The Finishing Touches: Part 2 – Gardiner Conference

First published on 31/08/2012 on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/

Yesterday I considered the completed squads of the Erhardt Conference. Today I will be moving metaphorically north of the border (and also popping eastward-bound to Hull) to weigh up the most recent additions to the sides of The Gardiner Conference, where it could be said that in general, perhaps unsurprisingly due a comparative lack of funds, things have moved a little more slowly in terms of getting bums on benches. But teams have been building slowly but surely as the coaches have taken their time assessing who’s available and at what cost, and particularly in recent weeks, the sides who were lagging behind have finally been nailing down new blood in addition to securing familiar faces. 

Braehead Clan

Braehead’s bid to top the Gardiner conference has been strengthened with the addition of prolific sniper Ash Goldie from the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL and the surprise signing of Garrett Zemlak, who last season tended goal for rivals the Fife Flyers. Zemlak will undoubtedly be as popular in Glasgow as he was in Fife, and another rival team member in Steelers’ Steve Birnstill bolsters the Clan’s defensive ranks; basically a straight switch by coach Jordan Krestanovich for the departing Jim Jorgenson.

The signings of Bobby Chaumont, who returns having played in the Clan’s inaugural season, and Canadian defenceman Matt Hanson from the CHL, were followed by the signing last week of tough Brit Rob Farmer. Farmer, who had been linked with a move to Kazakhstan earlier in the summer, comes to the Clan after talks turned sour with former club Coventry Blaze, and will provide some much-needed grit.

Despite some decent-looking signings, I think too many people are assuming the conference title is Braehead’s to lose. I don’t think they will have it all their own way, as their rivals are picking up some good signings and may have some surprises in store for the Glasgow side. However, lest we forget, the Clan do still boast arguably the most talented player to have graced the league in recent years in Jade Galbraith, and with the mantle of assistant coach furthering his responsibility with the club, there’s no doubt Galbraith will hope to have a season as strong as his last for Braehead.

THE SQUAD:

New: Ryan Watt (Slough Jets), Mitch Maunu (US College), Ash Goldie, Garrett Zemlak, Bobby Chaumont, Steve Birnstill, Matt Hanson, Rob Farmer

Returning: Krestanovich, McPherson, Galbraith, Campbell, Walker, Zajac, Haywood, Will, K Phillips, Russell, Fulton

Dundee Stars 

All seems fairly rosy on Tayside as new player-coach Jeff Hutchins has been progressing his squad at a decent pace, making a number of new signings as well as securing a number of British players already familiar with the Stars set-up. Netminding looked to be a problem as Chris Whitley re-signed, then swiftly changed his mind after securing a move to the CHL. Into his place steps Nic Riopel, a young French Canadian goaltender, drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers and with a few AHL games under his belt, who looks to be an interesting prospect between the sticks for the Stars.

A large number of local lads have committed their futures to the Stars giving Hutchins some depth, and most recently the signing of Finnish forward Sami Ryhanen, who ended last season with the Nottingham Panthers, will give the Stars fans hope about things to come. A clutch of lower league North Americans will look to improve on the efforts of last season’s squad, led by Brent Hughes, who struggled to make an impression in the league. Replacing the outgoing Jarrett Konkle and Mark Kolanos up front, the experience of American forward Billy Bagron and Braehead’s Mike Wirll, who showed promise last season, signing late on for the Clan, but will look to become a key part of the Stars set-up from day one this season. In defence, Pat Bowen and Doug Krantz will seek to improve on the disappointing efforts of the likes of Brennan Turner and Chris Zarb.

THE SQUAD:

New: Greg Moore, Jack Watkins, Vince Connon, Billy Bagron, Pat Bowen, Mike Wirll, Matt Baxter, Nic Riopel, Doug Krantz, Sami Ryhanen

Returning: Hutchins, McIntosh, McGill, MacLean, McCluskey, Harper, Forsyth, Smith, Topping, Hogan, Holland

Edinburgh Capitals

Richard Hartmann’s side were worryingly quiet during the early part of the summer but have picked up their heels in recent weeks and have begun to construct a team for the season ahead. As with last season, there is a heavy presence of Eastern European players; fresh in from the Slovakian league comes the Caps’ starting netminder for the season, young Slovakian national under 20 player Tomas Hiadlovsky, who has been playing in his home country for his entire playing career, and their most recent signing, the more experienced defenceman Michal Dobron, who played last season for Bratislava, although he spent most of his earlier career in the competitive Czech leagues. He has also played for the Czech Republic national side. Slovakian forward Peter Holecko also re-signs for the season.

The sole North American signing for Hartmann is Jade Portwood, a college graduate who will bring the enthusiasm of youth as he takes up his first pro position in Edinburgh.

The Capitals still fall a good distance short of the 11 import quota and with time ticking away until the start of the season it seems unlikely they will come close to filling that quota. Instead they will rely on homegrown talent and hope to secure a few late signings to bolster their ranks. If they are unable to do this, with the improvement in the squads around them they may find this a very long season indeed.

THE SQUAD:

New: Tomas Hiadlovsky, Michal Benadik, Jade Portwood, Jay King, Michal Dobron

Returning: Hartmann, Steel, Goldie, Zembergs, McIntyre, Holecko, Nicolson, Holland, Gautschi

Fife Flyers

Last season Fife, like Edinburgh, did not fill their import quota and although they appear to be heading for a similar fate this season, their quality of import has improved, on paper at least, and this promises to be a stronger campaign for the Elite League’s newest members. They have relied solely on North American lower league players to fill their import spots; amongst them some real gems, including young Canadian brothers Bryan and Jason Pitton, who become the second set of brothers in the Elite League this season, joining the Leebs of Coventry (between them making up for the lack of brothers in the league last season, the last set being the Hemingways of Belfast in 2010/11). Older brother Jason brings significant AHL experience which will prove invaluable to Todd Dutiaume’s side, whilst younger brother Bryan, has posted decent numbers in the ECHL for the past few seasons.

