A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a little piece on my season reflections. You might have read it as well, but it's time now to expand on that a wee bit now the play-offs are over and the season has ended until mid August. So sit back and listen to those musings in a bit more depth.
Well last season ended on a disappointing note, losing the Play-Off Final 4-2 to Coventry Blaze and a chance to make it a double winning season. It was a game we shouldn't have lost but lose we did; and it had repercussions shortly after when coach Gerad Adams was also shown the exit door despite bringing the Elite League title back to S9 after two seasons in Northern Ireland and one down the road in Nottingham; sometimes known as war torn Beirut to some of us. I admit the move looked surprising when I first heard it break but with the Champions Hockey League looming; it seemed like we needed to have a coach who had some European experience under his proverbial belt to move the club into the direction Tony Smith had obviously mapped out once we had won the league.
Enter a few weeks later, the most decorated British coach of the modern era: Paul Thompson - he formerly of Coventry Blaze and GB and with a couple of seasons in the Meta Ligaen with Aalborg Pirates (the team Jody Lehman left us for). Thompson had the pedigree, could he win the slightly unsettled home support over and get everybody back onside after Adams' exit? He also was installed as the team's General Manager which meant he had control of what he wanted to do whilst Tony owned the team outright. This is how teams in the NHL operate, and is in effect what Gary Moran does for Neil Black down the M1. But obviously Thommo has a bit of a brain unlike the silver haired self-opinionated one.
Thommo immediately got to work and knowing the importance of preparation, had his roster signed up before the start of July. This included acquiring tough as teak stay at home defenceman Zack Fitzgerald in a surprise move from Elite League rivals Braehead, re-signing fans favourites such as the energetic Tyler Mosienko and a new netminder in Tyler Plante (a second round pick, 32nd overall, in 2005 by Florida Panthers) after Josh Unice and Frank Doyle were confirmed as non-returnees. Overall there were 9 new faces to welcome into orange which showed what an overhaul Thompson did.
After a couple of warm up games against the Clan, which gave the new players time to gel in - it was time for the Champions Hockey League. The draw hadn't been favourable pitting Steelers in Group 13 alongside SM Liga side JYP Jyvaskyla and the previous season's runners-up Frolunda Gothenburg (the team that honed the talents of a certain Henrik Lundqvist) which meant we would have to be exceedingly good to get something out of the four games. Although all four games were predictably lost, Steelers gave their much vaunted opponents a game in each encounter and headed into the domestic season full of confidence and belief.
This confidence seemed justified as the team started off like the proverbial train, a 8-1 dismantling of a well put together Cardiff team in just the second weekend of the season being the possible stand out. However Cardiff would get their own back over at the BBT; and then Edinburgh caused the first hiccup when they inflicted a 5-4 loss (after a shootout) in mid October which also saw Steelers bring in Chris Lawrence who had been released by Coventry as injury cover whilst Colton Fretter required surgery on a troublesome hernia. Results became patchy after that, and the injury problems got worse when Plante went down hurt in a home game against Cardiff. Brad Day backstopped them to a win that night but immediate concern looked to the number 35 and how long he would be absent for.
Needing a quick fix to the import goalie slot, Thompson turned to 36 year old Czech Marek Pinc. Pinc is the older brother of former San Jose Sharks draft pick and former Swindon Wildcats and Bracknell Bees forward Michal. Pinc had an unforgettable start, winning on his debut against Dundee then shipping 14 in total against Edinburgh and Braehead over the course of two successive road games. The game against Braehead was an unreal one in every sense with goals raining in floods; Steelers prevailing 9-8 after 65 minutes had produced a remarkable 8-8 tie; Day proving the hero after coming in with Steelers facing a 8-5 deficit early in the third.
