As always there are quite a few topics to discuss in
Steelerland this week, as we take in two games against the Caps in the cup, and
an important and controversial one down at Ice Arena Wales. We won the least
important ones but lost the one that really counted – and that’s the background
for this week’s soapboxers Fergus Wright, Andy Roberts and Mark Duell to
comment on this week.
So let’s have your
five word summaries from those two games:
Saturday:
Seven up and semi-final
Happy result vs decent team
Liam Kirk scores another goal
Cup game. Don’t really care.
Sunday:
Best side lost the game.
Beer league referees once again.
Schmejkal is an awful ref.
Lost league points. Awful decisions.
Did we run the score
up on Saturday or just keep on playing against a team that had given up?
- Fergus - I think a mixture of both us running the score up and towards the end them getting tired lead to that result, Edinburgh looked like they were never gonna start scoring and we looked like we'd never stop. Happy days!
- Andy - I have a feeling it was a bit of both. We didn't switch off after getting in front which was pleasing to see after the last couple of weeks. Rather than not being bothered I think the Caps were more gassed than anything else. Vorobyev, Hertl and Fyodorov never seemed to be off the ice. That must take its toll eventually.
- Mark - From what I saw on the highlights, and from I was told: we did what they call a professional job against a team that has caused us many problems beforehand. You have to keep going even if the team in opposition has conceded defeat. If we had let our heads drop and stopped playing, Edinburgh might have gained fresh impetus and caused the score to be closer.
Lots of controversy
again on Sunday- thoughts?
- Mark - We used to bemoan both Hicks and Pering but unfortunately Mr Schmejkal is now becoming a bit of a thorn in our side. He's certainly not going to be in Gui Desbiens' Christmas card list, nor anyone in Steelerland's. He has made just one decent decision in the last 120 minutes play when we've had him in charge. Granted I'm all for letting games flow but the Hotham-Nelson incident was not one of them. Games like Devils-Steelers, Panthers-Steelers need a strong referee in charge, someone like Darns. Mr Schjemkal is sadly not at this level yet and someone will get seriously hurt if this continues to be a staple requisite of his style of officiating games (Editor: Assuming Hagos hasn’t already been seriously hurt) - and that's not what we want to see especially when the league is looking to grow and enhance its reputation worldwide as a more than decent European league.
- Fergus - As per usual what could be a very important game has been influenced by the lack of officiating ability within the league, funnily enough the same ref as vs Belfast. Hmmmm. It needs sorting quickly before this league loses all its talent as the threat of injury isn't worth playing here.
- Andy - Can't comment on the game as a whole but from clips I have seen we can feel hard done by. What I have seen from the Giants game, and certain clips of this game, is that we have a ref (hat off to him for stepping in the rink with a stripey top on) that is hopelessly out of his depth. How the league could think it was a good idea to have him reffing this game is beyond me. This is where the league should bite the bullet and get a 4 man system in. This gives refs like Schmejkal a chance to ref with experienced refs like Darnell, Smith et al and learn. With the current style there is a real chance of a serious injury, line brawl or bench clearance as players take things into their own hands instead of relying on the ref to police the game.
- Editor – It was a game that many Devils fans thought they were lucky to win, Desbiens lost his head, the referee made some bizarre calls, and non-calls, and the second goal was especially egregious - but to be a championship winning team we still need to get those results. We need Thommo to motivate his troops, and get their heads right rather than fuelling their frustrations with his outbursts -and I'm not sure he helped get that balance right on the night. It’s only November, so we’re not out of the title race, but we’ve got to have some change in fortune against the Devils to threepeat.
Thought on rumours
about Jace Coyle return - is that what we need?