The brothers are the jewels in the crown of Dutiaume’s side this season, which has also recently seen the addition of two CHL players in 22 year old defenceman Zach Carriveau, and Canadian winger Kris Hogg, both of whom have plenty to prove in Kirkcaldy. Dutes has also signed Casey Haines, an American forward who played junior hockey with Nottingham Panthers’ Pat Galivan – in Arkansas, of all places (don’t say I don’t ever bring you exciting facts about new imports!). As ever the Flyers are building a family of players who the fans will come to love as they look to build upon a promising first season in the league.

THE SQUAD:

New: Derek Keller, Jeff Caister, Zach Carriveau, Bryan Pitton, Casey Haines, John Dolan, Jason Pitton, Kris Hogg

Returning: Dutiaume, Stewart, Gunn, Wands, Wilson, McAlpine, Scoon, Muir, Horne

Hull Stingrays

With finances stabilised under new ownership, the only English side in the Gardiner conference have made steady progress throughout the summer and laid down the gauntlet to their conference rivals, filling all 11 import spots and bringing back the core of their team from the last two seasons in Silverthorn, Tendler and Captain Kurtis Dulle. Since I last examined Hull’s signing activity, they have added an out-and-out tough guy to their ranks in the shape of 27 year old Canadian Ryan Hand, a young, gutsy fighter who comes in as a replacement for the departing Derek Campbell.

Other new signings include Canadian winger Cale Tanaka, a relatively unknown quantity with mainly college experience and coming in off the back of two seasons curtailed due to injury, and giant defenceman Jeff Smith: most recently playing for the Hague in Holland, he will be known to Elite League fans from the 2010/11 season when he played with Coventry Blaze.

This season will be a good test for Sylvain Cloutier: after the success of last season in which he steered his side to the play-off final weekend, he will be looking to repeat that success as well as challenging for the conference title, as he will look to show the league from the off that Braehead do not have the Gardiner trophy in the bag.

THE SQUAD:

New: Ben Bowns, Janis Ozolins, Chris Sykes, Shane Lovdahl, Tomas Valecko, Ryan Hand, Sam Towner, Andy Ward, Cale Tanaka, Jeff Smith, Scott Robson

Returning: Silverthorn, Cloutier, Tendler, Dulle, Osman, Davies

The Finishing Touches: Part 1 – Erhardt Conference

First published on 30/08/2012 on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/

How time flies when your country’s hosting an Olympics.

Drowning in a sea of golden moments, hockey couldn’t have been further from my mind these last few weeks but one can’t fail to respond when a cursory glance at a calendar tells you that the new Elite League season begins in less than a week’s time.

It’s crept up on me unawares and I’ve snapped out of my gold-tinged fantasy to catch up on the latest from around the Elite League, as coaches and owners go about finalising their squads ready to take on the new campaign.

It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice that a number of sides have stacked their ranks up with big, physical players – particularly in the southern conference where coincidentally or not, sides seem to be matching like for like – anything you can do, they cry, we can do better.

Twitter has been littered in recent weeks with YouTube link after YouTube link of new EIHL players squaring off against one another. Yes, it promises to be one of the most physical seasons we have seen in some time and fans will be agog from the first minutes of the friendly games, let alone the season proper – watching for the first signs of conflict, the first attempts to establish dominance, the first statement of intent (some would argue this took place in last night’s ‘friendly’ clash between the  Cardiff Devils and Coventry Blaze).

However, physical or no, there will be a great deal of skill on display in the forthcoming season, the level of quality arguably significantly greater than in recent seasons, with real NHL experience scattered throughout the league as well as players from Germany, Sweden and Austria – all leagues considered to be higher in quality than our Elite League. It looks to be a season of depth, as many teams seek to balance a strong British contingent with dynamic new import talent, combining players with years of British league experience with new faces from both Europe and North America. So without further ado, let’s have a look at the latest additions to our fair league, the veritable cherries on top of the almost perfect hockey-shaped pies – and for the first time ordered by their shiny new conference titles!

THE ERHARDT CONFERENCE

Belfast Giants

When we last visited Belfast, Doug Christiansen had the most still to do with a massive 8 imports left to sign. However Giants fans had nothing to worry about, as signing news came thick and fast throughout July and August, with the import roster completed just last week. A host of fine import talent has joined the league champions and their title defending side looks a strong one, balancing the vast experience of NHL star Greg Stewart and former Giant Rob Sandrock with young talent like Andrew Fournier who comes to the Giants off the back of a brilliant season in the Swedish Elite League in which he racked up an impressive 27 goals from 40 appearances.

Christiansen has gone boldly where no EIHL coach has gone before, continuing in his quest to sign up players under 6 feet tall, throwing fuel on the fire of the rumour that he has a complex about not being the tallest man in a room, and that Mike Hoffman was only signed because he was sitting down at the time. Yes, it’s another smaller than average side; Stewart, Will Colbert and most recently Brock Matheson the only new players over six feet tall, but with the retention of Adam Keefe and Darryl Lloyd there is no sign that the Giants intend to roll over this season, and what they lack in stature they will continue to make up for in tenacity. And players called Brock.

THE SQUAD:

New: David Phillips, Matt Towe, Noah Clarke, Daymen Rycroft, Will Colbert, Sam Roberts, Greg Stewart, Scott Champagne, Rob Sandrock, Andrew Fournier, Brock Matheson

Returning: Murphy, Keefe, Lloyd, Garside, Peacock, Walton, Roberts, Dickson

Cardiff Devils

When we last caught up with the Devils, Gerad Adams was already close to completing his roster. He has since re-signed and re-appointed popular captain Stuart Macrae, in addition to possibly his most controversial signing of the summer, Devin DiDiomete, who for a young man of just 24 comes with considerable high-level experience, having played in excess of 170 AHL games including a full season for Connecticut Whale in 2010/11. Didiomete, affectionately known as ‘Deeds’, has already made his presence felt via Twitter, winding up all and sundry with less tact than an elephant at a funeral, and undoubtedly placing himself top of the hitlist for most of the tough guys in the Elite League, particularly those at rivals Coventry Blaze.  

