Time once more for your weekly Hockey Soapbox. The panel are back in action to answer the burning issues. This week's panel incorporates Blog Editors Mark and Tony, the lovable Eric, the knowledgeable Sarah and also thoughts from Glynn Birkett-Morley too. It's time to get on those soapboxes everyone.
1. Five Words on Saturday
Plexi denies Steelers the spoils
Enjoyed
it. Fluky game decider
Robbed
By A Lucky Bounce
Good fight back unlucky result
A Slow start. Unlucky finish
2. Five Words on Sunday
Impressive
win where others struggled
Steelers
Firepower Extinguish the Flames
BRIAN BRIAN BRIAN BRIAN BRIANNNNNN
2 points. 3 from 4
Flames burned away in romp
3. Are there grounds to be concerned that we
lost to Cardiff on Saturday?
Glynn: Absolutely no grounds for concern that we lost to the
Devils. We started off slow but when we woke up we held our
own to fight back against the League & Challenge Cup Champions,
despite some of our players not quite performing at their best. We
actually looked most likely to get the winner towards the end of the 3rd and in
OT and frankly we lost to a freak goal that Faryna couldn't replicate again if
he tried it a million times.
Sarah: No, it was our first league game! If we turned
up for the first 10 minutes, we would have won. We had the majority of play in
overtime and probably should have won. It's too early to panic, it's a long
season. Yes we have to beat Cardiff but we have to win every other team in the
league.
Eric: I don't think there is any need to be concerned
none at all. Yes like Nottingham, Cardiff were quicker than us but they have a
little advantage due to the CHL competition and the level of play they would
encounter during early season. Like last season after 4 or 5 weeks the other
teams caught up and we lost that early advantage. I see the same happening this
season. After all it's a marathon to win the league, not a sprint.
Mark: There's nothing to panic as far as I am concerned. Titles are not won in the first two weeks of a season, mind you one of the Cardiff owners is getting a bit ahead of himself isn't he? We lost to a freak goal, Cardiff will be there or thereabouts but then again this roster will ensure we will be too. Anyone who is worried, best acquire a reality check.
Tony: No
need to worry in my mind. Couple of bounces either way swung it. Cardiff & Nottingham will be the benchmarks this year and we're pretty evenly matched so
far.
4. Is the Kieran Brown two way deal with
Blackburn a good idea for him and the Steelers as a whole?
Sarah: Yes definitely. He's just not going to get the
ice time with us, at least with Blackburn he will and look he got 3 goals and 3
assists in his first game. It's all about experience for him at his age.
Eric: I
think it's a perfectly sensible idea doing a two way with Brown. The kid has
loads of potential, having seen him play it's obvious. But he is still young,
needs the ice time which he may not get in the Steelers side for loads of
reasons. Least of which it would be irresponsible of the organisation to play
him against seasoned pro's. No I feel that if he sticks at it, and is nurtured,
brought on, and conditioned correctly then 3 or 4 seasons he may well be a
number 1 golden child.
Mark: Brilliant idea, it will help his development immensely. Do this, replicate what we have done with Kirk and Shudra Jr. and we will have another gem in the works. Golden Embryo Version 2.0 beckons if he listens and learns.
Tony: He looks like a great talent, but too early
to play Elite and would only sit on the bench with the main team. Will
also keep us Steelers fans interested in the NIHL
Glynn: Kieran Brown's 2 way deal is great for him as he needs the
ice time that Thommo can't/won't give a kid of his age and experience in the
EIHL, and it will probably benefit the Steelers too if he is used when he's
back in our uniform. The lad has looked really good from the shift's I've seen
him play and could be the future Dowdy given time and the opportunity, unless
Kirky becomes the new Dowdy 1st.... which is entirely possible, unless he ends
up being picked up by a team in North American or across Europe.
Eric: From
the impression I get seeing Koivisto play since joining and the difference he
has made to the 3rd line, then keeping him is a no brainer. As for a spare.
Hmm? I don't know! Given that there are 2 or 3 players who I feel need to step
up, and have not shown enough to gain a place in the side above him..
Mark: If Juha wants to stay in this capacity then it's a great idea. Guess it's a huge decision to make by Thommo. But Marquardt is a different type of player to Koivisto. He (Koivisto) has certainly made a good start. All depends what he wants and what the Club want too; hope they can come up with something that keeps all parties happy and doesn't dilute the Club's map of progress.
Tony: Would happily swap Marquardt for a bag of pucks
so Koivisto would be a huge uptick.
Glynn: When Marquardt is fit I would try to keep Koivisto, in fact
he's done so much and looks so good that I'd consider signing him up for the
season now if he wants to stay and worry about who to sit out games later. I'm
sure the spare import will be needed to cover injuries or rest players with
slight knocks along the way, but to be honest I would look at who is our least
skilled import or whoever is going through a poor patch of form and
sit them for a game or two. Having an extra import keeps all imports eager
to perform at the top of their game to remain in the line up so a bit
of healthy competition should be good for the team, although I appreciate it
can upset the guy who may end up as a regular healthy scratch.
Sarah: Absolutely, I like Koivisto anyway but it will
help for injury cover and make some competition for ice time to bring out the
best of the players.
6. Do you think the ice condition at the
Arena is bad?
Mark: It's not the best is it. The blame purely falls on the shoulders of SIV, nobody else but. They gave us one week to get the ice, paint and have it ready. You can't expect everything to be perfect in such a short space of time. Now if we had the funding for our own rink then we wouldn't have this issue. Maybe it might be an idea to see if a lottery grant would partial fund it? Worth thinking about.
Glynn: Ice condition at the Arena - I assume it's better than
it was v the Storm in our 1st Arena game now it's had time to bed in a little,
but it does worry me that before the league season started our clean crisp new
bright white ice is now splattered with dark patches that will never be bright
white again probably. I guess there either was, or still is, a problem with
the ice plant underneath and although it seem to be playable it looks
pretty poor to have blotchy ice alongside all the new logo's and on ice
advertising. Maybe if the Arena had turned on the ice plant earlier as the
club asked for and perhaps even putting on more white paint down before the
logo's had to be done then it could have been a different story, lets just hope
it's not another more serious problem with the pipework underneath!
Eric: Worryingly
I feel that the arena may react to the problematic ice and the ice plant, it's
age, and the major problems we had last season, by doing what they did
with the current security measure implemented recently.
With
complacency, until the cracks show. The
arena fill me with no confidence, none whatsoever, on their management of major
incidents such as the ice. They seem to be reactive to problems rather than
proactive to manage situations before they occur. Hope I'm wrong but I ain't
holding my breath. History gives a good insight into the thinking of this
organisation.
Tony: Hadn't noticed it being below par in the
league games tbh.
Sarah: Last week was probably the best the ice has been
so far this season. It was much colder in the arena so the ice wasn't melting
as bad and I noticed the gaps between the boards and the ice had been filled.
Although there was so much water put down in the corners.
And that's this week's Soapbox. Join us next week for more opinions.
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