- Andy - Depends on which way you look at it. We are short of Forwards at the minute through injury so you would think we would be looking at forwards to cover the void. However, we have at least 1 D man, possibly 2 (Ratchuk and O'Connor) who could play up front and then Coyle can play a similar role to either of them at the back. His stats were decent last year and as he has played for us before therefore there shouldn't be many settling in issues. If he was replacing a D man I would be less happy as I think if we were changing the D we need a more Stay at home, Steve Munn type. Wonder if we can kidnap him when he comes over??
- Mark - This is a strange one. I know we are two imports down with Hagos and Valdix, but it's a move out of left field as they would say. Was the plan always to bring Jace back at some point of the season if one of the import defencemen didn't pull up the proverbial tree? Over to Thommo for that explanation. Anyway it probably allows Ratchuk to be used as a winger, and use his pace and creativity to good effect. Jace will probably slot into the defence slot that Mike's temporarily vacated. A reasonable move but sadly dictated by the unfortunate injuries.
- Fergus - Really not a fan of him and wouldn't have had him back personally but I think Jace can be a good player when he wants and his stats for us last season agree with that, but we cannot afford to pair him in the D with Ben O'Connor, that just cost us too many goals last season.
- Editor – I like the move as an extra player as he’s a good addition to the defence, allowing us to use Davey or Franzon more sparingly – however I think we’d have all liked a big body at the back rather than another attack minded flyer. I hear Hendrikx is available all of a sudden…
That’s all folks. Hope you enjoyed reading our thoughts, and we’d love you to get involved too.
Help set the agenda for next week with your questions, or even better get involved and give your views as one of the panel. We would love different views and different participants each week. Please contact Mark @frozensteelblog or Tony @Disgu15ed, or find us at the game.
Brief Bios of those panellists you’ve just been listening to in the series so far :
- Alan is @frozensteelmnl for match night updates and @AwkwardGinge for everything else. Has been watching Hockey for many years, and given half a chance will regale you with tales of the London Knights. Catch him on the Breaking the Ice podcast too.
- Amanda is @ajt1971 and the other half of @NJT75Owl and she doesn’t mind Sweet Caroline!
- Andy is the big man with the big horn (or VuVuzela if you prefer) who can be found at most home and away games, and propping the bar up afterwards. Andy is @ic3creamman.
- Bethan represents the younger end of the fan base, and has loved the team ever since being dragged along to her first Steelers game in 2007. Follow her on Twitter at @bethan_4
- Eric is a season ticket holder and can be found shouting encouragement to our players and scorn at the zebras alongside three generations of his family in block 115. Views can be found @greenbunch257
- Glynn can be found @glynnm76 has been watching the Steelers on and off since ‘91. Massive Ron Shudra fan and owner of an EIHL League Championship medal.
- Kevin and Fergus are a Father-Son duo that grew up watching and playing ice hockey in Europe (mainly Germany) who are both very opinionated and can be heard from block 115. Twitters are @SedgyFergus and @KevWright65
- Mark is one of the main men behind the Frozen Steel blog, being the Editor and Podcast pundit, and has watched the club since its inception. Find him at @hockeybhoy
- Nathan and his Mrs have been going to games since Feb 2014 after getting fed up with football. Another season ticket holder in 115 who tries to get to away games and refuses steadfastly to join in with Sweet Caroline. He’s @NJT75Owl
- Nicki is a keen Robert Dowd fan, who’s been following the Steelers from the start. Transported by fate to live just outside Glasgow, and thus has to split herself between the Steelers and Clan. You will find her singing and shouting in RTB218, Section N, and via @owlsteeler
- Robert is chief architect of http://steelers-stats.com/ the go-to guy for Steelers history from days gone by, and the man behind one of the big White House spotlights! Robert is @steelersstats.
- Sam is the one sat in 106 not partaking in Sweet Caroline and praying it's not played the following period. When not not doing that she can be found on @Sam_26
- Tony has been watching the Steelers on and off since Tony Hand arrived, and has been a regular for the last ten years or so. Enjoys contributing to the blog with his weekly five things and can be found @Disgu15ed
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