Thursday, 15 December 2016

Hockey Soapbox - Season 2 Week 19 - Ice War losses


So this week-end was always going to be tough playing away in Belfast and Cardiff, but after just the single point taken, and four points given to our title rivals, we’ve got lots to discuss – and here’s this week’s soapboxers: Nicki Blueitt, Andy Roberts, Nathan Turner and Mark Duell to lead the charge this week.


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

Saturday:
Think we missed a trick
Steelers fluff chance to gain
Forney can score against us!
Not much between the sides.
Sunday:
Another case for goal reviews?
Unlucky again in South Wales.
Felt sorry for the lads
First trip to new rink!

After moving back into second place, are the Giants back in it?
  • Nathan - Not sure if the Giants were actually out of it tbh. It  is after all only December and all the big teams (and Nottingham) seem to be taking points off of each other - and as they will continue to do so for the entirety of the campaign they are as much in it as they were from week one. Saying that I can't see them lasting the pace though.
  • Mark - Are Giants back in it? For second place you mean? That's the only thing that they are chasing at the moment, whilst they might have won a game over us for the first time in the best part of nearly 14 months, there is nothing to suggest to me that they will be title challengers. By all accounts, the wins this weekend were down to one man, Jackson Whistle. But they can't depend on him all the time, just like they have done with Murphy in the past.
  • Andy - Don't think at this early stage of the season anyone believes the Belfast Giants (and a couple of other teams) are out of the running yet. They look rejuvenated with recent results. They need (as we do also) for the Devils to go on a bit of a losing run and then win the games in hand.
  • Mark (continued) - I'm glad they seem to have found a goalie that looks a ready-made replacement for Murphy when the latter hangs up his skates and blocker, but the rest of the team is the one that underachieved these last two seasons. And that's progress? Sorry but no. They're good enough to finish third and probably make the POFW but that's about it. Roster needs an overhaul - that will get them success.
  • Nicki - The Giants have been the quiet dark horse catching up on us. Finally that team seems to be clicking. I had hoped for us getting something over there due to their home form being up and down but not to be... even the n/m seem to be hitting some form. I still think that team hasn’t hit top gear year and they could be in for some silverware come end of the year.


Have the Devils got one hand on the league?
  • Nathan - I predicted Cardiff for the title in September and still stand by that claim but that top spot is going to change hands a lot more before anyone clinches it. They are a very strong side and seem to have our number. The collapse against Panthers was a blip, albeit a big blip, and I can't imagine it happening again in their barn at least.
  • Mark - Yes I hate to admit it but Devils are comfortably in the driving seat as regards winning the league. They get results home and away, and even when they take a beating, they bounce back next match. Lord has got them ticking over just fine and I still can't see beyond them despite our games in hand.
  • Nic - Talk of Devils winning the year has been ongoing from the start of the season and you can see why. That team is huge, all lines can score, and Bowns should never have been let through our fingers- what a slap in the face that is every time we play them since he is awesome for a Brit goalie. They also seem to be doing what we did for the last 2 seasons and find a way to win when they didn’t deserve it. Can I also say when they just play hockey they can play really good hockey and I don’t know why they go for the bully tactics and sly late hits and slashes. Some plays on Sunday night which never got called it just getting beyond a joke now. We can’t afford another broken hand or concussion so when they play that way it needs to start getting picked up by the refs.
  • Andy - Would not say that the Devils have one hand on the league just yet. If we win our games in hand we will be two points behind. From games I have seen against the Devils we have been unlucky not to get more points than we have. Sunday was a perfect example. Both keepers made highlight reel saves, Iron was hit and goal line technology may have affected the outcome (or lack of it). You couldn't really split the teams. In some ways the old one point for the draw would have been best. We just have to knuckle down and try and get the win Saturday. IAW is nowhere the fortress that the BBT was
  • Mark - The head to head is so crucial here and even if we do manage to haul them in and it sees us level on points and regulation wins come mid-March; we will lose it because we can't find a way to beat Cardiff. Those missed opportunities at IAW and HoS are going to cost us so much. They will handle the heat this time.

What do we need to do to get back the advantage?
  • Nicki - We need to solve the problem of Jesse being bang out of form - he has been like this for a good month now but is Thomo papering over something? Is he injured or does he need a break. I was really hoping he wouldn’t be on pen shots, and when he stepped up I knew I had a better chance to score than him ha!
  • Nicki - The D has been short and they have done a great job. Really hope Jace coming back helps us big time and he hits the ground running. BTW how much has Marcus grown they guy never stops!
  • Nicki - Plus a massive respect for Dessi who seems to be the enforcer out there for us, when we’re getting some really bad hits with no calls. Hope his hands are ok but we really need him on the ice more than the box. Same for Fitzy who seems to have a much calmer head on his shoulders this season, and he’s not being a coward like some boring fans say. Plus when he makes a mistake he is the 1st to step up and apologise. They guy is brilliant on and off ice we are lucky to have him.
  • Nicki - We have some games coming quick now and we really need to start turning these games in hands in to points and put the heat on Cardiff, because if they have a weak point, we all know it’s not being able to deal with the pressure come end of the season - fingers crossed!
  • Mark - What do we need to do? Take the chances when they come and put pressure on the Devils and Bownsy from the get go. That's how the Bears got that convincing win. Take it to them, unsettle them and get the ice taken away so it silences their raucous support. A bit of luck with some decisions would help enormously too. Simple - but a proven formula.
  • Nathan - Stay out of the box and close games down. Simple really. Easy for us to say though isn't it? Also, as we seem unstoppable at home, it's on the road where the problem lies. Change hotels?

AOB from around the league this week?

  • Nathan - What in the name of Satan's underpants is going on with these horrendous inflatable entrances? I would like to think that we are above such things but you never know.
  • Andy - Well I guess I have a couple of comments to make with regards to my trip to IAW. Firstly what a nice pleasant change from the BBT. You can see the game (without a TV screen), I had a seat (which hadn't been sold to someone else) and I enjoyed being back in the noisy atmosphere that is Cardiff but with relaxing welcoming feel in the new bar post game. Oh and who ever put away fans in a block directly in front the concourse bar, what a great idea. I don't like walking too far for beer.  I will be making more trips to Wales in the future instead of finding ways to avoid the trip.
  • Andy (having a second bite) - Because I had a view of the game I am convinced that we had a goal waved off that was in. Pictures I have seen post game have not changed my mind on my live view (from a completely different angle). I saw the parallax angle tweets too. So were my eyes deceiving me? I don't think they were as my original view was behind the goal line to side.  Guess if the EIHL got their finger out and sorted the goal technology out and a feed to Toronto (or would that be Tony S's broom cupboard) we wouldn't have to worry (as fans) that we may have been robbed of a goal.

Thanks for reading - please let us know what you think, or get in touch and we'll post up your views too.


Tony.

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