Hockey Soapbox - Season 2 Week 16 - Back to last weekend

Let me take you back to last week-end, where we entertained the Devils and then the Giants. There was always going to be some talking points from those two games, and here are ours – slightly later than expected – you can blame my employers for that! 

Here's what our soapboxers Andy Roberts, Nathan Turner, Eric Green and Mark Duell were saying this week:

Thanks to Lynn for the photos this week

So let’s have your five word summaries from those two games:

Friday:

Another multiple goal lead squandered

Just call it déjà vu

OK performance against good team

Fretter. Desbien's assist. Defensive frailties.

What Starts Well Ends Bad

Sunday:

Rutherford's hit was absolutely diabolical

Easy win over dirty team

Steelers bounce back against Giants

Moose. Shocking hit. Poor officiating

Scrappy Game Yields Two Points.

On Friday, what happened to swing the score?

• Andy - Cardiff believed they could get a goal with a change of tactics. The goal came, we seemed to panic just like we did in Edinburgh, and before you know it the puck has passed Moose another three times. Two points lost where it looked like we were going to close gap on leaders.
• Mark - Simple answer to this - we relaxed a bit too much and thought the game was won. Two goal leads are the absolute worst in hockey always have been and always will be. For 45 minutes we were in control and looked to have solved the home puzzle that is beating the Devils on home ice. Then we switched off and eight minutes later, we are no longer two in front but two behind and chasing shadows.
• Eric - I personally didn't go to Friday’s game, due to ill health. I did however view the highlights. If I'm honest our two goals were filthy. Both of which will take some beating this season.
• Nathan - Well here we go again. Fully in control of a game and then for ten minutes or so our brains go bye bye and we get our pants pulled down. Cardiff did a number on us. Need to play for 60 boys not 50.
• Eric (continues) - Although we seemed to be in charge, for 50 odd minutes, the highlights showed that our D are still getting caught the wrong side of the opposing team players and the puck. We really do need to sharpen up around our crease. We really do need to shut games and teams down. Do we have the D to do that? I don't think we do....
• Mark (continued) - This is a huge result against us particularly if the title race goes down to the head-to-head results. We could have gone three points behind but now it's seven, even with four games in hand. It's made a hard task much harder. We now know we need to get results in IAW if we are stop Cardiff being a league champion for the first time in what I think is 20 years.

 

No doubt the court of Twitter opinion will have already decided our guilt, but give me your thoughts on the Hagos - Rutherford - Desbiens incident

