General manager Allen Flavell said Billingham Stars produced one of the worst performances he has seen during his time at the club as they were humbled 8-1 by Blackburn Hawks.
Blackburn boast the best attacking line in the league in Jared Owen and brothers Luke and Adam Brittle.
But the way the Ultimate-Windows Stars failed to deal with them and were unable to get going themselves left Flavell desperately disappointed.
Blackburn danger man Luke Brittle helped himself to a hat-trick, Owen struck twice and Adam Brittle played a part in five of the Blackburn goals.
Richard Hughes, Chris Arnone and Pavel Slovik were also on target for the Hawks while Billingham’s only goal came from Callum Davies.
Flavell said: “I think it’s one of the worst games I’ve seen us play.
“We were just chasing shadows and we didn’t seem to be playing with any passion or pride. I’m not happy at all.
“It’s really disappointing from where I’m standing and it’s got to be addressed.”
Home side Blackburn were far superior from the opening face-off and took a third minute lead when Hughes put the loose puck away.
Owen doubled the lead five minutes later, finishing a two-on-one breakaway high into Billingham keeper Mark Watson’s net.
The Stars were unable to capitalise on a power play following a five-minute major penalty, and Blackburn went 3-0 up at the end of the first period when Luke Brittle was allowed to skate through and score unopposed.
Blackburn captain Arnone punished a Billingham penalty when he scored the Hawks’ fourth early in the second session and Luke Brittle got his second of the game less than a minute later before completing his hat-trick with less than half an hour played.
Billingham’s nosedive continued from the resulting face-off as Owen went straight up the ice to make it 7-0, which served to finally jolt the Stars into life as their man-of-the-match Davies scored the goal of the game to belatedly put the visitors on the scoresheet.
Flavell’s side were visibly more interested in the third period despite the game being over and both teams picked up roughing penalties as Billingham forward Luke Brown dropped his gloves to take on Hawks player Rick Ravey.
The Stars conceded again with two minutes remaining however as Slowik notched his first Blackburn goal to round off a disastrous journey down the M62 for the outclassed visitors.
Flavell added: “We didn’t seem to play with any sort of intensity.
“The lads were looking for everyone else to do the puck-carrying for them, and it took a nasty hit on Scott Ward to spark them into life.
“Mark Watson got exposed way too many times in our goal and we just can’t afford to do that.”
Billingham - and Flavell in particular - will be looking for a vast improvement on the Blackburn horror show at Ice Sheffield on Sunday when they play Sheffield Steeldogs in a British Challenge Cup clash (face-off 5.30pm).
No comments:
Post a Comment