Whether Didiomete will adapt to the British game remains to be seen; he has been drafted in seemingly as a replacement for Brad Voth and if nothing else, he certainly promises to be as divisive amongst Elite League fans as the mighty Vother once was  – what is yet to become apparent is whether his own fans will warm to his abrasive personality or not. Topping off the pile of Welsh import talent is Jamie Milam, an attacking defenceman with stacks of ECHL and CHL experience behind him. Cardiff have a wealth of experience to call upon this season along with size and toughness – hallmarks of Adams’ style of play – and they will once again be difficult to beat, particularly on their own turf.

THE SQUAD:

New: Phil Osaer, Tyson Marsh, Mac Faulkner, Chris Blight, Piggott, Bari McKenzie, Devin DiDiomete, Jamie Milam

Returning: Adams, Birbraer, Batch, Hill, Harding, K Smith, M Smith, Davies, Macrae

Coventry Blaze

Earlier in the summer Coventry were the team grabbing all the headlines as they snapped up an eye-catching array of early signings, however they have stuttered in recent weeks and these are days of uncertainty in the previously confident Blaze camp as news emerged just over a week ago of the rejection of winger Mike Danton’s visa application. It’s safe to say that without having set foot on the ice yet this season, Danton is already a fan favourite and his experience and skill would be a big loss to the team. At the time of writing, fingers and toes are all crossed for Danton’s safe passage to the UK.

Since we last caught up with Paul Thompson, he has made a collection of new signings, including a trio of Brits, two from the ENL side and one from the Dundee in Steven Chalmers. He completed his import quota by adding Greg Leeb’s brother Brad, who also played in the DEL last season, Mike Shutte, who played most recently in the Italian top league, and Dustin Cameron, a young forward fresh from the ECHL. The side lacks the quality Brits that some of the other Erhardt sides boast and the lack of depth may come back to bite them down the stretch, but with time to spare and toughness in spades there’s no denying the Blaze are a side to watch this season – they could be a dark horse and will certainly cause a few sleepless nights for the smaller, weaker sides in the Elite League.

THE SQUAD:

New: Sam Smith, Mike Danton, Gerome Giudice, Mike Egener, Benn Olson, Greg Leeb, Brad Leeb, Michael Schutte, Adam Goss, Matt Selby, Dustin Cameron, Steven Chalmers

Returning: Venus, Griffin, Guthrie, Cowley, Hirsch, Domish

Nottingham Panthers

Much of Panthers’ business was done early in the summer as they sought to secure the signatures of many of their team regulars. But Coach Neilson had a precious final few spots to fill, and he used the final import spots to bring in a collection of highly experienced players: two defencemen – Eric Werner, with a number of years in Europe behind him, and huge Czech presence Martin Tuma – along with forward David Ling who comes from a season in Italy, has been around the block and then some, and can surely claim to be the only Elite League player drafted by an NHL team who are no longer in existence (Quebec Nordiques).

I question Corey’s choices this year; letting Danny Meyers go in favour of Jonathan Weaver could prove to be a costly mistake and although they have some promising new import talent in Jason Beckett and Bruce Graham, Corey’s reliance on age and experience may be his undoing as the season wears on and younger legs carry the momentum. His trump card is the retention of the core of his team in goaltender Craig ‘K-Wall’ Kowalski and the cream of the UK’s ice hockey talent in such players as David Clarke, Matthew Myers and Rob Lachowicz. For me however, I don’t think it will be enough to compete at the level of the likes of the Giants and the Steelers, and I predict Corey will once again go without the league title he so dearly desires.

THE SQUAD:

New: Jonathan Weaver, Jason Beckett, Pat Galivan, Tom Norton, Bruce Graham, David Ling, Eric Werner, Martin Tuma, Sam Gospel

Returning: Neilson, Kowalski, Benedict, Francis, Green, Clarke, Fox, Levers, Lachowicz, Ward, Lee, Myers

Sheffield Steelers

Consistency is also key to Ryan Finnerty’s gameplan this season, the Steelers too having retained the services of their top-performing Brits, the like of Ashley Tait, Jason Hewitt and Mark Thomas.  I believe the key to  Sheffield’s pursuit of the conference title lies in the confidence of netminder John DeCaro  – will it be rocked from his less than convincing performance last season, or strengthened by his coach’s faith in him and the strength of the defence in front of him, along with the comfort of knowing the rinks and many of the players he will be facing up against? There’s no denying that a netminder with league experience is a valuable asset and DeCaro will be looking to hit the ground running.

Finnerty completed his collection of imports with a trio of strong Canadian signings: Shawn Limpright, a 31 year old forward with years of ECHL experience; Drew Fata, a 29 year old defenceman with  a wealth of AHL games under his belt and Steven Goertzen, 28, one of the strongest signings by any team this summer, with both NHL and AHL games on his impressive CV. The Steelers have strength in depth this season, and a variety of different styles of player – if they gel well together as a team, they will pose the current champions a serious threat. If Finnerty can show his mettle as a coach, watching from the bench as he will be this season, the title could be theirs to lose.

