Here’s this week’s Frozen Steel blog take on the ‘EIHL Question Time’ format, where we take the views of a number of fans on four or five hot topic items. Hopefully this will become a regular thing and we’ll rotate the fans so it doesn’t get stale.
If you’d like to get involved, it’s
pretty simple you only have to be able to string two sentences together, then please
contact Mark @frozensteelblog or Tony @DISGU15ED, or find us at the game. Also
get in touch if you have ideas for questions, or feedback on what you're about to read.
Contributors this week are : Mark Duell, Robert Newbolt,
Tony and Bethan.
So to the first
question : What was the biggest talking point from the weekend?
- Bethan - Did Mosi spit on the Panther? Personally I can't see any way he would, obviously I don't know the guy personally, but from what comes across I can see how he'd lose his temper and hit someone, but not be that unsportsmanlike. From what I've seen it just looks like the Panthers player pulls Mosi towards him by the front of his shirt, hence the head jerk.
- Mark - Probably the way both Thommo and Ryan Finnerty publicly had a go at their respective starting netminders after Saturday's goalfest in Braehead. I'm not the biggest fan of laundering your dirty washing in public; because this is what it feels like, perhaps have a word with the respective players in private. Comments like this seriously could damage a player's confidence and in the case of netminders; they're more sensitive than others.
- Tony - With the Goalie crisis against Braehead, fighting majors against Nottingham, Mosi's spearing, and Tony's negotiations at the board meeting, there's lots to choose from. My favourite however was the news that Premier sports will start to show a highlights package, and the road to the NHL Winter Classic - hopefully top TV moments to look forward to.
- Robert - Off the field everyone seems upset about a little spur of the moment swearing as players left the ice in Braehead. But what do you expect when they’re excited like that and Dave Simms should be applauded for getting the footage in the first place. After all, no-one made people click onto the video. On the ice you could be forgiven for thinking we’d gone back to the nineties on Saturday in Braehead as Steelers came out on top after a seventeen goal thriller.
Very good, secondly
who was your EIHL player of the week?
- Tony - Miika Wiikman every day, and twice last Sunday. A shutout, and only conceding once away at the Steelers, left him adding more awesome figures to his league leading averages. Mike Radja also had an awesome 4+1 week for the Giants – seems he's coming good.
- Mark - Easy choice here for me, Miika Wiikman of Nottingham. One goal conceded in 120 minutes play, fantastic. Definitely on course for being in the running for MVP if he keeps this season's stats up all campaign. Inspired replacement for K-Wall.
- Robert - The standout for the weekend has to be Mika Wilkman, the Notts. Netminder. He recorded his first shutout on Saturday and only gave up one goal to the Steelers on Sunday after being battered by eleven shots in a hectic third period. But keep an eye on the Czech left winger Tomas Kurka of Cardiff. His three goals at the weekend helped keep Cardiff flying and he is emerging into a strong game player, he’s not top of their standings but we’ll leave that to Joey Martin.
- However we must mention Ryan Hayes of Edinburgh as he scored two to become the first Elite player to twenty goals.
- Bethan - Can't say I've kept in touch with the rest of the league that much this week, and I would have had a cheeky catch up on the EIHL website if it didn't run slower than a herd of turtles through peanut butter, but from what I've seen Miika Wiikman really impressed me this weekend. Seemed comfortably equal to any shots that got through to him, even whilst hurt at the end of the match.
Lots of agreement
there then, thirdly given the parity ‘up north’ who will win the Gardiner
conference this year?
- Tony - This is much closer than I expected, and the Clan are bottom of their conference, whilst Dundee are top after only losing one regulation time conference game. Clan will have to have great home form to catch-up, but have to agree with Mark that I think their depth will help them do just that. Clan to win it again, but only just.
- Mark - I still think Braehead. Yes they have had a stuttering start and Caps have really shone but once Clan get a run going I think they will be unstoppable like. Caps will run them close but I still think Clan will capture their conference.
- Bethan - I'm going to cheer on the Caps! They seem to have come on a long way from years gone by, from consistent wooden spoon prize winners to being tied for 4th and taking points off the 'big teams'. Would be good for them to see some success, might bring in a few more people to warm up the place!
- Robert - This is a difficult one. At the moment I wouldn’t argue against Edinburgh, but I have to think they will gradually tire and Braehead will eventually put a run together. But I can see Fife running them close.
Will be interesting
to see how that develops, but back to Steelers business. Who has been our
stand-out player so far this year?
- Robert - I think at the moment Levi Nelson, closely followed by Tyler Mosienko. Roy battles at the front of the net but can only do so much. Look out for Rob Dowd he is just hitting that form we expected. Plante was great until his sudden dip probably through injury. On D well…..Sarich stands out but I’d like to see Hay have some ice time to steady the ship.
- Bethan- Mosi. No doubt about it! One of our best from last season, current top points scorer and one of the very few you can count on to chase every last puck even if the game's going south. No secret about it, he has an incredible work ethic and is just brilliant to watch.
- Tony - Just like last year, I'd still choose Roy or Mosienko - players every team would want. Also I’m Here's hoping that a fully fit Dowd can turn it on again, as we’ve seen flashes of it again recently.
- Mark - Got to be Levi Nelson for me too. For a player who had a horrendous season last year due to injury, there were question marks over whether he would be good enough to last season. He's proven himself to me. The guy can score, assist and hit like a train. I love his intensity. Definitely the best of the new recruits, although Plante runs him a close second.
Lastly, from what
we’ve seen in the last twelve games does Chris Lawrence deserve to stay until
the end of the season?
- Mark - He's not blessed with pace, we all know that, but once he gets them sights set properly then he can find you the net. He's done that a few times but he's not got the 60 minutes game in him all night - he will drift out of games when he isn't bothered so once we have a full complement of import forwards fit: he has to be gassed. But then again, my name isn't Paul Thompson and I'm not the one who makes the decisions.
- Tony - Depends entirely on budget, but eight goals from twelve games is nothing to be sniffed at, especially as he's still a relatively young man. However, I guess he's a big earner, and as such we might be better reinvesting that in a netminder or stay at home D-man instead.
- Bethan - Yes. I'll admit I was rather unimpressed when we announced we'd signed him as cover, I seem to remember not thinking much of him at Nottingham, but I have no qualms about admitting I was wrong! He's played brilliantly for us, not only putting up points but bringing some valuable size without being a goon. (Looking at you Fitzy...)
- Robert - This is not as difficult a problem as may seem at the outset for Paul Thompson. No I would not keep him, he is not a team player and does not help out on defence, and moreover his languid style does not suit a fast paced side. He can only use his right, Steelers are geared to left, and most importantly he is a spare import. I know he has scored all those goals but none were really spectacular and since his contract was renewed, giving a bit more stability to him, he has scored only once. Everyone else aids the team he was just stocking filler, a temporary fix until Fretter is back.
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.
Brief Bios of those panellists you’ve just been listening to
:
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
Robert is chief architect of steelers-stats.co.uk, the go-to
guy for Steelers history from days gone by, and the man behind one of the big
White House spotlights! @steelersstats
Tony has been watching the Steelers on and off since Tony
Hand arrived, and has been a regular for the last eight years or so. Enjoys
contributing to the blog with his weekly five things and can be found
@DISGU15ED
Bethan represents the younger end of the fan base, after
being dragged along to her first Steelers game in 2007 and has loved the team
ever since. Follow her on Twitter at @bethan_4
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:-
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@hockeybhoy
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