Apologies for the missing interview with an opposing fan this time for the first encounter with the Panthers, I am still waiting on him to get back to me. If he does after this one is published then I will take this particular preview down and replace accordingly.
Well Saturday night hockey again and this time the first look at the Panthers for the new season ahead. After by their own admission, a very bad season, last term Corey Neilson has again shuffled his pack to get back on track. Some fans in the Lace City have been reserved to question why he continued but Neil Black/Gary Moran obviously believe in the Oromocto (sounds like a character from He-Man or was that Orko) born native. Should there be another trophy-less season, will the heat get to Corey?
Last Meeting: This is the first encounter of the two sides in 2015-16, and he first of three games in October between us both. Panthers last game at the House Of Steel saw the Steelers come out on top in 4-2 win in regulation. Mathieu Roy scored twice that night, his second being an empty netter after K-Wall had been sacrificed for an extra skater for the last 46 seconds. He will be hoping to continue this Saturday night. Panthers goals in this game came from Greg "Juice" Jacina and Charles Landry. Jeff Legue and Mike Forney were Steelers scorers.
Links Between The Sides: Links between the sides? Where do we start with that? There have been so many players who have dressed in both Steelers and Panthers colours since the rivalry began. We've even shared some coaches too in Alex Dampier and Michael Walter Blaisdell. Just to mention a few then, how about Robert Farmer, Paul Moran (yes the son of Gary), Calle Carlsson and Stefan Sjögren.
Danny Meyers: Has been both a Panther and a Steeler
Overall Record: Saturday night marks the 216th game between these two sides which shows how far we have come since that first ever game back in August 1992 which Panthers won 4-3. Both sides have dished out some beatings in terms of results to each other it has to be said, Steelers 10-1 hammering of Nottingham days after sacking Don McKee in 1999 sticks in the memory banks, as does Panthers trouncing us 9-1 in November 1997 in the Express Cup. We've never conceded double figures in the Lace City mind you..
The Players To Watch: Tyler
Plante (Steelers) - New to the netminding duty this season, the son of
Cam Plante has done an incredible job so far. With a GAA of a meagre
1.62 (his opposing number in the Panthers cage has 1.58) and a couple of
shut outs banked - he's not done too bad so far. A tall goalie, he
certainly does fill a lot of the net and will need to be on the top of
his game if he is to keep the Steelers winning run going and record his
first win over the visitors.
David
Ling (Nottingham) - No stranger to the EIHL, the former 93 game NHLer's
re-arrival in Nottingham has got the Panthers supporters excited. And
is it any wonder too? Ling was a pivotal figure in 2013 as Neilson's men
finally broke the team's league hoodoo after 57 seasons of nothing, and
helped them to a treble that season. Panthers will be hoping that his
return will have a similar effect, and despite being 40 years old these
days, it will be interesting to see if he has another stellar campaign
as his career draws to a close.
Game Prediction: Panthers
vs Steelers games are notoriously difficult to call. Basically
whichever team settles the better first, usually will go on and win the
game. Panthers have an excellent powerplay, something that you have to
give Neilson credit for, and in David Clarke have one of the best
snipers on the man advantage. Steelers penalty kill needs to be sharp to
deny him space. That said, the home defence have been - bar that crazy
game in Dundee - very tight and have not given much up. Offensively,
both sides have goals in them and could run riot given half the chance.
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