THE SQUAD:

New: Danny Meyers, Colin Shields, Jim Jorgenson, Danny Wood, Cory Pecker, Tylor Michel, Steven Goertzen, Shawn Limpright, Drew Fata

Returning: DeCaro, Hewitt, J Phillips, Esders, Thomas, Tait, Woolhouse, Stephenson, Legue, Sarich

TOMORROW: I take a closer look at the squads of the Gardiner Conference sides

Comings and Goings - Part 2

First published on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/ on 5th July 2012

Northern Conference

It is perhaps unsurprising that there is less to report in the way of signings when it comes to the Northern Conference, as teams on the whole have less to spend and will be playing the waiting game, seeing what they can get for their money and biding their time before making moves. However, here is a summary of where we are north (and slightly south-east) of the border.

Braehead Clan – Consistency the Key

The Clan have opted for stability and consistency in their dealings so far, re-signing numerous players, including pulling off the re-employment of much sought after forward Jade Galbraith who had been heavily rumoured to being joining either Sheffield or Coventry. However it seems the silkily-skilled Canadian is settled in Glasgow, although the temptation of the offer to become assistant coach may have played a part in his decision to remain at the Clan. The loss of Drew Bannister was a blow for the Glasgow side and the change in coaching staff is arguably the biggest challenge they will face this season, as well-loved Captain Jordan Krestanovich takes the reins for his first foray into coaching. His lack of experience will be a factor in Braehead’s assault on the northern conference title, which they are widely expected to take, but on his side he has the knowledge of many of the players around him, as in addition to himself and Galbraith, he can rely on key men from last season’s successful campaign, Brock McPherson and Ryan Campbell.

The only new imports to join Krestanovich’s Clan so far are Canadian defenceman Mitch Maunu who comes fresh from a stint in the US college system, another old adversary of Adam Keefe, who looks set to be a very busy enforcer this coming season. And just today the signing of Canadian forward Ash Goldie was announced, a proven goalscorer and will have Clan fans breathless with anticipation over the partnership he could build with Galbraith. The biggest question remaining for Clan fans is who will be between the sticks this season? Reviews were mixed on Jaakko Suomalainen and there has been no news of him having a potential future with the club. I see them signing an import netminder but who it will be remains a mystery, however I would not be surprised to see Krestanovich try to source a goalie with league experience, perhaps tempting Garrett Zemlak from Fife. Either way, the Clan are going to take some beating in the Northern Conference this season.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Watt (Slough Jets), Mitch Maunu (US College), Ash Goldie (ECHL)
Staying: Krestanovich, McPherson, Galbraith, Campbell, Walker, Zajac, Haywood, Will, K Phillips,
Out: Bannister

Total signed: 12 – 11 skaters, 1 netminder (6 Brit, 6 import)
Still to sign: 7 skaters, 1 netminder (5 import)

Dundee Stars – Slow But Sure

The Stars are the only side in the League other than Braehead to see a coaching change this season, as Brent Hughes returns to North America and Jeff Hutchins takes the reins. Another player new to coaching, I can’t help but worry for the Stars, who struggled at times without strong leadership last season and look set to continue down that road in this. So far there is no news on whether popular Stars imports from last season will make a return; the likes of Jarrett Konkle and Mark Kolanos not yet stating their intentions for the 2012/3 season. There are returns for a few of the local players as well as Canadian forward AJ MacLean, but despite the additions of Jack Watkins from Hull/Coventry and Vince Connon from Braehead, the only new import that has committed to the Stars so far is Greg Moore, a defenceman from the CHL who looks like a promising signing. Hutchins will need to secure a few more like him as well as a few returnees to pull together any semblance of a team capable of challenging for the northern conference this coming season. The recent re-signing of goaltender Chris Whitley is a trump card which will appease the fans whilst Hutchins goes about the rest of his business, and he will feel relieved to have a solid import netminder who already knows the club in place.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Greg Moore (CHL), Watkins (Hull), Connon (Braehead)
Staying: Hutchins, McIntosh, McGill, MacLean, McCluskey, Harper, Whitley
Out: Brent Hughes

Total signed: 10 – 8 skaters, 2 netminders (6 Brit, 4 import)
Still to sign: 10 skaters (7 import)

Edinburgh Capitals – All quiet on the Eastern front

The silence from the Capitals is deafening at the moment as Richard Hartmann, still in charge of the club, has not made many moves in the transfer market, his limited moves so far being the re-signing a handful of Brits and young Latvian winger Marcis Zembergs. There has been no activity outside of this and in fact, very little in the way of news at all from the Scottish capital, and it’s hard not to worry for the side, who look unlikely to fill their import quota once again, and we await movements with bated breath, in the hope that the Caps can put together a season at least comparable with the first part of their 2010/11 season, in which they looked lively and inventive. Although they could not compete with the likes of Belfast and Sheffield, they certainly gave their closer rivals a run for their money, and this will be imperative for them even this season as the new conference set-up appears to be more reflective of financial stability, and Edinburgh will want to make a mark early. As such, the club could use an injection of excitement to persuade their long-suffering fans to re-invest in a season ticket, and some signing news could provide just that lift. It should be noted that the side have retained the services of gifted goalscorer Rene Jarolin, who committed to the club prior to the close season, and he will be key in picking up points for the club going forward.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: None as yet
Staying: Hartmann, Steel, Goldie, Zembergs, McIntyre, Jarolin
Out: McKenzie, Valecko

Total signed: 5 – all skaters (3 Brit, 2 import)
Still to sign: 13 skaters, 2 netminders (9 import)

Fife Flyers – The Waiting Game

Like some of their other less financially blessed counterparts, the Flyers are playing the waiting game this off-season, as they allow the passage of time to hopefully bring players their way, advertising their club to potential import players in their charming video which will hopefully have the desired effect. They have made a slow start in building their squad, with the least player announcements of any club so far, although they have started with some stability in the return of coach Todd Dutiaume and influential forward Danny Stewart. In addition to this, they have added two new imports from the ECHL, defensive pair Derek Keller and Jeff Caister, whose familiarity with one another from their days at the South Carolina Stingrays will be appreciated when it comes to building a solid backline. They have yet to sign up any Brits although these are expected to be locals for the most part, however the Flyers faithful will this season be hopeful of a few more imports as they stabilise financially and look to try and compete with their conference rivals.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Derek Keller (ECHL), Jeff Caister (ECHL)
Staying: Stewart
Out: Dutiaume (coaching only)

