Winning Warriors Rein In Wild

Whitley Warriors claimed a 7-4 win over Widnes Wild at Whitley Bay Ice Rink on Sunday evening.

Lining up with nineteen skaters and starting with netminder Dean Bowater ahead of backup shot stopper Joshua Crane, the Warriors found themselves without injured left winger Robert Farmer, forward Niall Ryder, defenceman Craig Johnson and youngster Connor Lewis. By comparison, Widnes travelled with seventeen players, including Player-Coach Richard Haggar, Captain Thomas Jackson and shot stopper Evan Coles, the outfit’s absentee list including both alternate captains Michael Gilbert and Berwyn Hughes, meaning defencemen Lee Kemp and Chris Wilcox were called upon to fulfil these roles.

Playing with high intensity, the Warriors made a strong start to the first period, cycling the puck with confidence in their offensive zone to put netminder Coles under pressure. This hard work paid off on 3:01 when Latvian Rolands Gritāns skilfully netted a backhanded shot after rapid build-up play from forward Callum Queenan and Captain Dean Holland. Just twenty six seconds later, the Warriors doubled their lead, Shaun Kippin slipping the puck past Coles after receiving a pass from fellow forward Adam Finlinson. Widnes then increased their possession as the period progressed and were able to pull a goal back, forward Joe Wyatt clunking the puck into the net on 9:15 after passing play between Player-Coach Haggar and Ken Armstrong. The Warriors came close to restoring their two-goal cushion but saw their attempt cleared off Coles’ goal line before the Wild almost drew level at the other end of the ice; their goal ruled out as a result of the puck hitting Bowater’s mask prior to being tapped in. Approximately two minutes later, Holland played the puck to Queenan whose close range shot to Coles’ right left the netminder beaten for a third time on 16:25. Despite their 3-1 lead, the Warriors could not rest easy as Widnes continued to try their luck against Bowater and succeeded in spectacular style in the final minute of the period; forward Kieran Beach shot to Bowater’s left to take his team within one goal of Whitley on 19:18 and, with just eight seconds of the period remaining, defenceman Thomas Stubley struck the target to equalise, making it 3-3 at the first interval.

Whitley began the second period with a change of netminder as Bowater switched places with Crane and a slower start allowed the Warriors to gradually carve out some chances in Widnes’ defensive zone. Gritāns slipped through the Wild’s defence but, with his stick slashed away, the Latvian lost control of the puck to see this opportunity fizzle out. By comparison, the Wild looked for chances to break away but Whitley’s defence dealt with the threat posed by their opposition to see both teams still on level terms at the midpoint of the game. It was only in the thirty-third minute of play that the Warriors were able to find the back of the net for a fourth time, some well-worked play between forwards Callum Watson and Finlinson leading to Kippin’s second goal of the evening. Just under three minutes later, the Warriors recovered their two-goal lead, this time Finlinson the man on target with Queenan and Holland on hand to assist on 35:13. Working hard in the latter stages of the middle stanza, Whitley headed in at the break with their 5-3 lead in tact.

Though Whitley strove to further distance themselves from the Wild in the early stages of the third and final period, referee David Emmerson dished out the first penalty of the game to Kippin after the forward hooked his opponent in the forty fourth minute of play. This placed the Warriors on the penalty kill and it took the Wild just thirty three seconds to capitalise, this time left winger Liam Charnock beating Crane on the power play assisted by Latvian Vladislavs Vulkanovs and Stubley to reduce his team’s deficit to a single goal on 43:47. With a tentative lead of 5-4, Whitley increased their offensive work and Gritāns continued to dance through the Wild’s defence so it was no surprise when he skilfully collected his second of the game on 47:30, Holland and blue liner Harry Harley assisting to make it 6-4. Though Coles pulled off some important saves to keep out the Warriors, there was little he could do to prevent Gritāns from claiming his hat-trick on 52:11, Captain Holland bagging his fifth assist of the evening in the process. With Whitley assuming control of the game and the Wild’s chances beginning to dwindle, the Warriors enjoyed much possession and attempted to crash Coles’ net in the last two minutes in their hunt for an elusive eighth goal. In the process, tempers were provoked and alternate captains Jordan Barnes and Lee Kemp consequently dropped their gloves for a short fight which resulted in both picking up five-minute coincidental penalties, permitting both teams to continue at full strength. With the Wild resigned to their fate, the Warriors ended the period in possession to conclude their 7-4 victory.

Stats

Shots on goal
Warriors:  46
Wild:         28

Points
Warriors:
Rolands Gritāns (3+0), Shaun Kippin (2+0), Callum Queenan (1+2), Adam Finlinson (1+2), Dean Holland (0+5), Callum Watson (0+1), Harry Harley (0+1)

Wild:
Thomas Stubley (1+1), Joe Wyatt (1+0), Liam Charnock (1+0), Kieran Beach (1+0), Richard Haggar (0+3), Vladislavs Vulkanovs (0+2), Ken Armstrong (0+1)

Penalty minutes
Warriors:  7
Wild:         5

Man of the Match
Warriors: Callum Queenan
Wild:         Tom Brierley