The Huddersfield native got the start in the next game, a home game against the Panthers but with a 4-0 scoreline at one stage; Thompson took him out of the firing line and gave Pinc (already being slated by certain sections of the home support, not by me though) a chance to get some confidence back. Whilst he could not prevent the team losing, the Czech shut the door on Panthers to avoid a much heavier loss. Steelers also decided around this time to cut former NHLer Mike Duco and replace him with experienced AHL power forward Guillaume Desbiens to add more size and presence to their offence. By the end of the month, Plante was ready for a return but Thompson decided to persevere with Pinc; a decision that not many were pleased to see happen. The departing Plante left for DEL2 hockey with Lowen Frankfurt.
Results in December were a lot better as Pinc started to get grips with the EIHL standard of play, and the time tightened up in front of him whilst looking better overall. The team only lost to Coventry (who were fast becoming the nemesis again) and Nottingham but it was seemingly heading in the right direction. However Fretter's injury woes struck again and he was forced back on the sidelines come the turn of the year alongside Robert Dowd who was also missing with a knee injury. Fretter's latest replacement came in the form of 40 year old Swede Conny Stromberg (Lawrence having completed a return back to Nottingham in early December), a move that opposing fans scoffed over. But those years of experience came to the fore as Steelers completed a well deserved four point weekend (no One Direction to interfere this time, unlike October's farce) in Belfast with Pinc playing a crucial role and Tyler Mosienko terrorising the Giants defence to pieces.
It was also at this time when Steelers pounced to sign the league's then top scorer Ryan Hayes from Edinburgh in order to beef up their offence due to Mathieu Roy's injury absence. It was a move that really got people talking, some even going as far as saying that we allegedly poached him illegally but there was nothing underhand about it. Fife were beaten in the Challenge Cup quarters, albeit just, and led to a semi-final clash with Panthers and even that got bit heated early doors with Panthers refusal to play the first leg at home, meaning Steelers had to play at Ice Sheffield due to unavailable Arena ice time (certainly not the first time, and probably not the last either).
That injury list lengthened when Pinc was injured in a 3-2 home win over Cardiff; Day deputising brilliantly once more when called upon. The Czech would miss the next 3 games after this but returned at the start of February for the rescheduled "One Direction" game but even that was not without a surprise as Steelers released Hayes after just seven games a few hours before face-off in the SSE Arena. Yet the team came from a goal behind to extend their sequence of wins over the Northern Irish team in a less than inspiring game, skipper Jonathan Phillips being in the right place to convert from a Levi Nelson feed in overtime for a 2-1 success.
Coventry were still being impossible to beat and Steelers were looking much like third favourites to win the title as Cardiff and Braehead (Finnerty's men being presented what looked like an easy run in but proved to be their undoing actually) seemed impossible to overhaul. A Jeff Legue winner in Altrincham kept those faint hopes alive before the Devils skated away with a 4-3 road win despite Mosienko's hat-trick and left Steelers facing what looked like mission impossible. Braehead then stuttered; and the mother of all performances came unexpectedly in the Big Blue Tent just 24 hours after the previously mentioned loss. It was like the loss totally fired up the team as a whole and with Stromberg particularly on song, Steelers came away with a splendid 5-4 road win.
An embarrassing 8-0 loss in the first leg against the Panthers at Ice Sheffield killed off any ambitions of a first Challenge Cup since 2003, and although redemption was kinda restored in a 2-0 loss in the second leg: it was time to get back on the league horse and look to haul in the Devils. Pinc recorded his first shutout in a 7-0 thumping of Dundee and Coventry beat Cardiff the same to give the team a real shot at the title. However the following night saw Coventry beat us (again) saw it was back to square one. Yet undeterred, Steelers kicked on again and kept on winning whilst Cardiff's bid started to falter as the schedule caught up with them. So it was down to a final weekend shootout with Steelers needing a combination of results that would better Cardiff's.
Hard work saw off the Panthers in the final regular home season game, and despite Cardiff's win in Manchester: a single point was needed in "The Auld Barn" - a place that is never easy to win. Backed by a large and noisy following, Steelers delivered the coup de grace with a superb 3-1 road win which sparked mass celebrations over back-to-back titles (the first team to do so since Coventry in 2008). The scenes were just absolutely mental, and that was on and off the ice. Fans doing congas in the car park, players being high-fived as they boarded the bus back to recollect just two. It certainly was a privilege to be a part of.