Total signed: 3 – all skaters (0 Brit, 3 import)
Still to sign: 15 skaters, 2 netminders (8 import)

Hull Stingrays – Bridge over troubled waters

The course of a summer never runs smooth on Humberside and this year has been no different. The off-season has brought uncertainty and concern for Stingrays fans as there was doubt over ownership of the club and ice time at the arena. However the doubt was laid to rest with the purchase of the club by Bobby McEwan and with the installation of Sylvain Cloutier as player-coach Hull are once again able to move on with the business of constructing a squad to take into the new season. Cloutier has lost his MVP from last season, netminder Christian Boucher as well as enforcer Derek Campbell, but he has moved quickly to secure the services of two key imports in forwards Jason SIlverthorn and Jereme Tendler. The coach is living within his means but has still managed to make a handful of new signings, a couple from the EPL, including highly rated forward Janis Ozolins, and just this week he has added Shane Lovdhal from the CHL and Tomas Valecko, formerly of the Edinburgh Captials, to bolster the defensive ranks. There’s still some way to go for Cloutier but with the backing of a new owner and something approaching financial security – for now – he can focus on the important business of building his squad.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Bowns (EPL), Ozolins (EPL), Sykes (EPL), Lovdahl (CHL), Valecko (Edinburgh)
Staying: Silverthorn, Cloutier, Tendler, Dulle
Out: Campbell, Boucher, Chamberlain

Total signed: 9 – 8 skaters, 1 netminder (2 Brit, 7 import)
Still to sign: 11 skaters, 1 netminder (4 import)

Join me in a few weeks when I’ll examine in more depth some of the key players to watch out for over the coming season and to have another look at how the sides are shaping up as the opening games draw ever nearer.

Comings and Goings

First published on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/ on 3rd July 2012

Southern Conference

It’s time to break the silence – I will take you through team by team the comings, goings, or stayings in the Elite League as I round up the state of play in the transfer market – starting with the big hitters of the Southern Conference.

Belfast Giants – Poker Face Christiansen

Doug Christiansen has been holding his cards close to his chest so far this close season, and he undoubtedly has some aces up his sleeve still to play. The defence of last season’s league title will be uppermost in the mind of the Giants’ coach and his early moves involved re-signing some of the players most instrumental in securing that title, including netminder Stephen Murphy, and tough forwards Adam Keefe and Darryl Lloyd, who will continue to make a major physical impact on the league.

Christiansen may have lost the services of key Brit Rob Dowd to the Swedish Elite league, but in retaining high-scoring Craig Peacock as well as a clutch of other solid squad players, he has opted for stability in his Brit pack and will look to his imports to provide the injection of fire they will need to stay competitive in what looks to be a bigger, tougher clutch of rival sides this year. However Doug has nothing to fear – whilst the teams around him have all but completed their rosters, he still has most of his big plays to make – and judging by his first major new signing, that of 33-year-old left wing Noah Clarke from the DEL in Germany, he is going to be causing Finnerty, Neilson et al a few sleepless nights as they wait to see what else he has in his back pocket. Clarke comes with real NHL experience and a raft of AHL games behind him, and is arguably one of the top Elite League signings of the summer so far. With a startling 8 imports still to sign, just what level of talent will Doug Christiansen turn over when he finally shows his cards?

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: D Phillips (Sweden), Matt Towe (EPL), Noah Clarke (DEL)
Staying: Murphy, Keefe, Lloyd, Garside, Peacock, Walton, Roberts, Dickson
Out: Doucet, Dowd, Pelle (retired)

Total signed: 11 – 9 skaters, 2 netminders (8 Brit, 3 import)
Still to sign: 9 skaters (8 import)

Cardiff Devils – Rear Guard Reliability

Gerad Adam’s first signing of the new season was all but lost in the clamour of the post-play-off media frenzy, but it could arguably be one of the most influential in the league, let alone in the Devils’ organisation overall. Netminder Phil Osaer is no stranger to Cardiff, having played there for two seasons from 2006-8, but he returns to the Welsh side off the back of a winning season in Norway, and looks set to become one of the top goaltenders in the league.

Outside of this Adams has been maintaining a steady ship, re-signing a core of key imports such as Max Birbraer and Mark and Kenton Smith, and promising British players Josh Batch and Ben Davies, to try and achieve some consistency within his group, whilst adding strength in all areas with the addition of a trio of new imports, all poached from the Italian Elite league. Tyson Marsh, Mac Faulkner and Chris Blight come with a wealth of experience, and size and toughness to back it up, and Cardiff have the makings of a side who are going to be difficult to break down this season – the hallmark of all Devils sides in recent years.

Despite recently securing the services of the consistent Phil Hill for a sixth consecutive season, one of Adams’ remaining challenges is to try and attract some of the upper echelon of British players, as with only two imports left to acquire, and defenceman Mark Richardson having been tempted to a big money contract in Kazakhstan, the Welsh side’s British presence is somewhat lacking at this stage. However, if he can select a couple of solid additions from the pool of potential import talent available, they may get away with relying on the youngsters to bolster the ranks this season.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Phil Osaer, Tyson Marsh, Mac Faulkner, Chris Blight (Italy), Piggott (ENL Devils), Bari McKenzie (Edinburgh)
Staying: Adams, Birbraer, Batch, Hill, Harding, K Smith, M Smith, Davies
Out: Lyle, Matzka (retired), Richardson

Total signed: 14 – 13 skaters, 1 netminder (6 Brit, 8 import)
Still to sign: 5 skaters, 1 netminder (3 import)

Coventry Blaze – Grabbing Headlines

After a disappointing 2010/11 campaign fraught with financial woes and an underperforming side, there’s no doubt that free from the shackles of Hull Stingrays ownership, coach Paul Thompson is enjoying the extra finances available and has begun in earnest building a side to be reckoned with. One of the key areas of weakness last season was in front of goal and Thommo has immediately gone about shoring up his defences, adding an intimidating combination of experience and size, and significantly toughening up in the process. He has added the likes of Benn Olson and Mike Egener who are big, tough guys not afraid to drop the gloves, and who possess between them a good deal of high level experience, Olson with a large number of AHL games under his belt, and a history with Belfast’s Adam Keefe which will whet the appetities of the fight fans among us.

