Hockey Soapbox - Season 3 Week 18 - Jekyll and Hyde

1. Five Words on Saturday

Pretty pretty pretty pretty good

Love a 5 second win

Beating Them Is Always Good

Now That Is Steelers Hockey

Last Minute Winner Against Rivals

So Corey What's New Pussycat?

2. Five Words on Sunday

Let's Just Skip Sunday Please

Just One Game Too Many

Started Bad And Got Worse

Oh Dear Same Old C**p

Fatigue Caught Up On Us

Pretty pretty pretty pretty not

3. Did the Challenge Cup semi-final first leg result vs Cardiff surprise you?

Fay:  Yes! I expected a much closer game. Would’ve taken that at the start of the night though.

Jay: Yes very much so, we may need every single one of that 4 goal lead if Sunday's team head down to Cardiff.

George: No. I felt it coming. I always think that Ice Sheffield is a hard place to go to simply because of how bad it is. Not many teams win there; the last team to win there that I can remember was the clan, they beat us in overtime. We need to keep composed heads in Cardiff, as it is ours to lose.

Mark: It did, I was half expecting us to win by a single goal. Second leg will be harder though.

Nathan: Didn’t surprise me at all as of late the boys in orange seem to be able to turn the screw when they see fit. As I’ve probably said before though, these performances might all be in vain come the end of term regarding the league title but a CC and or P/Off win will appease the Thompson fans somewhat.

Sarah: Yes it did! It was a great performance, frustrates the hell out of me why we can’t play like that most of the time. Cardiff just didn’t have an answer. Hopefully the 4 goal difference will be enough but they need to try and get that out of their head and just go to win. 

4. Some thoughts from Tony's Fans Forum responses?

Jay: My thoughts are well documented, but i came away feeling very positive about the clubs future but less so about getting rid of the best coach we have ever had...
George: I wasn’t there so I’m solely relying on twitter updates however his responses were very good, straight to the point, and most of the stuff he said was what the fans wanted to hear, apart from a few. However the future sounds bright.
Mark: Positive. He's still as committed to the team's future but there's a few things off-ice I wish he'd address yet we know they won't happen for a while.

Nathan: Pretty open and honest to be fair however it would have been interesting to hear the questions and answers had this event taken place before the turn of the year.

Sarah: It sounds like the club and SIV are willing to listen to fans thoughts and ideas. The whole school saga sounded like it was taken wrongly. Many fans have said that they have attended schools and give tickets to children with good attendance. They changed the decision on the family season tickets as they had realised it wasn’t a good decision. You make bad decisions in business, it’s one of those things but they put it right. No matter what the club do it cannot please everyone. We all just need to be grateful that they are trying to improve the game night experience. I do feel though that some fans just moan for the sake of it. 

Fay: I didn’t go and haven’t really paid much attention to the tweets. Sometimes I think he just says things without really having put any thought into them. Saying that he seems to be taking into account what fans are asking for (usually when they all kick off on Twitter) which is always a positive.

5. Following on from this, what do you reckon to the new partnership between the Steelers and SIV?

George: Brilliant. Just hope it actually happens.
Mark: Sounds good from early thoughts, just hope it actually happens.
Nathan: Much needed for the continued stability of the club.

Sarah: It sounds very positive. Even to do a fan forum is going in the right decision in the first place. 
Fay: Love it. Love playing in a big arena. Love filling it. Just hope it works out.

Jay: It's a long time coming and i cant for the life of me see why its took so long, live nation was a disaster waiting to happen...


6. Do we need to make any more signings before the deadline?

Mark: Can't see it but stranger things have happened before.

Nathan: It totally depends on how many more of the guys hit the treatment room or take stupid game bans. 

Sarah: I’d say yes but who?! It all really depends on all these injuries and if Thompson keeps using the excuse that the players are tired then we need more bodies. It’s a tough physical game and if the level of the league as it is now is taking it out on players then surely having more players can only be a good thing. Moose lost it on Sunday and although Brad Day hasn’t had ice time, it would have been the most sensible thing (but I’m just an armchair coach). Moose gave that penalty away because he wasn’t in the right frame of mind and that hasn’t happened before (or it has and I haven’t noticed). So do we need more players or just a coach that can make better decisions for the team. 

Fay: I think (before Storm game) we’d found our spark as we are. For me it depends on our injuries. I know Armstrong, Dowd and Frets are meant to be out for a while. Hope Miika isn’t too badly and we see him return soon!

Jay: Yes but we won't..
George: No. We cannot disrupt our squad anymore for Christ sake.


7. Are you getting a season ticket next season?

Nathan: No. Coach Thompson’s style of hockey has bored the arse off me this season and aside from a handful of games since the turn of the year it’s still woefully obvious he has no Plan B as was apparent on Sunday against the Storm. Who it has to be said are a decent looking side once they dispense with the homey and actually play some hockey. So until that changes we shall be selecting our games carefully next season.

Fay: Yes, I like my seat too much to give up on my season ticket! 

Sarah: I’ve not really thought about it until you asked but of course I will be. I’m hooked to the game! 
Mark: I didn't renew this season because of possible work commitments and the fact the company I work for are associate club sponsors so can get tickets that way. Same thing will probably apply next season, might have relocated too as most of you know!

George: Personally I can’t, as I have other commitments such as refereeing and playing football. And to be tied in with a Steelers season ticket would mean I am expected at every game in a way. To get my moneys worth, I am currently happy with the fact I get in cheaper as I do not work yet so it helps me financially and I can make sure that if I don’t make a game, I will not lose money.
Jay: Yes of course, a bad game of hockey is still much better than a shite Saturday night TV.

And that's this week's Soapbox for you; join us for more next time.

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

@FrozenSteelJr

@BTI_Podcast

@hockeybhoy

@Disgu15ed

@SedgyFergus

@georgefbarber

Check out Breaking The Ice Available to listen and download on iTunes and SoundCloud.

Or Email the team at Frozen Steel

You can also get involved in Steelers related discussions by joining the forums at Steel Talk