So the first of two big flipping weekends is behind us, and wasn't it good? It's been a great last few days in Steelerland to be honest. The team is performing, and a new face comes into town. Throw in another big flipping weekend ahead, it's getting quite exciting and why not?
Belfast had a new goalie in between the pipes, Carsen Chubak, as our usual nemesis: the Dundonian known as Stephen Murphy was out with a groin injury which looks serious enough to have surgery on. Chewbacca, as we dubbed him (cue sounds of the Star Wars character's trademark noise), was a team mate of our very own Cullen Eddy at Adirondack last season so we can only speculate that G had possibly had a word with number 6 to get the lowdown on what the new Giants nettie's strengths and weaknesses were.
Well didn't we start pretty decent, lighting the lamp with less than 2 minutes played. Giants had had the early promise but couldn't convert, so when Fretter found ol' ooh aah Mathieu Roy in space: number 15 did the business for his 15th of the season. Quite not the start Chubak wanted on his dèbut; not that we were complaining. The new netminder looked a bit shaky after this but started to gain confidence after pulling a great point blank save to deny Tyler a certain goal; whilst the hugely influential Ray Sawada sent a shot pinging against Doyle's crossbar with Frank beaten all ends up.
Giants continued to pile on the pressure but Frank was determined to keep us in the game; which always gave us a chance to extend the lead whenever we opened up the visiting D. One such occasion did arrive with just 2:33 left in the first. Forney making it 2-0 off the bar which Mr Hicks immediately signalled a goal before anyone could debate it. This sparked more offense from the Giants as they were unaccustomed to going behind 2-0, and they got on the board at 21:40 when Peacock's effort struck the skate of an unfortunate Ben O'Connor to make it a one goal game.
Determined to set the record straight, O'Connor scored the next goal of the contest at 23:08 - an absolute howitzer that flashed past Chubak before the new nettie could probably even blink. Back came Belfast like a wounded animal and it then became the Frank Doyle show. One such combination saw Sandrock denied twice and then Westgarth (who for the majority of the night was very quiet) in the space of a matter of seconds which would have beaten any goalie elsewhere on any given night. Frank seemed invincible to whatever Steve Thornton's charges threw at him, and only it took a well executed tip in from Sawada to beat him and take the game into the third - finely poised at 3-2 in our favour.
The same pattern seemed to happen in the final stanza, Giants ramping up the intensity but finding Doyle standing tall. Chubak denied Forney on a one-on-one break; echoing his first period save; whilst watching all the pressure at the other end of the ice. Eventually Thornton gambled with 1:09 left and pulled him for an extra body in the hope it would force overtime. This time it didn't work out, and after Hewitt did brilliantly to force a Giants turnover - the puck was sent down ice for a foot race between Jono and the defence. Captain Jono got there first, recycled it quickly from the back of the empty cage and teed up Tyler for a simple finish and game over: making the home support very happy indeed.
One massive game out of the way, another the following day against Finner and his Purple Steelers. It was hugely heartening to give Stefan Meyer a very warm welcome back after his stint in orange last season; but that's the pleasantries ended. Title points, even at this early stage, were on the line. Clan looking to bounce back from a horrific night in Fife, and in more ways than one: on and off the ice it has to be said.
The game was naturally played at a lesser than breakneck speed, perhaps the events of the team's games the previous night contributed to that. Finner was obviously wanting a reaction from his players and he was getting it until at 6:07, Tyler fashioned a brilliant goal for himself: picking up a loose puck in the circle and then beating Jones all ends up with a wrist shot which found the top shelf. Naturally, it became very physical with Hewy going down hurt after a collision with Clan's player/assistant coach Zach Fitzgerald and looking in some serious pain when he finally got to his feet.
Clan were on level terms in the second period very early doors; the hugely influential Scott Pitt lighting the red lamp at the White House end. Like a boxing bout, both sides then looked for the killer blow which would prove vital and just after the 31 minute mark: it was Steelers who landed those big punches so to speak and courtesy of the pocket dynamo known as Tyler Mosienko. At 31:14, he was Johnny on the spot at the back door after a shot from Eddy had caromed off the boards behind Jones' cage. Just as Simmsey was finishing off the goal announcement, Tyler had us all up again with a smart backhand finish. A rare natural hat-trick; but one well deserved though. A few hats hit the ice, not exactly NHL style, but all the same it was a great reward for one of the most popular players in orange this season.
Clan were trying their best for the fantastic support that followed them down the road (hope you enjoyed your pre-game meal Euan and Mam) but Doyle and our D looked solid in protecting the advantage; whilst Jones was bailing out his team at the other end. The icing on the 4 point cake did come with 2:17 left, Clan's defence creaked open for Jay Latulippe to pick up the pieces and finish unassisted five-hole on KyJo, There was no way back now for Finnerty's men and with Giants winning the big clash in the "O" between themselves and the Panthers; the 4-1 win lifted us to third in the standings.
So what can we expect this weekend? Another massive weekend that's what. We welcome our newest signing Daniel Bois to the roster (hope you enjoy it here Danny) and what a couple of games he starts with: a double header in Braehead. Clan will be smarting after the above loss, and with a huge and raucous home support behind them - will be looking to put things right. However, Steelers usually do well in the Braehead Arena and of course will be looking to extend this latest streak of form. However, news this morning suggests we will have to do it the hard way with Kohn and Hewbert (as he is now affectionately known) sidelined with injuries.
I fully expect Bois will probably slot into the third line with Latulippe centering him and Phil Hill as the top two lines are clicking just fine at the moment. Rod Sarich will slot back onto defence which means we should still be able to roll three decent defensive pairings in front of Frank; it's not as if much tweaking has to be done by Messers Adams and Abel.
Sunday and we close out this three in three spell by entertaining the Blaze at the moment. Blaze have really fallen off the radar in the weeks gone by; so much so that yesterday (Wednesday) it cost Furby (Marc LeFebvre) his job. Rumours of in-house fall outs have been widely mentioned so it might be a case of being prepared to face a fired up Blaze (sorry for the bad pun) come 5pm Sunday depending how things have gone previous night. Coventry are as dangerous as any team when things aren't going to plan, it's just something we need to possibly plan for and I'm sure G has this on his agenda too.
Well that concludes more musings, and before I go and finish my packing for Braehead (where I'm sure I'll be bringing my usual supplies back, cheers Kris and Dave) I'd like to extend my congratulations to Tyler on his EIHL player of the week award. He really is some player, and one can only start to speculate what his points tally would be now if he hadn't had to miss the opening five games. You dig what I'm a saying? I reckon you do.
Until next week it is, here's to more success.
Mark
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