skippy’s line, still with me? Alan Yarrow and Ben Richards were both named too but didn’t get any ice time. Martin Crammond was missing with flu.
With the defense short on numbers [Joe Stamp, Harry Harley, Scott Cooper & Liam Smedley were all missing], Craig Johnson got a lot of shifts alongside the impressive Dan Pye, While Josh Maddock, Andre Payette and forward Jordan Barnes also saw ice time there. Phil Pritchard was also named but didn’t get a shift.
Richie Lawson was backed up by Jordan Boyle for this one instead of Mark Turnbull.
25 Longstaff – 27 Tinsley – 15 Queenan
14 Holland – 9 DJ Good – 6 Watson
13 Ross – 11 Kippin – 44 Reynolds
22 Yarrow, 64 Richards
4 Johnson – 38 Pye
19 Maddock, 17 Barnes, 7 Payette
23 Pritchard
35 Lawson – 29 Boyle
Opposition View
Sutton arrived on Tyneside, in a rich vein of form and had a strong line up. Import, Sergevs Jegorovs moved from Defense to Left Wing on the top line with usual custodians James Spurr and Jon Woolhouse. That meant Shaun Ashton moved down to the second line with his brother Carl and veteran sniper John Ross, to form the ‘Scimitar Line’. All three played alongside one another for the all-conquering Sheffield Scimitars team between 2002-05, and it was great to see that trio reunited once again. Vjaleslavs Movko centered a third line which contained Mark Turner at Left Wing, with Scott Howells and Oliver Mitchell sharing the Right Wing spot.
James Goodman and Scott Glover were the top defensive pairing, while Ryan Johnson and Simon Offord were on the second. Bailey Templar was named but didn’t get any ice-time. Dmitri Zimozdra once again was between the pipes.
Sadly Dean Smith is no longer with the Sting, the former Sheffield Steeler has gone back to playing local Rec hockey, where we wish him the best of luck.
61 Jegorovs - 14 Spurr - 8 Goodman
7 S.Ashton - 27 C.Ashton - 16 Ross
18 Turner - 21 Movko - 73 Howells/38 Mitchell
11 Goodman - 20 Glover
10 Johnson - 23 Offord
2 Templar
34 Zimozdra
Quotes
DJ Good: 'I was fired up for the game, and looking at their form and with us being short benched, it gave me that extra bit of motivation. I think us having four strong lines is a big part of why we are 2nd in the league, we have a number of injuries and were still able to ice three strong lines.'
'I think we dominated large parts of that first period and I enjoyed playing with Dean [Holland] and Callum [Watson], they are fast players who create chances. Callum had been due a goal, he is a natural goal scorer and he showed that by chasing down his initial miss hit shot that came out from hitting the post, and he picked up the rebound to get that much needed equalizer.'
'With that momentum we went straight back out and got another. The coach must have seen something in that line and left us on the ice after the goal.'
'It worked well. I'd lent Scott Cooper's stick as mine is on its way out and its suprising what a difference something like that can make. I was that bit stronger on the puck and managed to win the puck in the slot and get a quick low shot away. I had no idea that would be the winner.'
'lt would have been nice to build on that goal but the end of the period kind of took out the momentum. But the aim was to get the win, whether scrappy or not we just needed those two points and with some good performances from quite a few individuals we achieved what we needed. It's just a shame about Callum Queenan's injury. Hopefully he can make it back in time for the playoffs.'
'Richie [Lawson] was solid as he has been all season. Dan Pye was great at getting into shooting positions and youngsters Kyle Ross and Craig Johnson both had strong games. Lobbys passing in the 2nd Period was some of the best I think i've ever seen, at any level!'
Other Results
Saturday, February 6
Sheffield Senators v Blackburn 3-8
Telford v Solway 3-3
Sutton v Sheffield Spartans 10-2
Sunday, February 7
Blackburn v Sheffield Senators 9-2
Solihull v Solway 3-1
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