Billingham Stars need to “show some hunger” when they make the trip to Ice Sheffield tomorrow afternoon to take on Sutton Sting in a third versus fourth place NIHL One league battle
Mike Elder is back in action for Billingham Stars as they aim to end their two-match losing streak against Sutton Sting
Billingham Stars need to “show some hunger” when they make the trip to Ice Sheffield tomorrow afternoon to take on Sutton Sting in a third versus fourth place NIHL One league battle.
That is the message from the club’s director of coaching Terry Ward as they look to stop their recent slide and get back to winning ways following two consecutive defeats as the push for the top four play-off slots starts to intensify.
Now that the Ultimate Windows-sponsored Stars only have five league games left to play, the race for a top four slot is between Solway, Blackburn, Billingham, Sutton, Whitley and Sheffield.
With two out of four league games played this season between the Stars and Sting neither side hold an advantage, both having won on home ice.
Stars welcome back Mikey Elder up front, and at the back, the blue line will receive a boost from the returns of Dave Thomas and Jamie Pattison.
And Ward needs his players to put last weekend’s heavy 5-1 defeat at Whitley Warriors behind them.
The derby drubbing followed a 6-2 home defeat to tomorrow’s South Yorkshire-based opponents.
“We need to bounce back from last week’s loss at Whitley and rediscover our winning ways,” he said.
“I need to see some hunger and passion from the lads at Ice Sheffield tomorrow.
“I think we went to Whitley with the wrong attitude, we had beaten the Warriors in Billingham 6-2 and I think we were complacent in the way we underestimated their desire to win.
“If we do that again with any team this season, it could be very costly.
“The guys know what is expected of them tomorrow night.
“People look at the table and they see that Sutton have games in hand to us, but those games count for nothing if we take the points.”
Ward admitted the Stars’ last performance against Sutton was a bit of a mixed bag.
“In the last game against Sutton two weeks ago, we started with some big physical hits,” he said.
“We put them off their game and disrupted their rhythm.
“We stayed within one goal of them for 40 minutes until they stung us with two quick goals, and after that we couldn’t find a way back into the game.”
But he is pleased to see the squad back to almost full strength and praised youngster Jack Davies for playing well while he deputised in Elder’s absence.
“We are only short of Andy Finn through injury, and it’s great to have Mike Elder back,” he added.
“While Mike was injured Jack did a good job on that line, and it’s done his confidence a lot of good.”
Stars are next in home ice action next on February 16 when they take on league leaders Solway Sharks at the Billingham Ice Arena (face-off 6.30pm).
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