Days later Legue and this season's testimonial man Jason Hewitt announced their respective retirements, but what a way to finish: as a champion. Both guys have provided excellent service in their years with us and we wish them both all the best in their future endeavours - you'll be both welcomed back anytime guys. Coventry provided the opponents in the play-off quarter final and raced into a 5-0 advantage before 30 minutes were up in the first leg at the SkyDome. Steelers reduced the arrears to 5-3 by the end which saw Boris Valabik get away with a cruel cross check that broke Desbiens' jaw. The Canadian played leg two in a full face mask but Steelers made the worst possible start to it; conceding to Russ Cowley inside the first couple of minutes. Three unanswered replies by the end of the second made it 6-6 overall but Drew Fisher edged the Blaze back in front and despite huffing and puffing: Steelers couldn't breach Brian Stewart's goal again. Cowley added an empty netter to secure the overall win in the final minute.
And that was the season that was. Plenty of highs and certainly some lows too but with Champions Hockey League being served again next season, Steelers fans have a lot to look forward to again. Players have been re-signed again early, the retention of Mosienko being huge in my eyes. Is it August yet?
This confidence seemed justified as the team started off like the proverbial train, a 8-1 dismantling of a well put together Cardiff team in just the second weekend of the season being the possible stand out. However Cardiff would get their own back over at the BBT; and then Edinburgh caused the first hiccup when they inflicted a 5-4 loss (after a shootout) in mid October which also saw Steelers bring in Chris Lawrence who had been released by Coventry as injury cover whilst Colton Fretter required surgery on a troublesome hernia. Results became patchy after that, and the injury problems got worse when Plante went down hurt in a home game against Cardiff. Brad Day backstopped them to a win that night but immediate concern looked to the number 35 and how long he would be absent for.
Needing a quick fix to the import goalie slot, Thompson turned to 36 year old Czech Marek Pinc. Pinc is the older brother of former San Jose Sharks draft pick and former Swindon Wildcats and Bracknell Bees forward Michal. Pinc had an unforgettable start, winning on his debut against Dundee then shipping 14 in total against Edinburgh and Braehead over the course of two successive road games. The game against Braehead was an unreal one in every sense with goals raining in floods; Steelers prevailing 9-8 after 65 minutes had produced a remarkable 8-8 tie; Day proving the hero after coming in with Steelers facing a 8-5 deficit early in the third.
The Huddersfield native got the start in the next game, a home game against the Panthers but with a 4-0 scoreline at one stage; Thompson took him out of the firing line and gave Pinc (already being slated by certain sections of the home support, not by me though) a chance to get some confidence back. Whilst he could not prevent the team losing, the Czech shut the door on Panthers to avoid a much heavier loss. Steelers also decided around this time to cut former NHLer Mike Duco and replace him with experienced AHL power forward Guillaume Desbiens to add more size and presence to their offence. By the end of the month, Plante was ready for a return but Thompson decided to persevere with Pinc; a decision that not many were pleased to see happen. The departing Plante left for DEL2 hockey with Lowen Frankfurt.
Results in December were a lot better as Pinc started to get grips with the EIHL standard of play, and the time tightened up in front of him whilst looking better overall. The team only lost to Coventry (who were fast becoming the nemesis again) and Nottingham but it was seemingly heading in the right direction. However Fretter's injury woes struck again and he was forced back on the sidelines come the turn of the year alongside Robert Dowd who was also missing with a knee injury. Fretter's latest replacement came in the form of 40 year old Swede Conny Stromberg (Lawrence having completed a return back to Nottingham in early December), a move that opposing fans scoffed over. But those years of experience came to the fore as Steelers completed a well deserved four point weekend (no One Direction to interfere this time, unlike October's farce) in Belfast with Pinc playing a crucial role and Tyler Mosienko terrorising the Giants defence to pieces.
