* Stars TV were at the game, working alongside our very own Warriors TV and between them, they put together this highlights package with mine and Ordy's commentary from NIHL Radio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E6gvnr4lX8
* There was a lot of Media at the rink throughout the evening. Even as I left, Made in Tyne & Wear were filming a video about the Newcastle Predators. In fact, there is every chance myself and Warriors enforcer Alan Yarrow might just appear in the background as we inadvertently walked behind presenter Melissa Crawford.
* Me and Ordy were not the only ones making a welcome return. Rob Wilson made his first appearance in nearly two years to help out on the blue line, and it was great to see him back out there in the maroon and gold once again.
* Despite putting in their best performance of the season so far, the Warriors are still winless after five games, as they narrowly lost out in the first Tyne Tees derby of the season going down 4-5.
The Stars raced into a two goal lead thanks to Swedish import Daniel Palmebjork, only for the Warriors, led by the inspirational Jordan Barnes and effervescent Callum Watson, to claw their way back onto level terms.
* Jordan put in a man of the match performance and made the NIHL team of the week in the process:
* Both Myself and Ordy felt Jordan was the catalyst for the Warriors come back playing with the intensity and passion needed in a game like this. Watto also impressed as he looked to exploit his pace at every opportunity and got goals to show for it, while Richie Lawson once again kept his side in the game early on.
However, two freaky goals either side of the third period restored the Stars two-goal advantage and turned the game in the Teessider's favour.
Despite that set back, the Warriors never gave up and continued to push in an effort to salvage something from the contest and potentially force the game into overtime. They did claw one goal back but the Stars responded once again meaning the Warriors had little or no chance to come back again, with so little time left on the clock and with Flavell in superb form.
With Seventy seconds remaining the Stars still held a 5-3 lead but, directly from a face-off, Andre Payette played the puck back to the point where Dean Holland wound up a huge slap shot that beat the ever-impressive James Flavell in goal. There could have been another one earlier in the game when Watson's shot came back from the goal frame. I actually thought the puck had gone in the net and bounced back out as there was no distinctive 'clunk' that you would expect to hear in that situation.
The last twenty seconds were frantic as bodies, sticks and even the puck was scrambling all over the ice, as both teams desperately tried to win the game. In the end though the Stars were able to hang on for the first local bragging rights of the season on what was an emotionally-charged evening.
* Warriors Coach David Longstaff was interviewed after the game by Stars TV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSIQxoRGMy0
* Warriors fan and personal friend Rob Potter, helped organise [along with the co-operation of both the Warriors and Stars players and management] to raise money through-out the game for local youngster Frankie Sherwood. Frankie, who is just three years old, is battling a rare form of cancer and needs treatment in America, but for that to happen his family need to raise £550,000 to do so.
* More of Frankie's story can be read here from the Newcastle Evening Chronicle Website:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/fearless-frankie-sherwood-takes-ice-11969625
* For any readers who have been moved by Frankie's story and want to help out, I urge you all to check out the 'go fund me' page set up:
https://www.gofundme.com/28mzxuk
* After the game Warrior's player Andre Payette, who has been very supportive of the fund raiser this weekend, spoke personally about how Frankie's story moved him to want to get involved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqcnp0LRONk&sns=fb
No comments:
Post a Comment