Hockey Soapbox - Season 2 Week 5 - Off and running

Now that we’ve got going with our first domestic competitive fixture, here’s our latest Frozen Steel Soapbox where we’ll bring you some views and thoughts from a selection of Sheffield Steelers hockey fans.

It’s time to get on your soapboxes people!

We’ve got contributions from: Nathan Turner, Mark Duell, Robert Newbolt, Andy Roberts and Bethan  so let’s crack on...

Did you see the Exhibition game in Altrincham, and what’s your take on the performance and result.

• Andy - The visit to the Storm shelter was my last game this month. I aren't really sure what we gained from the game. 6 out, players playing out of position and at best managed to find 2nd gear. Only positive for game was that Shudra and Kirk had regular shifts.
• Mark - I didn't go to Altrincham but the result did not concern me in the slightest. To me it was a warm up game which the Storm wanted but ideally it's one I wouldn't have wanted on our side of the proverbial coin. Read nothing into the result, pre-season scorelines seldom have any bearing on how the team is going to end up regardless of sport. Manchester had a few good players, Pach has recruited well. Mark Heatley played smart and used his experience well but Matt Bissonette looks a real find. He could be one to keep an eye on throughout the season. Trabucco was tricky and effective too.
• Bethan - I didn't see the game, but I don't think the result is anything to worry about. We had our back up nettie in, and 6 of our top players out. It's definitely good to give young Kirk and Shudra some ice time, as well as 'Sideshow Brad', and hopefully it was a good experience for them.
• Robert - I didn’t see or pay much attention to it much like the players. It seemed a very stupid game to be played immediately prior to the opener, for both sides, I cannot see what either side gained from it.
• Nathan - Didn't make it over to the 'Storm Shelter' and to be perfectly honest the result didn't bother me either. While it was a good opportunity to give young Bradley a game between the pipes the whole thing was pretty pointless and the result won’t live very long in the memory. Unless you happen to be a Storm fan that is.

What are your thoughts about the Cup game at the Arena.

• Bethan -It was an odd game, but a good one to watch nonetheless - we started slow, giving them an easy start, but the second goal buzzer really seemed to wake us up! Mosi's second goal was set up beautifully by Schultz, and his hat-trick into the empty net was a great effort! 
• Nathan - Now the Challenge Cup game was a different beast altogether. After the general sloppiness and bizarre 2nd goal that gave our friends from Manchester a 2-0 lead I thought we pretty much took control. Still managed to let the visitors back into the game though and combining that with Tyler’s hatrick, Roy’s cracking first goal and a few decent scraps, I walked out of the building quite pleased with what I saw.
• Mark - Well it wasn't the polished performance but a reasonable game to be honest. The fact Storm had time to build a decent roster showed that they will give a few teams a few scares this season. They played excellently well. We did just enough to find the W, and wasn't Mosienko's "Eddy" superb? Very important to get the points on the board, and regulation too, could be a definitive factor you know?
• Andy - Other engagements ensures I didn't get to the arena Sunday. Looks like I missed an entertaining game. Just my luck :(
• Robert - Did just enough to scrape a win. Poor game, players were flat especially in the first period: they looked as though they had never played together. They obviously were given a rocket in between periods but took their foot of the gas and the old worry about not closing games out is starting to appear.

Did anyone from the Storm or Steelers stand-out.

• Andy - From just an exhibition game to go on I have to say I was really impressed with Kirk on the Steelers side. Its the first chance I have had to see him play regular shifts. Looked calm on the puck, seemed to be in the right areas and on another night he may have had a couple of goals. 
• Robert - Mosienko stood out despite his goals as he was always harrying the players. No-one stood out for Storm except Neilson; for all the wrong reasons. He may be a nice bloke but he needs to learn how to skate and play top class hockey: he was even compared to Andrew Sharpe by one person. Just going off at a tangent, I cannot get excited for preliminary round challenge cup games. They are meaningless and, as we found out last year, top of the group means nothing.
• Mark - For us I was impressed with the Desbiens-Mosi-Schultz line; they worked so hard. Schultz's pass for Mosi's first was a delight, inch perfect and bang on the proverbial money. It's that good, some clubs would love to have it as their first line! See my previous comments about the Storm.
• Bethan - I always love watching Mosi, and Schultz really started to show some promise with some brilliant stick handling.  
• Nathan - Quite impressed with the 1st viewing of this seasons Storm. They seem to have upgraded in key areas and will no doubt give a few teams a run for their money. Steelers/Storm has the makings of a fruitful rivalry and to be honest, I kinda prefer playing them than I do the Panthers. Good shout for the playoffs.

