Whitley Warriors kept their NIHL North Moralee D1 title hopes alive with a comfortable home victory against Telford Tigers NIHL.

Shaun Kippin (above) led Warriors scoring with a hat-trick during a 9-1 success, which leaves the North East outfit seven points behind leaders Blackburn Hawks with a game in hand.

Hawks slipped to just their second defeat of the season at Solway – Struan Tonnar’s double topped Sharks’ scoring as the home team recorded a 5-3 victory.

Billingham Stars fell to a disappointing 5-2 loss at Sutton Sting, but they returned to winning ways on home ice against Sheffield Senators with a hard-fought 5-3 win – James Moss and Dennis Dennis Boström both scored twice for Stars.

Liam Kirk hit a hat-trick for Sheffield Spartans in their 7-5 home victory against Telford.

Deeside Dragons extended their unbeaten run in Laidler D2 to 17 games after another four-point weekend.

Simon Furnival scored a couple in Dragons’ 8-0 win at home to Altrincham Aces, while Adrian Palak bagged a hat-trick in an 8-3 success at Hull Jets.

Scott McKenzie scored three for Widnes Wild in their 10-3 victory on home ice against Coventry Blaze and James Riddoch matched the feat for Blackburn Eagles as they ran out 9-2 winners at home to Bradford Bulldogs.

WEEKEND RESULTS

NIHL North Moralee D1

Billingham Stars 5-3 Sheffield Senators
Sheffield Spartans 7-5 Telford Tigers NIHL
Solway Sharks 5-3 Blackburn Hawks
Sutton Sting 5-2 Billingham Stars
Whitley Warriors 9-1 Telford Tigers NIHL

NIHL North Laidler D2

Blackburn Eagles 9-2 Bradford Bulldogs
Deeside Dragons 8-0 Altrincham Aces
Hull Jets 3-8 Deeside Dragons
Widnes Wild 10-3 Coventry Blaze

(Image permission: IceHockeyMedia)