Blaze were perhaps responsible for making the biggest waves so far this summer when they made an early move for former NHL’er Mike Danton, who, with a chequered past to put it mildly, comes fresh from a season in Europe. He has a wealth of experience and will arrive in the Elite League with the most top level experience of any current import. Combine this with an already significant Twitter presence, where he has regularly exchanged good-natured banter with Keefe, and we appear to. have the makings of a fan favourite and a personality who will steal headlines this season.

Having played most of his hand already when it comes to imports, Thompson, like Adams, will be looking to secure the signatures of a few influential British players having lost young talent Rob Farmer, as well as finding some real fire power going forward to back up the re-signed Shea Guthrie, who with the right players around him deserves to have a much better season this time around, his relatively modest stats belying the incredible talent the kid has at his disposal.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: S Smith (Cardiff), Mike Danton (Sweden/Austria), Gerome Giudice (CHL), Mike Egener (Denmark), Benn Olson (AHL/ECHL), Greg Leeb (DEL)
Staying: Venus, Griffin, Guthrie, Cowley, Hirsch, Domish
Out: Owen, Weaver, Farmer, Dustin Wood (unconfirmed)

Total signed: 12 – 11 skaters, 1 netminder (4 Brit, 8 import)
Still to sign: 7 skaters, 1 netminder (3 import)

Nottingham Panthers – A Perfect Fit?

The Panthers have become a bit like a big, ice hockey team-shaped jigsaw puzzle. Every season coach Corey Neilson attempts to find the correct pieces to fit those final few gaps but for some reason or other, they never quite fit together properly, and once again he will look to achieve the ultimate prize of the league title, playing his hand early to secure a number of key players, particularly his gifted Brit-pack, with the notable exception of former captain Danny Meyers, who was mysteriously let go early in the summer. Netminder Kowalski retains his place to the relief of the Panthers faithful who appreciate his stability in net, and key Brits David Clarke, Marc Levers and Rob Lachowicz return along with some of the favoured import players from last season, including forwards Matt Francis, Jordan Fox and Brandon Benedict.

Coventry’s Jonathan Weaver has been brought in as a replacement for Meyers although it remains to be seen if he can win over the fans in the same way, and Neilson has added a small number of new faces to the sizeable band of regulars, including his trump card so far, 6’6″ centre Bruce Graham, a player with youth, skill and size on his side and with considerable experience in North America to boot. He will definitely be one to watch this season and comes with some pedigree, having been drafted 50th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2004 NHL entry draft. Into defence somes Jason Beckett, another reliable bet with years of AHL and European experience behind him. With just three imports left to sign it remains to be seen if there are any more cards up Corey’s sleeve, and if this will finally be the right set of pieces for his championship-winning jigsaw to click into place.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Weaver (Coventry), Jason Beckett, Pat Galivan (ECHL), Norton (EPL), Bruce Graham (CHL)
Staying: Neilson, Kowalski, Benedict, Francis, Green, Clarke, Fox, Levers, Myers, Lachowicz, Ward, Lee
Out: Meyers, Beauregard, Lepine (?)

Total signed: 17 – 15 skaters, 2 netminders (9 Brit, 8 import)
Still to sign: 3 skaters (3 import)

Sheffield Steelers – A Mixed Bag

In Finnerty’s first year as coach he learned some valuable lessons, and now he has hung up his skates he has spent the early part of the off-season embracing his coaching-only role and has begun rebuilding his team for a second shot at the league title. He’s retained the services of a number of last season’s squad, including long-time Steelers Ashley Tait, Jason Hewitt, Jeff Legue and Rod Sarich, and in a surprising u-turn, last season’s first choice netminder John DeCaro returns to the Yorkshire side having been previously rumoured to have signed for a club in Europe. In a season in which netminding will be of the utmost importance, Steelers fans are unsurprisingly nervous following DeCaro’s less than convincing first season, however his experience of the league may play in his favour this time around.

For Finnerty his Brit-pack may be his trump card, as in addition to his already numerous GB internationals he has snapped up Danny Meyers from rivals the Nottingham Panthers as well as adding the services of highly rated Colin Shields from Morzine Avoriaz in the French Ligue Magnus. He seems to have selected a variety of new imports rather than focussing on one key area, adding the attacking defensive talents of Jim Jorgenson from Braehead as well as talismanic tough cookie Tylor Michel of former Cardiff Devils fame. He has also added the fabulously named Cory Pecker who brings with him a wealth of experience from both the AHL and Europe.

With three imports still to sign the Steelers remain short of perhaps a tough defenceman or two but Finnerty will be relying on a combination of the tried and tested with a smattering of new talent to bring home the bacon this season.

