Have the wheels fallen off?

The question now being asked of the team after a pointless weekend in Belfast, is quite simply: Have the wheels fallen off the title challenging bus? With the team now in 4th place in the Elite League standings, thanks to a Blaze shootout win over those down the road, and with just one point in the last eight on offer - it's safe to say a few of the fan base are getting a bit concerned over the dip in form. Am I pressing my panic button yet? Read on and find out....



It isn't the best of times in Steelerland at the moment as the little bump in the road which started on Boxing Day, seems to have manifested itself into something a little bit more concerning. Will I, like a few of my fellow fans, press the panic button and demand changes before the hockey transfer window closes at the end of the month? Quite simply I'll tell you straight, NO!  Sure we are four games without a win but if that constitutes a crisis in your eyes then you're a bit of a whittler already.

And if that doesn't agree with you, then don't bother reading on. I stand by my assessment.

I'm of course very versed to know that this blip, trust me it is one, coincided with the return to Steelers colours of a certain Mr Jeff Legue of Cornwall, ON. However I totally exonerate the Canadian centre from any blame here. He has replaced Jay Latulippe in the roster, and in my eyes that's an upgrade as the American wasn't pulling up the proverbial trees which we had all expected on his arrival. Jeff knows the Club as good as any and you don't become the overall Club leader in EIHL points without being a bit decent. Statistics do not lie. Granted he's older now but there's no substitute for a player who is an modern day legend.

Now looking back at the form guide, Boxing Day was a let down to be honest for the majority of the huge 8864 crowd inside the Arena (an Elite league regular season record) but not for those in blocks 102 and 202. Panthers looked up for it from the first puck drop and stifled the play so much that you wouldn't have thought they were missing both David Clarke and Craig Kowalski. When we did have a chance, we missed the target badly or fired the puck into Modig's chest. It was just a deflating atmosphere leaving the Arena on such a big night against Nottingham and the drive home in the snow was just the unpleasant icing on the sour tasting cake.

We had to lift ourselves in 24 hours, and for the first 20 minutes in the NIC then it looked like we had achieved some form of redemption with Fretter and Dowd scoring the goals. However if we had the best in the opening stanza, Panthers certainly had the best of the second 20 with Lawrence netting an intelligent goal for Neilson's men. The game was entertaining and the third period continued in the same vein. Both sides giving their utmost, and when Charles Landry (no relation to Braehead legend Jon) unleashed a howitzer late in the final session back over Doyle's shoulder parity was restored, Then came to the now customary daft late Steelers penalty (even though it appeared a soft decision) call, Forney the guilty party here, and Panthers had the incentive given them on a plate. Not withstanding the officials messed up their knowledge of the rule book (and it certainly won't be the last time), you just knew what would happen next and Lawrence duly obliged. But we had actually showed some fire in our bellies ahead of Belfast.

I didn't make Belfast weekend this season, because I couldn't get the time off work to go. To be honest the craic is what makes it special, the hockey comes as a nice side distraction. Being teased by the three amigos (Alan, Andy and Big Man) with pictures of my favourite Belfast public house was just the start, Big Man taking it to a different level with a pic of the Celtic club shop (yes I would have spent some daft money in there too) added more misery for me but I know they would expected something similar off me if the proverbial boot was on the other foot.

What can be said of the games? Basically it was a case of we lead, then collapse like a deck of cards and in the first game particularly run into a lot of penalty trouble with the Cardiff clowns (numbers 26 and 27 on their backs). Throw in the fact we get close to them but can't finish the job itself off makes for depressing reading and the seeds of doubt are in people's minds. But is the title beyond us now? If you look at Braehead's run in then yes they have it easier than anyone else in the top five but this hockey season isn't a write off - far from it. I am pretty much certain of that, and until it is really mathematically impossible then I'll keep believing and lending the team my vocal support like I have done so since 1991. Are you with me?

The road back starts on Thursday in the first leg of the Challenge Cup, and although it won't be an easy encounter I think we can come away with a reasonable advantage going into leg two next Wednesday evening back in the Arena. We're set to possibly be without Ooh Aah but a tweak here and there should be enough. Then it's the Panthers again on the Saturday and the Boxing Day game will be something that the players will want to put behind them and show the faithful that we aren't as bad as the recent results seem to suggest. Coventry on the road finishes another tough schedule; and the Blaze will be intent on providing their own little quirk of their own as nobody can predict (not even themselves) what they will do next: they can be match winners one night and then flatter to deceive the following.

My plea therefore to you as fellow fans, stop pressing your respective panic buttons and be the extra energy that makes a difference to the team off ice. Even if we are not the players, we win and lose together. There's no need to be concerned, it's only a bump in the road! 

I'll return next week for more musings.

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