IT WAS a busy weekend of action for Solihull Barons who tasted a 5-3 defeat following a long trip to Dumfries on Saturday but they bounced back to beat Blackburn Hawks 5-2 a day later.
With the Sharks many people’s favourites for the league title the Barons knew that on their own ice, the Scottish side would be difficult to take much from.
So it would be with the Barons held to only just over 20 shots over the game their forwards struggling against strong Solway defence and net minding performances. Matt Maurice would be the only Baron to find the net over the course of the game.
The Barons got back to winning ways with a convincing 5-2 win over reigning league and play-off champions the Blackburn Hawks at their Lancashire rink on Sunday, finding their scoring rhythm once more putting five past the Hawks.
The first period would see a flurry of goals with the puck being picked out of the netting no less than five times.
The Hawks’ former Swedish division 1 player Patrik Nyman scored a brace for the home side, countered by Solihull’s own Swede Niklas Ottosson, with a pair of goals himself, and Ryan Selwood to ensure the Barons left the ice at the end of the first period a goal to the good.
The Barons would largely dominate the second period, Niklas Ottosson completing his hat-trick, while a Joe Henry effort for Solihull in the final period ensured the Barons would be heading back down the M6 with a convincing win and a pair of points.
The Barons now have something of a hiatus with no further games for three weeks. They are back on the ice on October 23 when they take on the Dragons once more.
Having lost out the last time they hosted the Welsh side, Perry Doyle’s men will be keen to redress the balance.