THE FACTS SO FAR:

In: Meyers (Nottingham), Shields (France), Jorgenson (Braehead), Danny Wood (US college), Cory Pecker (Switzerland), Tylor Michel (Sweden)
Staying: DeCaro, Hewitt, J Phillips, Esders, Thomas, Tait, Woolhouse, Stephenson, Legue, Sarich
Out: Fulghum, Squires, Ramsay, Finnerty (coaching only)

Total signed: 16 – 14 skaters, 2 netminders (9 Brit, 7 import)
Still to sign: 4 skaters (4 import)

The Divison Bell

First posted on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/ on 13th June 2012

Having had a couple of weeks to reflect on the changes being implemented by the Elite League this season, I’ve decided it’s about time to pitch in. Is it change for the sake of change? Or is there method to the madness? Let’s examine some of the key points that have cropped up in the British hockey media since the announcement to try and figure out whether or not this conference malarkey is a good plan or a bit of a shambles.

‘It’s surely better for some teams than others?’

Well, in a nutshell, yes. There are the haves and the have nots within the new system. There’s no doubting that the Hull Stingrays are the club worst off in the move, as being placed in the Northern conference means they will have one less trip to neighbouring Sheffield Steelers (a distance of just 67 miles) and in return, one less visit of the Steelers considerable cohort of travelling fans. Instead, their closest inter-league rivals will now be the Edinburgh Capitals (a distance of 248 miles). From a financial point of view, for a club that’s already struggling, this cannot be good news.

Coventry Blaze could by rights feel aggrieved as of the teams in the Southern conference, they are the only ones openly struggling with finances, however based on their signings so far, and the fact that Hull have secured new ownership so are no longer a rod for the Blaze’s back, they may not struggle as much as previously thought.

‘Be honest – it’s going to be a lot easier to win the Northern conference.’

Well, in a nutshell, yes. Let’s face it – the Southern conference is stacked with money and as a result, quality players – it’s going to be an extremely competitive group and will undoubtedly be hard-fought right to the death. North of the border things look distinctly less of an uphill struggle for the Glaswegian Braehead Clan. Well positioned in the league last season, their nearest rivals were a whole 30 points behind them in the final league table. Add to this their not inconsiderable resources (let’s not forget they are financed by the same owner as the Nottingham Panthers) and on paper, it’s the Clan’s conference to lose.

‘But won’t it devalue the league title?’

Well, in a nutshell, yes. It’s a simple fact that the two conferences are not equally weighted in terms of quality teams. In fact, rather than two equal groups, the conferences are more like divisions – draw a line right in the middle of last season’s final league table and you have the exact groupings for the conferences. Despite this, at the end of the season the two will be placed side by side as if they were equals. And if the league is decided on the basis of who has the most points overall, it’s more likely to be the winner of the Northern conference that will take the overall title – as in theory, their fixtures across the season will have been less challenging. This totally devalues the league title which up to this point, has been the top prize in British ice hockey, eclipsing the challenge cup and play-off trophy in terms of importance. A definite con.

‘Increased competition is good for the poorer teams though, isn’t it?’

It’s hard to say. As a Vipers fan, the encounters that were the most key to our success, or lack thereof, were those against our closest rivals in the league at the time, Edinburgh and Dundee, as we scrapped for points and a play-off spot. They were always tense, and exciting, and towards the end of the season became all the more important. And let’s face it, being repeatedly tonked by bigger, better teams isn’t fun from the perspective of either a fan OR a neutral. The Northern conference sides will feel they really have something to play for instead of losing heart sitting in ninth or tenth place before Christmas has even come around. However, let’s not forget, nothing’s a given in sport, and on the odd occasion the Vipers did chalk up a win against the Giants or Panthers, they were all the sweeter – it’s not always a one-sided affair. Just look at the play-off semi-finals in the season just gone. We’ll log this one in the ‘neutral’ pile.

‘The Challenge Cup will mean something again, though.’

Yes, it will. It’s looking likely that the Challenge Cup will become a more meaningful competition to win than the league title itself, as it will feature more teams from both conferences and will be a more level playing field, with the introduction of quarter final stages. Probably only the southern conference title will be a more desirable prize next season.

‘Everyone’s making a bit of a big deal of this. It’s not THAT different.’

No, it’s not that different. Each team will only play once less at home and once less away against teams from the other conference; once more at home and once more away against teams from their own. It’s not earth-shattering in terms of ramifications, travel-wise or financially. The Fife Flyers will still get to go to Belfast twice. Cardiff will still host Dundee twice. We’re not talking total separation here.

‘Would it allow for future expansion?’

Absolutely. With rumours abounding of an Elite League side in Dublin, and the perpetual Chinese whispers about the possibility of a re-emergence of a North-East based side, the conference system does offer great potential for expansion. It would be easier to integrate new teams and at five sides apiece, the conferences are very small and the League would undoubtedly be open to bolstering the ranks. A definite pro.

‘So what’s the verdict? Is it worth a try, or just a bit rubbish?’

Overall, it’s hard to make a definitive judgement when you weigh up all the elements involved. The biggest negative – and it is a big one – is the devaluation of the league title. There are positives including improved competition for lower placed sides, an improvement in the Challenge Cup competition and a brilliant conference for neutrals to keep an eye on in the shape of the Southern conference.

In a league where SOMETHING needed to happen, something has happened – whether it’s the right thing or not is up for debate, but other than a mass reorganisation of the league’s finances (never going to happen) I can’t think what else they could have done whilst still being seen to be making a change. Let’s see how it goes for a season and make our judgements this time next year. In the meantime, I will still be attending as many games as I can this season. Will they mostly be involving teams from the Southern Conference? Well, in a nutshell, yes.

Reasons to Be Cheerful (or: me, the Rangers, and why losing isn’t so bad)

First published on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/ on 31st May 2012

To say my fledging career as an ice hockey fan has had its ups and downs would be a bit like saying the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is quite a big painting, or that Natalie Portman’s sort of okay looking, in her own way. Two seasons it’s been people, two. I spent the first of those passionately embracing my local side before losing them to the ravages of recession and a second travelling around the UK trying to pretend that I was fine with not having a team of my own to support, I’d get by.