It was also at this time when Steelers pounced to sign the league's then top scorer Ryan Hayes from Edinburgh in order to beef up their offence due to Mathieu Roy's injury absence. It was a move that really got people talking, some even going as far as saying that we allegedly poached him illegally but there was nothing underhand about it. Fife were beaten in the Challenge Cup quarters, albeit just, and led to a semi-final clash with Panthers and even that got bit heated early doors with Panthers refusal to play the first leg at home, meaning Steelers had to play at Ice Sheffield due to unavailable Arena ice time (certainly not the first time, and probably not the last either).
That injury list lengthened when Pinc was injured in a 3-2 home win over Cardiff; Day deputising brilliantly once more when called upon. The Czech would miss the next 3 games after this but returned at the start of February for the rescheduled "One Direction" game but even that was not without a surprise as Steelers released Hayes after just seven games a few hours before face-off in the SSE Arena. Yet the team came from a goal behind to extend their sequence of wins over the Northern Irish team in a less than inspiring game, skipper Jonathan Phillips being in the right place to convert from a Levi Nelson feed in overtime for a 2-1 success.
Coventry were still being impossible to beat and Steelers were looking much like third favourites to win the title as Cardiff and Braehead (Finnerty's men being presented what looked like an easy run in but proved to be their undoing actually) seemed impossible to overhaul. A Jeff Legue winner in Altrincham kept those faint hopes alive before the Devils skated away with a 4-3 road win despite Mosienko's hat-trick and left Steelers facing what looked like mission impossible. Braehead then stuttered; and the mother of all performances came unexpectedly in the Big Blue Tent just 24 hours after the previously mentioned loss. It was like the loss totally fired up the team as a whole and with Stromberg particularly on song, Steelers came away with a splendid 5-4 road win.
An embarrassing 8-0 loss in the first leg against the Panthers at Ice Sheffield killed off any ambitions of a first Challenge Cup since 2003, and although redemption was kinda restored in a 2-0 loss in the second leg: it was time to get back on the league horse and look to haul in the Devils. Pinc recorded his first shutout in a 7-0 thumping of Dundee and Coventry beat Cardiff the same to give the team a real shot at the title. However the following night saw Coventry beat us (again) saw it was back to square one. Yet undeterred, Steelers kicked on again and kept on winning whilst Cardiff's bid started to falter as the schedule caught up with them. So it was down to a final weekend shootout with Steelers needing a combination of results that would better Cardiff's.
Hard work saw off the Panthers in the final regular home season game, and despite Cardiff's win in Manchester: a single point was needed in "The Auld Barn" - a place that is never easy to win. Backed by a large and noisy following, Steelers delivered the coup de grace with a superb 3-1 road win which sparked mass celebrations over back-to-back titles (the first team to do so since Coventry in 2008). The scenes were just absolutely mental, and that was on and off the ice. Fans doing congas in the car park, players being high-fived as they boarded the bus back to recollect just two. It certainly was a privilege to be a part of.
Days later Legue and this season's testimonial man Jason Hewitt announced their respective retirements, but what a way to finish: as a champion. Both guys have provided excellent service in their years with us and we wish them both all the best in their future endeavours - you'll be both welcomed back anytime guys. Coventry provided the opponents in the play-off quarter final and raced into a 5-0 advantage before 30 minutes were up in the first leg at the SkyDome. Steelers reduced the arrears to 5-3 by the end which saw Boris Valabik get away with a cruel cross check that broke Desbiens' jaw. The Canadian played leg two in a full face mask but Steelers made the worst possible start to it; conceding to Russ Cowley inside the first couple of minutes. Three unanswered replies by the end of the second made it 6-6 overall but Drew Fisher edged the Blaze back in front and despite huffing and puffing: Steelers couldn't breach Brian Stewart's goal again. Cowley added an empty netter to secure the overall win in the final minute.
And that was the season that was. Plenty of highs and certainly some lows too but with Champions Hockey League being served again next season, Steelers fans have a lot to look forward to again. Players have been re-signed again early, the retention of Mosienko being huge in my eyes. Is it August yet?
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