TC Cars Solihull Barons – Billingham Stars

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Recap

TC Cars Solihull Barons : 6
Billingham Stars : 5

The TC Cars Solihull Barons opened their 2019-20 Moralee Ice Hockey Division campaign with a very closely fought win over the Billingham Stars at home on Sunday evening.

Callum Bowley battles (J&K Davies)

With the Barons having had a strong series of pre-season ties hopes for a similarly positive start to the season proper. With the team icing a full bench including the return of fan favourites Richard Slater and Tom Soar after some time away from Hobs Moat and the surprise appearance of import Niklas Ottosson, the omens were good.

Niklas Ottosson was a surprise returnee (J&K Davies)

The Barons Summer signing, Ruskin Hughes, continued his impressive and free scoring form through from the preseason and opened the scoring after 7 minutes but the lead would only last three minutes before Thomas Rubes equalised with a solo effort for the Stars. Shortly after the Barons were put on the back-foot as Craig Thurston pushed the visitors into the lead. By the end of the first twenty Solihull were back even as Matt Maurice converted from a feed by Rich Slater.

Rich Slater was back on home ice (J&K Davies)

The middle period saw the Barons and particularly Tom Soar found their eye for the net. The big sniper in his first game in a Barons shirt for over a year firing home twice to give Barons a bit of a cushion before another prodigal son, Rich Slater added a third before the period was out. While the Stars matched the Barons shot for shot they could not find the finish and went into the final twenty, three goals adrift.

….as was Tom Soar (J&K Davies)

Five minutes into the third period and Adam Brittle added a sixth for the Barons, seemingly putting the game beyond the Stars. The men from Teeside however had come a long way and kept to their task and whittled away at the Barons lead. With twelve minutes to go Matthew Elder got one back in a five minute powerplay and when Daniel Silar added to this the comfortable lead Solihull had was much more squeaky. Daniel Hehir then cut that margin to a single goal with two minutes to go but much to the relief of the tense home support Solihull clung on for the win.

Daniel Mulcahy goes close (J&K Davies)

The Barons face an away trio to the Nottingham Lions next Sunday in a game the Barons would expect to win but are pitched against a side for whom they have slipped up against before. Solihull return to home ice on Sunday the 29th September when they face the Blackburn Hawks, face-off 5:30pm.

(J&K Davies)
Barons Man of the Match, Callum Bowley
(J&K Davies)
Stars Man of the Match, Matthew Campbell

 
gamesheet

Details

Date Time League Season
September 15, 2019 5:30 pm Moralee Division 2019/20

Results

Team1st2nd3rdT
Solihull Barons2316
Billingham Stars2035

Solihull Barons

# Player Position G A PIM SA GA SV
3Marcus MaynardDefence000000
4Dave RogersDefence000000
6Richard CroweDefence0029000
8Paul StanleyOffence012000
10Dan HarrisonDefence000000
15Matt MauriceOffence110000
16Andy WhitehouseOffence010000
17Richard SlaterOffence110000
23Daniel MulcahyOffence002000
24Philip MulcahyOffence010000
25Daniel BrittleGoalie00243538
26Adam BrittleOffence100000
31Sam HewittGoalie000000
40Josh BruceOffence000000
72Callum BowleyOffence020000
77Andrew HaywardDefence010000
79Tom SoarOffence200000
81James MoellerDefence000000
91Niklas OttossonOffence000000
97Ruskin HughesOffence100000
 Total 683543538

Billingham Stars

Position G A PIM SA GA SV
 571039633

Venue

Planet Ice Solihull Ice Rink
Hobs Moat Rd, Solihull B92 8JN