Given Tony Smith’s comments as Chairman of the league do you think there will be less tolerance for fighting in the league this year.

• Bethan - I think this is a difficult one. It's something that's seen as entertaining for new fans, and as a part of the game for fans who've been around for longer. I'm sure work will be done as always to improve the safety of the game, but I don't think they'll try to eradicate fighting completely.
• Mark - Nah, fighting in the league won't diminish at all. You need at least one tough guy in your roster - complements the skilled players well. It's part of the game we love. All the skill in the world doesn't win trophies, not now and not for a long while yet.
• Robert - LESS fighting? There is very little in it now and that cannot be a bad thing. People that go week in week out want to see skill not players knocking ten bells out of each other.
• Andy - On the fighting front I am not sure things will be much different to last year. The staged fights of the McMorrow days have gone (not a bad thing in my opinion) a few seasons back. There will probably be a few fights early doors of the season and then it will calm down. Unless there is a clamp down and rule changes to what they have in Europe there will be fights in reaction to certain hits and plays. 
• Nathan - If the Elite League is going to start to push towards a more Euro style game then I do wonder how that would affect attendances due to the type of hockey the average punter wants to pay to watch. The CHL is great but I am viewing this from the point of view that its perhaps still a bit of a novelty. Our style in the UK with its physical elements and the odd scrap is what most fans want to see. Less tolerance towards the rough stuff and more (I hope not) strict officiating like in the CHL may put a few people off. I’m a bit on the fence with this one.

What are your realistic hopes for the game against Red Bull.

• Robert - A good game, but I cannot see Steelers getting anything from it.
• Mark - I'll be happy if we play smart and learn the lessons of the other three CHL games. But will we? I can see us picking up a few dafties but this time we need to get the PK working as good as it as ever has done. At least we won't have the travel issue to deal with. Play smart and take the opportunities as they arise, that's the key.
• Nathan - I’ll be going to the Red Bull game and while I’m looking forward to it I’m also preparing myself for the inevitable.  What do I hope will happen? That we come out of the game unscathed and with our heads held high. What do I expect to happen? Lots of silly minor penalties and a damn good walloping. We can but dream though, and I look forward to having another crack at it again next season.
• Bethan - I'm just hoping for an entertaining game of hockey! To be shut out or beaten by more than 5 goals would feel embarrassing, but as long as we show up and represent ourselves well I'll be happy. It was 8-1 in their barn, so I'd (optimistically!) expect around a 6-3 loss in Sheffield.
• Andy - As this weeks game against Red Bull is their 3rd of the week in the CHL I am hoping for a closer game than was seen in Austria. I still think we will be beaten as we struggle to adapt to the refereeing style which is much different to here. To win the game we need to take every decent chance we get and more importantly limit our time in the box. Hoping with some wifi I will be watching from the side of the pool in some distant land with a Cervaza in hand.

p.s. Next week, and to support the new Steelers sponsor, I’ve got a new topic. We shouldn’t really laugh at people making a complete Horlicks of something, but let’s have a City Taxi award for the thing or person who needed a quick taxi ride to help them hide after doing something stupid. Who will you call the City Taxi for? Let me know!

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. Please contact Mark @frozensteelblog or Tony @Disgu15ed, or find us at the game.

Brief Bios of those panellists you’ve just been listening to in the series so far :

• Alan is @frozensteelmnl for match night updates and @AwkwardGinge for everything else. Has been watching Hockey for many years, and given half a chance will regale you with tales of the London Knights. Catch him on the Breaking the Ice podcast too.
• Andy is the big man with the big horn (or VuVuzela if you prefer) who can be found at most home and away games, and propping the bar up afterwards. Andy is @ic3creamman.
• 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
• Eric is a season ticket holder and can be found shouting encouragement to our players and scorn at the zebras alongside three generations of his family in block 115. Views can be found @greenbunch257
• Glynn can be found @glynnm76 has been watching the Steelers on and off since ‘91. Massive Ron Shudra fan and owner of an EIHL League Championship medal.
• Kevin and Fergus are a Father son duo that grew up watching and playing ice hockey in Europe (mainly Germany) who are both very opinionated and can be heard from block 115. Twitters are @SedgyFergus and @KevWright65
• 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
• Nathan and his Mrs have been going to games since Feb 2014 after getting fed up with football. Another season ticket holder in 115 who tries to get to away games and refuses steadfastly to join in with Sweet Caroline. He’s @NJT75Owl
• Robert is chief architect of http://steelers-stats.com/ the go-to guy for Steelers history from days gone by, and the man behind one of the big White House spotlights! Robert is @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