On the Road Again…

Written for http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/

My first match of the season involved a trip to Glasgow, home of the Braehead Clan, to view THEIR first match of the season, against the Dundee Stars. My partner is crime and I proudly wore our Vipers jerseys and garnered a fair few double takes around Braehead Arena as we took our seats, as Clan fans presumably wondered for a second if they had gone back in time to last season. However they couldn’t have been nicer to us. Hands were shaken, regrets expressed, and welcomes extended, and for that I would like to thank them. It reminded me once again of what a great community British ice hockey fans have built.

I was anticipating a close run game; of the four Scottish sides active in the Elite League this year, with the best will in the world, these are the only two who are likely to be really competitive in the league. Could one of the two step it up to compete with the big boys, rather than scrapping for seventh or eighth place? It was time to find out what they had in their respective tanks. Having played two games already I expected Dundee to be the more organised of the two sides, and more disciplined. I was quickly proven wrong.

Ooh look at the lovely shiny ice! And those proud moments just prior to face-off, on your first game of the season. Doesn’t it just get you right there (tap yourself near the heart now, please).

Bosh!

Wow. What a start to a season! The Clan boys had clearly had their spinach prior to the game – the phrase ‘all guns blazing’ barely covers it. Dundee simply weren’t ready and they bore the brunt of the fire that was burning under the Clan’s rear ends, players scattered left, right and centre by returner Kyle Bruce who was baying for blood. Bosh! The crowd flinched collectively in sympathy for his hapless victims before nodding, impressed. What a dude. New import Brock McPherson and Ryan Campbell also came out fighting and Braehead instantly put themselves on the map, their physicality too much for Dundee and surely enough to compete with the likes of Cardiff and Nottingham.

New boys and old combined to form some seriously strong attacking lines and Clan kept their shape well, the skill level not sacrificed for the sake of high intensity, and the goals came, two of them in the first period, the first from the stick of Vince Connon following a piece of incredible individual skill from former Panther Jade Galbraith, and the second scored on the breakaway by captain Jordan Krestanovich, who looks as though he is going to show his quality right from the off this season.

The second period things levelled out and the game became more competitive, Dundee pulling out all the stops to impose themselves on Braehead and interrupt their attacking flow. And it worked, to an extent. The period was scoreless and it looked as though the tides may be turning, Dundee’s two-game advantage starting to show. However going into the third period it was clear that something still needed work in the Stars’ camp. Repeated failed powerplay attempts left them looking completely clueless and it was no real surprise that Braehead took full advantage, scoring not one but two goals short-handed, the first of which an outstanding solo effort from Jim Jorgenson, who looks like a handy attacking defencemen and is definitely one to watch. The wheels came off then for Dundee, gaping holes in their defence exposed, and the game was pretty much over when Adam Walker scored the fifth with just 10 minutes left on the clock; it was something of an anti-climax from that point on.

Finntastic

Both netminders had their moments tonight; Dundee’s Chris Whitley soaked up much of Braehead’s early pressure but tired in the third and was switched out in a bid to halt the Clan’s rampant assault on his goal. On the other hand, brand spanking new goaltender Jaakko Suomalainen shone between the pipes for the Clan, his defences impenetrable, his speed and dexterity matched only by his awesome dress sense and the fact that he resembles the guitarist from a band I used to be in, and the fact his name was just written to be put in a song (think ‘hi ho silver lining’). The Finn vied with Krestanovich, Bruce and Galbraith as the game’s stand-out player and looks set to become a fan favourite in Glasgow.

Team Stripey

Maybe it’s because I’m technically a neutral now so my passions aren’t running as deep, but I genuinely thought the guys in black and white had a good game tonight, keeping a lid on the tensions and only missing one key decision (as far as my fledgling rules knowledge could see) – a case for boarding on Jim Jorgenson early in the third period – but other than that Hanson and his team did a solid job and left us considering our allegiances – perhaps now we don’t have a team we should invest in some black and white striped shirts and support the referees? They don’t get much love now, do they. Okay okay, it was just a thought – please stop throwing things at your screen.

Cuddles

Ah Jade Galbraith. How do I like to gently mock you? Let me count the ways: he has a girl’s name. He is fond of an all-you-can-eat buffet. And he clearly likes to have a good time, possibly to the detriment of his career (these are statements of fact, people, fact). I saw plenty of Mr Galbraith last season – it wasn’t hard, there’s plenty to see, after all – and there was never any denying his skill. He has it in spades, and if Clan fans were in any doubt about his commitment or whether or not he was really worth the money, he silenced them tonight. Well, actually the opposite. I’d say they seemed quite pleased with him, in fact. His part in the first goal was sublime, he had many moments of genius, and he even invented a new check, the figure-skating check, somehow taking out a Stars player with something akin to a triple toe loop. Frankly, he’s pure class. I’ll admit he’s not the most, um, athletic of gentlemen. In fact it could be said that he’s, well, a tad on the rotund side. Diplomatic enough? I think so. But he seems quite unconcerned by his ample abdominal area if truth be told, and I found myself hypnotically drawn to his protruding middle, much the same as I was drawn to a certain man’s beard last season. I have therefore made it my mission to get a Jade cuddle before this season is out.

I don’t intend to ask him for one of course, that would be far too easy. It will instead be a sort of attempted sneak attack. Possibly from behind. I will just have to really hope he appreciates the thought otherwise I might get a punch in the face. Watch this space. It won’t be empty for long.

Impressed, much?

So yeah. Braehead Clan. I am impressed. The test will come of course, when they face the likes of Belfast and Nottingham, but I was very encouraged by what I saw. They still have the not inconsiderable experience of Mike Bayrack to add to their ranks, the Canadian defenceman a late arrival due to visa complications. It was also unusual for us not to see Vipers’ own Sammy Zajac spending a good 30 minutes on the ice based on last season’s experience, but then we remembered that Clan have a full squad – luxury!! He didn’t ice for long on Saturday but made few mistakes and acquitted himself well; the lad should come on a bomb his season with the experience around him.

So that’s me. I told you I write a lot. I hope you found it at least mildly entertaining, and I will attempt to bring you more nuggets of wisdom in the weeks and months to come. As well as detailed reports of my progress in Mission: Cuddle Jade. See you soon!