Apart from Sunday's game at the House Of Steel there's just three other games being played on the opening weekend. One takes place on Saturday night, the other two on the Sunday.
All games are Challenge Cup.
Saturday 3 September: Fife Flyers v Belfast Giants
Promises to be a good encounter this one. Todd Dutiaume's new-look Flyers team against Derrick Walser's established Giants. Flyers have recruited well in the summer, bringing Brendan Brooks from Braehead and Russ Moyer from champions Sheffield and eight other new faces to the Auld Barn. Matt Sisca will be hoping to prove that last season's goalscoring exploits with Manchester were not a one off either.
Derrick Walser on the other hand has stuck with the majority of the players who were in Belfast last season bar a small handful of new faces. Steve Saviano and Alex Foster of these new faces stand out the most. However, this will be a Giants side without Craig Peacock, top scorer Mike Radja and Adam Keefe's sidekick Darryl Lloyd. All three have moved onto pastures new. It will be interesting to see if Jackson Whistle (son of former Giants and Steelers head coach Dave) gets a start ahead of Stephen Murphy. Highly unlikely but stranger things have happened.
Verdict: Flyers to get off to a winning start at home...
Sunday 4 September: Coventry Blaze v Nottingham Panthers
Now under the tutelage of former player Danny Stewart, the Blaze will be hoping for a good start with a Midlands derby win over the Panthers. This is Stewart's first job as a head coach (as opposed to being player-coach at Newcastle) after being understudy to Todd Dutiaume in Fife for the last five seasons. The roster assembled certainly looks decent, with German hotshot Björn Bombis and Swede Robin Bergman looking useful acquisitions. The behemoth known as Brian Stewart is back between the pipes but some say there are some question marks defensively.
Corey Neilson signed a new 2 year deal in the summer to remain as Panthers coach when it looked likely to some, he was going through the exit door. Neilson has retained a large core of his squad last season including netminder Miika Wiikman who was probably the stand out goalie in the EIHL last season. However, he has still to find a replacement for Cam Janssen who "retired" to take a job back in the States: months after agreeing to return for a couple more seasons himself. Alex Nikoforuk looks an ideal replacement for Juraj Kolnik who really impressed me last year.
Verdict: Blaze to squeak this one, possibly in overtime.
Braehead Clan v Fife Flyers
Games between the Clan and the Flyers are played with no love lost whatsoever, and don't expect this to be any different. Ryan Finnerty has overhauled his squad again and is still looking for the perfect formula. Experienced campaigner Jeff Ulmer should be one of the shining lights whilst former Cardiff Devil Trevor Hendrix and ex-NHLer Jay Rosehill (who has declared himself ready to play despite a horrendous injury last weekend) add toughness and guile.
It's also a return to Renfrewshire as mentioned earlier for Brendan Brooks, some wondering why Finnerty never offered the speedy veteran a return. Also returning there is Ric Jackman, who certainly will be out to prove a point after what some think: was a disappointing year in purple. This has all the makings of a cracker at this early stage of the season.
Verdict: Clan to overcome their Flyers hoodoo.
So that's this weekend, we will be back with a review of them in the early of next and look forward to week two same time, next week.
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
@FrozenSteelMNL
@hockeybhoy
@Disgu15ed
Check out Breaking The Ice - The FSB Podcast
Available on iTunes to listen and download, also on SoundCloud
Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment