Your Zoo Accounting Solihull Barons are back in action this weekend, with their opening home tie on Sunday evening against the Sheffield Scimitars. The Barons have come away from their two opening ties with half the points in a pair of evenly balanced games against sides with distinctly different approaches.

For head coach Phil Lee it was a chance to size up some of the opposition and help the players start to really adapt to each other and the systems put in place for 22-23. For the coach, the games offered up insights into some areas which may need developing over the next few weeks and months but also highlighted some very strong positives in terms of a highly committed team with some strong individual performances.

Speaking of the Blackburn game, Lee was pleased to get the win after a Blackburn comeback threatened to undo an early Barons lead :

“I thought it was time to give you a little insight into the first two league games we have now played so far this season. So our first league game was away to Blackburn who are a team much like ourselves with a number of new players added to the roster with players leaving and deciding to move teams. With a number of players missing from our team, the guys had to work hard to pull off the 4-3 win. The team is adjusting to new systems to cater for the loss of fire power up front, and we have adapted a more defensive strategy. First period saw a 1-0 scoreline with a goal from Richard Slater, period two saw another 1-0 scoreline with a goal scored by Richard Crowe. Going into the third period, we had a lapse of concentration in the last 10 minutes of the game and Blackburn managed to pull 3 goals back giving them a 3-2 lead. To stop the Blackburn momentum we called a time out and decided to play our third line against their first line to mix the lines up, which paid dividends with James Moeller getting the equalising goal. Our work on powerplays paid off with the winning powerplay goal scored with 1.44 to go scored by Richard Slater once again. Sam was excellent in goal and kept us in the game. The overall team performance showed excellent discipline and commitment and the team showed great character to come back at the end when Blackburn showed all of the momentum in the third period.

Last weekend the Barons made the trip to the North East and a clash with the always strong and physical Whitley Warriors. While never an easy place to win points a strong overall performance left Lee rueing missed chances to capitalise on some strong Solihull play :

“Last Sunday saw us travel to Whitley Bay. This was an altogether different experience and adjustment the players had to make due to the quick physical forecheckers of the Whitley Bay forwards. Sam again, played excellently in net. The team created a number of chances very early on which should have put us in the lead in the first period, but it was not to be with us not taking advantage of the opportunities that were created. The second period was much the same and then Whitley took a 1 goal lead, and just over a minute later Niklas Ottosson got us our equalising goal. Whitley were awarded a powerplay and it gave the guys chance to work on the penalty kill that we had practiced. Mid way through the powerplay we managed to get a breakaway from a blocked shot from the point which was a short handed goal from Matt Maurice, only for Whitley to equalise on the powerplay a minute later. Period 2 ended 2-2. The third period was much the same however Whitley scored a further 2 goals. It was frustrating that we created enough chances to win the game earlier on but did not capitalise on the opportunities that were created in front of the goal.

On the positives we created a lot of opportunities in both games which we need to bare down on and take the chances when they arise. From a coaches point of view the guys worked really hard and showed a lot of character in both games and I think we can take a lot of positives overall.

This weekend the Barons are back at home against the leagues bottom side the Sheffield Scimitars who have had a slow start to their Moralee campaign, with losses home and away to both Billingham and Blackburn. The Scimitars however are historically a well-drilled team and play best once they have their systems clicking. The Barons will therefore need to be on form to ensure the win, a point not lost on Lee.

“Looking ahead to our next home fixture against Sheffield who are another team who have had a turnover of players for this season, we are looking to work on the systems we have been practising in training, and hopefully come away with a win!

We hope you will join us at Planet Ice Solihull on Sunday evening as the Barons take on the Scimitars and get their first chance of home advantage this season – and remember if you make it loud you are a big part of that advantage !!!

Face-off : 5.30pm. See you there !!! #COYBARONS