• Andy - Don't think anyone in the hockey world (well I’m awaiing the DOPS view as I type) believes that Rutherford's hit on Hagos was a good hit. Desbiens did what I would expect any player to do after a hit like that. What followed was in my opinion a big accident with several players then coming in to protect Rutherford. It was awful seeing 2 players laid on the ice with one being stretchered off. Glad both players are going to be OK. A mention for the medical team (and helpers) who did a cracking job on the night.
• Mark - I write the analysis having watched the video over and over again and after the DOPS judgement. The decision to ban Rutherford for just 2 games is a laughing stock. The incident was and is still, much much worse than the one that got Fitzy banned for 2 matches. There is so much clear intent there, Yared is lucky that it hasn't ended up worse. It's callous and a cheap shot. The kind of incident that gets your blood boiling.
• Nathan - Nobody was really to blame for the Rutherford incident, and while many will have their own opinions on how and why it happened what really got my goat as we walked around the arena whilst the medical team were getting him onto the stretcher was some of the inane and quite frankly embarrassing comments being made by certain Steelers fans. When a hockey player is down on the ice and quite obviously in a hell of a lot of pain is it really necessary to yell out things like, "Tha gettin wot tha deserves!" & "Serves thee reyt ya *****!" Idiots.
• Mark (para 2) - It's not often I agree with Simmsey on things, but he's right when he questions what DoPS stands for. Does the S really stand for safety? It doesn't here. Rutherford has gotten off so lightly it's unreal. Desi was doing the right thing in looking after his stricken team-mate, what player wouldn't do? Desi has also got to be applauded for his actions when he realised Rutherford was injured in the aftermath incident when bodies went all over the shop. A dangerous precedent has been set up, things might be more physical next time we encounter that number 91.
• Eric (you may want to sit down, or put a brew on before starting this bit) - Obviously, we are biased, being Steeler fans, but the blindside hit by Dave Rutherford was a really awful hit. Hagos never saw him coming, yet Rutherford had skated nearly the length of our goal line before, as I saw it, delivering a blatant hit to Hagos's head. Now you cannot tell me that Rutherford didn't have time to think about what he was about to do. His subsequent action made it plain that there was and must have been intent in his mind.
• Eric (Pre DOPS) - This sort of hit could have caused a career ending outcome. As such DOPS should throw the book at him, with a maximum penalty for this behaviour. (Writing this before the review by DOPS on the incident, I hope they do. Time will tell!!)
• Eric (Post DOPS) - Newsflash!! Just seen the official outcome of the hit. Rutherford gets 2 game ban. Rubbish!!! Especially you see that during the same review process another player from another club gets a 6 YES! Six game ban for abuse of an official. Eh!?!? How can that be right. Fuming..........
• Eric (Reflecting) - Gladly both players have come through, although it being battered and bruised, somewhat OK.  BUT, what really upset me, is, everyone seemed concerned for Dave Rutherford’s health. As was I. But we, the fans of both clubs and the media all seem to have forgotten the injured victim in all this. Best wishes Yared Hagos get fit, and hurry back.
• Editor – Try some of the Belfast media for size Eric – they switch the incident around and say that Desbiens got the call for Charging before Rutherford’s call for hitting to the head. Re-writing history to appeal to the homers and save Rutherford’s blushes – and whilst I’m typing have we seen an apology from him for the hit? No need for us to see it, but hope he’s apologised to Yared at least.
• Editor (now I’ve started) – Janssen v Marsh.

Was the niggly game created by a dirty Belfast team, or a referee that didn't call what was required so that players started protecting themselves?

• Mark - The niggles were going off at all angles and I wouldn't say Belfast were dirty, I would say they were a bit more physical than usual. They have been soundly beaten in previous encounters so perhaps Walser tried to mix it up a bit to try and put us off our stride. Smart coaching if that's the case. But when you have a stripey willing to let the game flow when it's getting feisty, you're asking for trouble. A stronger referee would have not allowed this to happen, and maybe this is a learning curve for Mr Schmejkal - so he needs to look at the game video himself and see what happened and think about his own performance so it improves him next time out.
• Nathan - It's all well and good trying to let the game flow but it's also important to make the necessary calls when things are starting to get out of control. Not a week goes by without me thinking that someone someday is going to get hurt badly as a result of this, and low and behold look what happens. One guy fails to make the 3rd period, one ends up in an ambulance, and another had sit in the dressing room wondering if the chap on his way to hospital is going to be ok. But then we witness some if the softest penalties called for next to nothing!
• Eric – Was it a bad tempered affair? Well yes, but I still believe that although the officiating got some calls correctly, some of the missed calls were poor at best, diabolical at worse. This form of officiating will instil in both sets of players a feeling that they have to take retribution on the opposition as a way of getting even, born mainly through frustration. Ergo,it will ultimately lead to scenes like we saw at this game. I still believe the EIHL is a better league now, but something seriously needs to be done with bringing the standard of officiating up to a better level...
• Andy - Not sure where the ref was from but he bemused me with some of the calls made on the night. Regardless of who was reffing I think that both the fights would have still taken place. In all honesty the Rutherford hit probably would have too unless it was in reply to something none of us including ref didn't see. Best decision (even though it was wrong-I know that doesn't make sense) was giving Desbiens a game pen so there was no chance of things escalating further. It was good watching a game with a bit of an edge but would have preferred not watching a player getting stretchered off. I remember when Panthers games had an edge...

That's all from our hockey soapbox this week! 

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