It's Friday night hockey at the House Of Steel this weekend as the Steelers take on Erhardt Conference rivals Coventry Blaze. Steelers will be keen to get back on the winning trail after a pointless weekend, and Blaze: well, they just need to get their season started. Can we heap more misery on them?
So what of the Blaze?
When Chuck Weber won the Play-Offs for Coventry last season, few could have bet against this being the resurgence of the four times Elite League Champions. Sure the roster which won in Nottingham against us was much changed from the one that started the season but Blaze find themselves at the foot of the Elite League table with 11 points from 13 games played. Granted all those above them have played more games but it's still a very uncomfortable position that Weber's men find themselves in.
Blaze have struggled it as to be said, to develop any kind of consistency and have suffered both at home in the Sky Dome and on the road. This inconsistency has cost them a place in the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup and it seems already that the play-offs might be their best chance of winning something this season and we still are in November. That's how bad this reads for their fans.
Despite having the league's best goalie from last season Brian Stewart back on year one of a two year deal, Blaze have shipped goals left, right and centre and also not scored many at the other end of the ice. Their tally of 36 goals is easily the worst in the Elite League and in a hope to change their fortunes: Weber has this week released Serbian winger Ned Lukacevic who joined the team in the summer from Fife.
Things are not that pleasant reading are they?
Things ain't that sparkling here though
Steelers came out of the CHL playing wonderful hockey that had people lapping it up but over the last month or two, have really drifted away a bit and find themselves in a tie for fifth place in the current standings: seven points off the current pacesetters which are Nottingham (whom they visit on Sunday) and Cardiff. With the roster they have available, this should not be happening and Paul Thompson really lost his cool last Saturday after a 6-2 reverse in Cardiff: calling his side "homers."
The loss of starting netminder Tyler Plante has hit the team hard with the defence now protecting veteran Czech Marek Pinc who has had a rough introduction to EIHL hockey. Former NHLer Mike Duco has been released, and Friday night should see the debut of 451 game AHL winger Guillaume Desbiens (pronounced Guee-ohm Dee-be-hen). Thompson is certainly shuffling his pack, just like his opposite number Weber, to find that winning formula which he hopes will catapult the Steelers back into the title race before it gets really out of hand.
A further injury blow has also arisen with skipper Jonathan Phillips ruled out for 6 weeks with a hernia and muscle injuries. This should open the door for Luke Ferrara who has not disappointed anyone when asked to ice. In addition Steelers will welcome back defenceman Zack Fitzgerald after his two match ban and Levi Nelson is hoping to return after missing the last two games through injury. Nelson has been in excellent form recently, scoring six times in his last six games so will be really chomping at the bit to continue that hot streak of form.
With Colton Fretter improving game by game, Steelers will have a full complement to choose from when it comes to imports.
How will it go?
Coventry do have in them to spring a surprise, especially if Stewart has one of those nights in between the pipes and frustrates the Steelers time and time again. However, I am reckoning that despite this: Steelers should have enough quality to win this one. Score prediction? Steelers to come out on top 4-1.
Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-
@FrozenSteelBlog
@TomWalkeden
@FrozenSteelMNL
@hockeybhoy
Check out the Frozen Steel Podcast
Check out the Frozen Steel Match Night Talk Show
Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment