From The Editor's Chair - Edition 43

Last of the end season reviews for you here, number nine of nine. We started with the Belfast Giants and now finish with the team we all love to bits, the one team we have probably met in games more than anyone else. We're gonna play them at least 10 times this year, we played them 14 times last...yes it's the Nottingham Panthers!

Season in summary: For Corey and those of a black and gold persuasion, it was another season with no silverware in the domestic campaign, but they did win a sandwich tray in Italy. Don't why it can be called a Cup when it clearly isn't. It's got them back in the Champions Hockey League after two seasons absence though. But Panthers biggest problem back home was to their inconsistencies and we thought ours were bad. The team wasn't a team, they were simply individuals and that spells disaster. Not the best way to start a new two year contract Corey, gotta buck ideas up methinks.

Performance of the Season: One game for me, and probably the one that really sticks in the mind-set. If you were there, you saw what Panthers are like when they really click but if you weren't then you'll be wishing you had gone. Yes, it's that 8-0 shutout, I repeat the word shutout, of the Cardiff Devils and at Ice Arena Wales. Believe me, it did bloody happen. The much maligned Brian McGrattan scored his first ever goals for the Panthers that night as they blew the home side away. Shame the rest of the season wasn't as good as this, finishing 23 points off the champions isn't good reading.

Low point of the season: We saw it happen, the Panthers fans who were there saw it happen, Corey Neilson saw it all happen too. We're going to select the 8-1 destruction they received at the hand of the Steelers. Steelers tore the Panthers apart with ruthless efficiency that night, and the visitors should have conceded double figures: they were that embarrassing. It was so bad that Panthers only really played for the final minute in the final period. It was like erm, we're losing 8-0 here and we can't be shutout that badly in Sheffield can we? They played, and right on the buzzer Brad Moran bust Moose's shutout. The defence, if you could call it one, didn't exist and gave Jindrich "Henry" Pacl no protection, as for the forwards they were as a limp as a balloon with no air. Yet Rick Strachan claimed it was a very good performance from the visitors, I still want to know what he was drinking that night now...

Player of the Season: Am I forced to pick one out of a roster of individuals who only understood the word "team" when they were in the Continental Cup/Sandwich Tray? Go on then, I'll pick one out and that would be "Big Ern" (McGrattan). He started off very slowly indeed and most of us thought he's gonna get the cases packed and swan off back to NA because he's not enjoying his hockey. But that night in Cardiff changed everything, and he looked a more decent player despite being known more for punching ten bells out of someone. Picking up just 140 PiMs only says everything doesn't it?

Anything else? In order to arrest the domestic silverware slide, Neilson has completely reshuffled his roster for 2017-18 with only eight players returning and one a forward: that being Jeff Brown. He's brought back Evan Mosey after the latter spent two seasons in the AHL with the Rockford Ice Hogs, and also proven scorer Mark Derlago and experienced goaltender Michael Garnett amongst his recruitment. My concern is, will Neilson rely on these solely to get the Panthers back on the domestic winning trail or will he have a roster that works as a "team" to do the same? If it's the former, more problems loom. Neilson has to deliver in 2017-18 or his time could be up and for the most successful modern day Panthers coach that would be a sad way to bow out. Wouldn't it Corey?

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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 42

It's the penultimate of the end of season assessments. This time we feature a side that were only in their second season of a return to the top echelons of British hockey. Ladies and gentlemen, it's the Manchester Storm.

Season in summary: Not a light drizzle of a season, but given a proper close season behind them - Storm certainly rained on some teams. However the lack of consistency, meant that Storm had to wait until the final weekend of the regular season campaign to secure their place in the play-offs. With many games sold out, Manchester are slowly putting the building blocks in place for what looks to be a promising future.

Performance of the Season: If you had to pick one result out of the 2016-17 season for Manchester season then I'm sure as eggs are eggs that you will pick the same one as me. Yes, it's the game two days before Christmas when Omar Pacha's Storm did a thing that only Belfast, Nottingham, Coventry and Sheffield could only match - it's called a win in Ice Arena Wales. No other Gardiner Conference could achieve it.

Low point of the Season: It's kind of embarrassing when you have to pick the last game of the season. Storm entertained Nottingham in another sell-out crowd at Altrincham, however conditions weren't perfect. The game sheet will show that the Panthers won 3-2 after overtime, but that's because the ice was unplayable. You really couldn't believe it. With challengers for eighth, Coventry, getting humped in the Steel City then Storm didn't mind. Suppose Mr Hicks got a decision right for once..

Player of the Season: Storm had a few players that had decent seasons, but the name that is the cream of the crop is winger Darian Dziurzynski. The fifth round pick by the Arizona (when they were known as Phoenix) Coyotes in 2011 had his best ever season in hockey as a professional. 29 goals and 52 points overall in 50 regular games, and a goal and an assist in the quarter final...definitely a very good season for the 26 year old Sasquatch when it was his first campaign out of North America.

Anything else? During the season it became known that the Storm were up for sale but any doubts were dispelled in the summer when a consortium fronted by Gordon Greig took over the team. Part of that consortium was also then Braehead Clan coach Ryan Finnerty so you can expect what happened as part of it. Pacha left with deepest gratitude, and despite his little tantrums on ice, Finnerty became HC at Storm weeks after leaving the Clan. Three players have joined him South in Rosehill, Beca and Hammond and with the rest of the squad assembled, Storm should make more positive steps with the wise head known as Neil Russell masterminding processes off-ice.

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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 41

The latest end of season review is here, and it is number seven of nine. It's another Gardiner Conference side, and a team that actually surprised a few at home and away last season. We present to you; the Fife Flyers.

Season in summary: When comparing previous seasons, Fife had a great season. They finished 6th in the overall standings which for a lesser known team, was an amazing campaign. With Shane Owen being a brilliant pick up to tend the goal, 2015-16 league title winner Russ Moyer on the blue line having a season that probably surprised Russ himself and plenty of goals from Ryan Dingle - they did themselves proud on ice in Kirkcaldy last year.

Performance of the Season: Quite a few stand out results for the Flyers but I'm going for one that killed a championship title challenge. Yes it's the 6-3 win in "The Auld Barn" against the Steelers. Flyers really stepped up the plate that night, and as I said it killed off the Steelers title hopes in my eyes. A complete team performance that left the majority of the 1553 attendance going home with huge smiles. But the 9-5 at home to Belfast and a 4-3 overtime win at Nottingham were pretty close in topping it.

Low point of the Season: I'm going to say two losses against the Caps would be the low points. Prior to and post this, Flyers pushed Clan close to the Gardiner Conference all the way and contributed to a good season. Who actually would go on and know exactly what effect those four points might have had. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it Todd?

Player of the Season: Not many knew much about him before the season, but a fair few knew about him at the end though. My Flyers Player of the Season, goaltender Shane Owen. Owen made an astonishing 1754 saves in 52 games; that's a hell of a rubber faced. He also came out of that with a more than creditable 90.90% save. Obviously people have taken note and the 27 year old Canadian will between the pipes of BIK Karlskoga of the All Svenskan league season in 2017-18. Fife will need to find a decent replacement.

Anything else? After much will they, or won't they - Flyers will take part in their 7th EIHL season this year. Todd Dutiaume is still the man behind the bench and he's assisted by former GB internationalist Jeff Hutchins. Whilst recruitment has been slow compared to other teams, Flyers never have been rushed as far as I'm concerned when it comes to this. Much will be expected from single game NHLer (he played for Washington Capitals in the final 2013-14 regular season game) Peter LeBlanc. As regards Owen's replacement, we still don't know...


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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 40

Another end of season analysis of the rest of the Elite League sides. We've done five, now four remain. This latest one features the team that propped up the rest of us, we look back at Scott Neil's Edinburgh Capitals.

Season in summary: A typical Capitals season to be fair, some highlights with plenty low lights and a bottom of the pile finish. The one positive we really could draw was that the imports actually stayed around for the campaign instead of buggering off to where they came from halfway through. Players like Tyler Plews and Jay King increased in their development and look good to be highly rated prospects for the future. 

Performance of the Season: Capitals didn't have much success but when they did then recorded it in style. They particularly found some form in the M8 derbies with the Clan; winning a couple of games and losing narrowly in others. I'm going however for a 5-4 overtime win in Fife as the stand out showing. 

Low point of the Season: Where do we start with this? There were numerous losing streaks throughout, and Capitals begin the new campaign having lost each of their last seven EIHL games; a feat they also did in 15 days either side of the Christmas and New Year period. A 10-3 loss at Dundee started that particular sequence, and that is my low point pick of the season.

Player of the Season: Only one player for me stood head and shoulders above, and that was the 11th pick of the opening round in the 2000 NHL Draft - way before the great Henrik Lundqvist - by the 'Hawks. That man, Pavel Vorobyev. The Russian picked up 51 points in 50 games and for a team that didn't have the greatest of seasons, it's pretty damn impressive isn't it? An excellent pick up by Scott Neil and the Caps backroom team.

Anything else? 2017-18 season will see the Capitals change even more. Player-Coach Michal Dobron has left for Ligue Magnus side Brest, and in his replacement is almost 900 game (regular and play-offs) NHLer Dimitri Khristich. And he's brought a lot of Russians with him. Whilst gives the Caps increased optimism, part of me is cynical in wondering how the Russians will adapt to the usual North American style of play here and if they will settle in the UK overall. Will Khristich last the season? I have doubts...


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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 39

Welcome once again to the end of season reflections, and the second one this particular week. We're just past the halfway point with this latest review and it features a team that a lot of people seem to have a very soft spot for too. Number five in the series, it's Marc LeFebvre's Dundee Stars.

Season in summary: Dundee had a bit of topsy-turvy season again but started to really find some form in the final couple of months of the campaign. They continued to make strides in the play-offs, dispatching the much more fancied Clan quite easily it has to said in the quarter final before taking on the Devils in the first semi-final. Stars led that 2-0 after the first period and despite being outshot: it took an empty netter to see them off. 

Performance of the Season: It's always difficult to pick out a stand out showing for a team you don't watch that much all season, and Dundee are no exception to the rule here. However, we're picking the 4-0 home shutting out of the Steelers as our stand out showing in the Stars' season. Inspired by a brace from Vinny Scarsella and some exceptional goaltending from former NHL draft pick Joe Fallon; it's hard to argue another game was close to matching it.

Low point of the Season: We're going for one of the few times that the Stars were shut out in the campaign; that being the 6-0 road loss at Belfast. Clearly shortbenched, the Stars were slain good and proper by Derrick Walser's men. Stars had only 17 shots on goal that night and found themselves five goals behind by the end of two periods. It certainly was not the best way to start 2017; but it certainly acted as a reality check.

Player of the Season: I could have gone for Scarsella who had a remarkable 70 plus point season but I've chosen a player that really impressed in his EIHL debut campaign. That player is Felix-Antoine Poulin. The 26 year old French-Canadian was picked up by LeFebvre from ECHL side Alaska Aces and certainly did not disappoint with a remarkable 21 goals in regular season games. Even better when you realise that Poulin is a defenceman! At the moment, he remains unsigned for the 2017-18 season but is racking up the points in the AIHL this summer.

Anything else? Question marks were raised after the play-offs whether or not the Stars were going to be part of the Elite League structure due to apparent financial concerns. However these seem to have been resolved and 2017-18 will see them compete in their eighth season at the top table. LeFebvre will again be re-shaping his squad as Fallon has gone back to the ECHL and he's also seen Justin Faryna and highly rated GB defenceman Craig Moore move south to league champions Cardiff. The pick up of Travis Fullerton to replace Fallon and the acquisition of Taylor Dickin are good building blocks to start with. It'll be interesting to see who else follows...

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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 38

First of a double header so to speak this week as we do a couple of end of season reviews. This one will be uploaded today, Sunday, with the second one to appear some time in midweek. The last one we featured was the red snowball known as Cardiff; this particular one is devoted to the Coventry Blaze.

Season in summary: Under the tutelage of former fan favourite Danny Stewart, big things were expected in the SkyDome after more seasons of underachievement. However, Stewart found out to his cost that Blaze need a massive rebuild in order to get back to the glory days which saw them pick up four Elite League titles. The team once more again failed to make the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup and had a dismal league season which saw them finish ninth overall thereby they were on the golf course by the end of March. An absolute nightmare if you're a Blaze fan.

Performance of the Season: The one result that sticks out more than any, was one that I wasn't actually at. Blaze probably produced a performance which if they had repeated a bit more often; would have seen them make the post-season play offs. It was of course the 4-1 win in Sheffield. Steelers were admittedly woeful that day, eyes probably on the Challenge Cup Final 24 hours later, but Blaze actually turned up. Matt Marquardt, TJ Syner and Brett Robinson all had a multiple point night and Brian Stewart turned away 37 out of 38 shots. A rare bright moment.

Low point of the Season: For a Blaze fan, the question should be answered with where do you want to start? There were a number of poor performances which contributed to what happened in the final analysis. FSB has looked at the results and we're picking out the 8-2 away defeat at Edinburgh in November which finished off a blank three match Scottish road trip. The two sides both had 34 shots on goal but Blaze's defence was more porous. Considering the Caps finished 10th out of 10, this result speaks volumes.

Player of the Season: For once in these reviews, this is actually a joint award which tells you where we are going with it. Marquardt blew hot and cold at times, which is the same you can say for Robinson too in my eyes. The Blaze choice goes to the two cousins, Syner and Barry Almeida. Coming into a side weeks into a season takes some doing; but these two guys took to it well and take them out of the equation then Coventry would have struggled even more. They could have finished last easily. It's a surprise they're not back this season.

Anything else? As stated above, it's a big shock that the two cousins are not returning in 2017-18 as they were stand out players for Danny Stewart. Another rebuild is needed, and it will be strange also not to see Brian Stewart in between the pipes for them as he's moved to Elite League newcomers Guildford. With just one trophy in the last seven seasons, it's been barren times in the West Midlands. Something has to change, and sharpish at that methinks. Stewart could be looking his coaching shoulder if things don't improve.

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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 37

We've done the Giants and the Clan, and now it's time for the third team in this series of nine. Featuring this time out are the team that most teams could not find a way past all season, it's Andrew Lord's Cardiff Devils. 

Season in summary: Now where do we start? It wasn't a bad old season for the Devils fans was it? Four trophies up for grabs, and three of them are in a trophy cabinet at Ice Arena Wales. After numerous blank seasons, the Devils finally rose from their slumbers and proceeded to steamroller over all and sundry in the 2016-17 season. Everything clicked for the new roster, and you couldn't begrudge them it. It was a campaign that fans, players and officials in Cardiff are never ever going to forget. In short, it was a season that could you might have only seen in a Boy's Own comic. The stuff of dreams.

Performance of the Season: It was a season that provided many highlights both on home ice at IAW but also on the road too. However one result has to stand out more than other and that was the 6-2 win in Sheffield which clinched the Devils their first league title for 20 years. The huge Red Army contingent that night certainly had a night that will live long in the memory for years to come.

Low point of the Season: Some might say the play off final against the Steelers was a low point as it denied the Devils a Grand Slam (yes, it would have been a proper one Nottingham) but I digress. I'm going to go for a rare league loss and what a loss it was too, Devils being shut out by the Panthers 8-0 and in IAW.  A game where Brian McGrattan finally came to life.

Player of the Season: As it was one of those seasons, it is so damn hard to pick a Devil that stood out more than anyone. From the forwards, a well organised defence and quality netminding: Devils had it all. But if you are going to push me for one, I'm going to surprise you all by picking player-coach Lord for this. He recruited the roster and was a part of it. Hats off to Andrew eh?

Anything else? After such a remarkable season, the question remains can the Devils continue their new dynasty and keep the trophies a rolling in South Wales? Or will they become one season wonders like the Panthers of 2012-13? My gut instinct tells me that this is a Devils dynasty which will continue to pick up trophies even if they might not have seasons like 2016-17 again. They will do the EIHL proud in the CHL, and depending how that pans out then this will have a good bearing on their 2017-18 domestic form.

In the next one, we shift our attentions to the Coventry Blaze.

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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 36

Time for the second in this small series of end of season reflections. We've looked back on the Belfast Giants in the first of the nine; it's now time to focus our attentions onto the Gardiner Conference Champions: the Braehead Clan.

Season in summary: Once more the Clan had the ability to deliver the first real silverware to the fanatical Purple Army, but once more they failed to do so and had to instead had their fourth Gardiner Conference title in five seasons. This was despite having three of the top four points scorers in the EIHL in their ranks. Braehead certainly could have won something more than the Conference title but blew too hot and cold when the pressure was really on. That resulted in the change documented later on.

Performance of the Season: As a non-Clan fan it's hard to probably pick out one result that stands out more than the other since the majority of their wins were Conference ones. However, I'm going to go for the 5-2 home win over the Panthers where netminder Gary Russell recorded his first win on his first home start.

Low point of the Season: Even though the losses to Edinburgh were hard to take, I'm picking out the play-off quarter final against Dundee as my low point of the Clan season. Clan lost both matches and were shut out in the second leg; which denied them a place in the final four. Not that this stopped the Purple Army having a party in Nottingham though as usual.

Player of the Season: Picking a player of the season was a case of which one of the three deserved. Scott Pitt scored the goals whilst Matt Beca and Alex Leavitt provided excellent support to him. I'm going to go for Beca, a man who has put points up constantly throughout his career. Whether he features next season is still unknown; but I'd keep him.

Anything else? Like Belfast, Clan will have a new man behind the bench next season. Ryan Finnerty is gone after three seasons at the helm, and replacing him is 40 year old Canadian/German John Tripp who undertakes his first full campaign as a head coach. A veteran of nearly 600 DEL games as a player, Clan fans will be hoping this twice NHL drafted guy will be the man they want to deliver glory to them. It's going to be interesting...

In the third edition, we feature the Cardiff Devils.

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From The Editor's Chair - Edition 35

In the next nine Editor's columns, I'm going to look back on what the season just ended was for the other teams. A bit of a review of the season just gone but non-Steeler related. We're gonna kick it off this week with a look back on the 2016-17 season for the Belfast Giants.

Season in summary: Even though the Giants didn't win anything, it was a better season than the 2015-16 season for the Teal Army. If it wasn't for those Devils, Giants could have easily ended up with some kind of silverware in the Odyssey boardroom. Even though the roster was pretty much the same as it has been over the last few years with veterans such as Shields, Garside and Murphy still icing, the Giants really looked like they were starting to buy into Derrick Walser. However, I think losing Jackson Whistle to injury played a crucial part into why they didn't win anything as when he played - the son of Dave - looked a future starting netminder for years to come for club and GB.

Performance of the Season: It has the double road win in late January where Giants literally killed off the Steelers title challenge with a 5-2 triumph (they led 5-0 at one stage) on the Saturday and a more tense 5-4 win 24 hours later. 

Low point of the season: One of the losses which stands out is the 9-5 road loss in Fife where Giants had done superbly to erase a 4-1 to lead 5-4 inside the first two minutes of the final period. However the wheels fell off again that evening, as Fife scored five unanswered of their own to win a crazy hockey game.

Player of the Season: Signed initially as the team's secondary enforcer after Matt Nickerson, Blair Riley certainly excelled in his first season in teal.  The Kamloops native led the team in scoring as a right wing power forward, notching 28 goals and assists for 56 points in 52 EIHL games. He also added 7 more goals and 11 assists for 18 points in the Challenge Cup and Play-Offs. Riley will be back next season as he completes his second year of study in the Northern Irish capital. Certainly one to keep a close eye upon.

Anything else? The 2017-18 season will see Giants under new stewardship off ice. Gone is Derrick Walser for pastures yet unknown after two seasons. The new coach isn't exactly a new face to the Teal Army; as popular captain Adam Keefe swaps his skates for a suit behind the bench. The Brampton native, who had worn the "C" for the last five seasons, now becomes the tenth coach in the Giants history. He's said he'll lace them up again though, but it will have to be an injury crisis for that to happen. Good luck Keefer...


Next edition, we review the Braehead Clan.

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From The Editor's Chair - Episode 32

I'm going to finish my personal column this season with some reflections back on it. There's been a few highlights and a few low ones too, as you can imagine because if we won all the time then people would be bored and predictable. So sit down and see if these thoughts reconcile with you. Sorry for the length of the article though...

The season kicked in for us in mid August when we had a couple of pre-season scrimmages with Danes Aalborg Pirates, conveniently arranged through Mr Thompson's contacts there no less. Pretty competitive workouts and the first look at the newly assembled squad; and wasn't that interesting with Mike Ratchuk getting stuck in when some Dane roughed up one of ours? I remember coming out of Ice Sheffield thinking, blimey that new number 44 looks a bit keen and feisty!

Aalborg's game was a warm up for the upcoming Champions Hockey League a few days after and it took a couple of late goals in the final 10 minutes to seal the deal for the Swedes after Steelers had them on the ropes at 3-3. What unravelled us was the next game was just two days away, and a lengthy trip from southern Sweden to Austria. Not exactly a short hop for a couple of stops is it? Er, no. We held it to 1-0 at the end of twenty but then fatigue kicked in big time daddio, especially in the third to concede four and crash 8-1. I wonder if Panthers and Devils will get this kinda schedule next year. Let us watch that one carefully...

The return games back in Sheffield were good, and to be honest I enjoyed them better than the previous year's against Frolunda HC and JYP. HV71 schooled us on how to run a powerplay in game three of the group games, they won 5-2 and all five came on the man advantage. We did compete and you know, I felt comfortable and happy with the roster. Loved HV71 and their supporters so much I've been back since on an independent trip (non-CHL) and come back with the shirt...you'll have seen me in the jersey in the Arena - some think it looks like a Panthers top but it's not!

I really started to feel more confident about the team after the return with Red Bull, for that night we stood as one and we battered them even if they had a usual back up starting. Steelers came off to thunderous applause and a 5-2 win. New signing Jesse Schultz scored a hat-trick which made most of us think, me certainly, that we had found a sniper at last after seasons of searching following Joey Talbot's departure. How wrong we were eventually...

The team changed a bit over the season. We lost Tyler Mosienko jfirst , as he exercised an option in his contract extension to leave if a better offer came in. As much as players come and players go, I think we never really replaced Tyler. He had an uncanny knack of making plays happen when least expected and had an energy level that just seemed to go on and on like a Duracell bunny as I sometimes referred to him. Tyler's replacement came was Yared Hagos, an experienced Swedish internationalist, and I can't really say he was a replacement because the style played by each was completely different. He certainly looks like Theopoulis P Wildbeeste from the 80s TV comedy "The Lenny Henry Show" - just google and see.

Just before Christmas, we released Schultz. Although he was averaging a point a game prior his departure, that does not tell the real picture. He had a few niggles, like all hockey players do, but he was "missing" in games and wasn't up to expectations: especially after the CHL hat-trick mentioned above. After what seemed an age, we replaced him with Geoff Walker who had scored fun for Fassa HC in the Alps League. Walker, as time went on, got used to the Thompson/Andersson systems worked and in a certain game really was at his best. Finally, on deadline day Christoffer Bjorklund went back to Mora and we asked Rod Sarich back as injury cover. Due to Mike Ratchuk's unfortunate hand injury, Rod ended playing the rest of the season on the blue line.

As for everyone, Moose was fantastic. I don't care what Corey Neilson thinks, because he's a deluded Panther from down the M1, but Moose is better than Miika Wiikman. Granted Wiikman had very little defence in front of times and had to bail them out; but then again so did Moose for us. The defence as a whole for us was a weak point, Zack was steady and dependable as ever, "Shaggy" (David Phillips) improved as games went on after an uncertain start, Ben (O'Connor) was offensive as ever but developing a decent two way game but none of the others really stood out. Franzon was simple but to his own strengths, whilst Coyle didn't look comfy on occasions. Ratchuk, I think has untapped potential.

Up top, we had a few bit of scoring with four players topping 20 goals in the league campaign, but then secondary scoring dried up: Levi Nelson's 18 being the next best. Talking about Nelson, and his "Bash Brother" (Robert Dowd): how much did they miss the absence of Swede Andreas Valdix on their line when the latter was injured? Valdix missed 20 league games, that's a lot. When those three were together, they glued stronger than Loctite and were imperious. Imagine what could have been achieved if Valdi played a full season? Gets you thinking...

So onto the season itself. League first, and if ever a couple of words could describe it then "Consistently inconsistent" would be them. Cardiff were deserved winners in the end but we could have been much more closer, maybe overtaken them, if we hadn't hit too many bumps in the road proverbially speaking. The home double header defeat in January against the Giants, the Christmas blank against an average Bears (I couldn't resist mentioning the Bear, sorry) roster as prime examples and that's eight points down the drain which if taken would have given us the title on regulation wins. That much of a difference, and history could have been made.

Challenge Cup, a competition that many of us (including me) despise with a passion. Up to recently we should have renamed it the Nottingham Bears Cup due to their dominance they had it in. We made the Final in Cardiff, which reminds me "Todd (Kelman), sort out some public mobile reception in IAW and/or wi-fi. Thanks!", and we did kinda alright for the first period then we let the Devils snowball slowly steamroll us. Five shots on Bowns in the second and third periods combined is abysmal, sorry but it is. We were lucky Moose was on hand to stop an absolute drubbing, 3-2 flattered us.

Now the play-offs, and you would have not thought what did happen would happen after the first twenty minutes in Nottingham at the quarter final first leg stage as we trailed 4-0, yes I repeat 4-0! We rallied and left on April Fool's night 5-2 behind. Three goals to pull back at home, that's a task and half we thought but we took it back to them and despite Wiikman's accidental injury (anyone who thinks otherwise, you're deluded as Corey) we were 4-0 up with eight seconds left until Chris Lawrence levelled. But it seemed to inspire the boys to more and when Desbiens scored that winner at 61:39 the roof almost came off of the old building. Quite simply the most sensational game ever there.

Semi-Final against the Giants and I admit it we were so cautious it was unreal but we saw them off despite being out-shot. Then could we stop that snowball once and for all? What followed now remains the best memory ever. Cardiff score early, we level not long after but two more goals have Cardiff up by 3-1. Staring like the barrel of a gun I thought but we take it to them and finish it 5-4 ahead after the second. Remarkable. 

Devils pull it to 5-5 then Moose and Bownsy are in clinic mode, save after save. It goes to overtime, then double overtime and we're just over five minutes left of that (bearing it's now 8pm, four hours play and ice cut time) when Nelson; bless his orange socks; winds up one effort despite playing damn hurt (turns out at the end he's been playing this hurt for six damn weeks!) and it sails over Bownsy and lights that red lamp. Steelers fans go mental, I end up with a nose bleed as if Brian McGrattan had decided to lump ten bells out of me, and the rest of the Arena is stunned with the rest of the Cardiff team. Quite simply the best hockey game I've ever been to and I know many will agree.

And that was my hockey season, 2016-17. How was yours?

Starting later this week, I'll relaunch "The Elite Report" on an ad-hoc basis so we can track the team roster updates as they happen. I'm including Edinburgh, Dundee and Fife until as we know.

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