I was a latecomer to all things NHL in comparison, as I spent my first season dividing my brain between all-encompassing love (for the Newcastle Vipers) and learning the rules, regulations, and everything else that makes hockey the game it is. I had scant little time left over to immerse myself in the big, scary world of the big show, with its 30 teams and 20+ man rosters and interminable post-season. As such, I gave of myself all too easily, flippantly selecting the Calgary Flames as my team of choice.

And then it all went wrong. I’ve written in detail about my agonising over shared allegiances and it’s plagued me ever since the New York Rangers starting creeping into my consciousness. I was gripped with paranoia about being tagged a ‘glory hunter’ for jumping on the Rangers’ bandwagon, and wracked with guilt over abandoning the team I had chosen first. After all, they hadn’t done anything wrong, had they? They were plugging along modestly, vying for a play-off position. Could I really ask any more? But it was already too late. The Rangers had a hold of my heart.

Like a new kid at school, I shyly joined in with the Blueshirts in-crowd, on Twitter and on the Rangers website, and found myself embraced into a family in the way only a hockey community can embrace, and I knew that it didn’t matter what anyone else thought. I was home.

Most importantly, I love this team. I am fully invested in them as people, as players and as a unit. From the pure awesomeness of Captain Cally, about whom I have waxed lyrical on many an occasion (to the point of professing my desire to bear his children on Twitter), to the knocking it out of the park season of break-out young defencemen Ryan McDonagh and Michael Del Zotto, to the solid, reliable and unwavering toughness of the gritty, balls-out lower order; the likes of Brandon Prust and Mike Rupp. I love them all, simple as that.

I recognise, appreciate and applaud the system John Tortorella has fostered and all who reside within it. It’s a tight-knit family, a group with youth on their side, character and team spirit by the bucketload and enough individual talent to raise their heads above the parapet without falling foul of the prima donna trap that can befall a team that builds itself around a small core of talented players, or the constant nagging fear of what an injury to one of that core could do to the team dynamic.

It’s pure work ethic; on a full organisational scale. And most of all it’s running a tight ship, and staying on an even keel – Tortorella is loath to let wins go to his team’s head: there is always SOMETHING that can be improved upon. And likewise in defeat, there are always positives to be found. Thus keeping some very talented feet very firmly on the ground (ice!), where a less disciplined regime might otherwise have allowed its players’ respective heads to ascend into the clouds.

Let’s consider for a moment what they achieved this season, doing it ‘the right way.’ They won a thrilling Winter Classic, ensnaring me in their blue honeytrap in the process. They topped the Eastern conference and were only two points shy of the Presidents’ trophy having won the same number of games as Vancouver. None too shabby. Their incredible defence ensured they were third in the goals against standings, but lest we forget, this isn’t a purely defensive side – they work as a unit at all times, on the forecheck just as much as when throwing their bodies behind shots, and this was not reflected anywhere as well as in their penalty kill, which was the fifth best of its kind in the league, and on top of that they were third in the league for holding onto a lead. And as for physicality, they hit. Oh how they hit. Bodies on the line, all day long. Oh and they were fifth in the league in penalty minutes, and topped it in fighting majors. Not that it’s a plus point as such, but it shows the heart that exists throughout the ranks at Madison Square Garden.

The amount of 3rds and 5ths in the stats really stands out. That’s the beauty of Tortorella’s system: it doesn’t rely on one specific area for success – the Rangers are no one trick pony. There’s no explosive powerplay unit (chuckle), there’s no pure reliance on goaltending – okay, perhaps SOME reliance. But they sit in the top few in every single statistic – in a game of inches, the Rangers don’t give even one, in every area of the ice. They are right in amongst it all. Really. All of it.

So then we were off to the play-offs. My first experience of supporting a team in the post-season, and New York did not disappoint – from a slightly masochistic point of view. They provided a proper rollercoaster ride. It was sport exactly how I like it. No 4-0 sweeps. Not even a 4-0 win. They scrapped and scraped for every victory, mental strength ebbing and flowing, injuries being sustained and recovered from, key players losing form, regaining it and then losing it again. New stars emerging. A one goal win here, a single goal loss there. And those overtimes. It was about as draining as a run could get.

Every single series was a battle. Against Ottawa we were our own worst enemy. Battling against some real attacking prowess, we butted up against a side who had ran us hard all season. We SHOULD have been more than a few shades better than them. But we made hard work of it, and after back-to-back losses in games 4 and 5 I was convinced it was over. Then the Capitals – the ‘looking in the mirror’ series. It was a game of chess, a constant frustration. The annoyance of Brayden Holtby who suddenly came good, much to the delight of his highly visible mother. And finally the New Jersey Devils. The big one. Comparisons to 1994. Our bitter local rivals.

At so many points I thought ‘it’s over’ but every time, we battled back and dug our heels in. Until I finally did believe. I DID think we could battle back. We WOULD take it to a game 7. We had done, twice already – we could do ANYTHING. The Cup well, it’s a wily beast, and our opponents, if we made it that far, would be a team who have really found their form in these play-offs. As for us, were we fatigued? Highly likely. Struggling for goals? Perhaps. Battered and bruised? For sure. But beaten? I didn’t think so. So when it finally came to an end early in overtime of game 6, it was quite hard to take it all in. There’d be a game 7 still, right? Right? It couldn’t be over. Wrong. It was.

On reflection, the loss still hurts. But in a way that will heal. Let’s face it, having supported a team for less than a season, to see them lift the Stanley Cup straight away would have been, well, a bit cheeky of me. So in a very strange way, I’m sort of glad. It’s a singularly British notion: the idea that losing might not actually be that bad, in the long-run. Not that I actively WANTED to lose you understand: in the moment, I screamed in every goal, grimaced every time we conceded, and shed a few stunned tears when it was finally all over. But looking at the bigger picture, let’s be honest: this is may be an ending of sorts, but in reality, it’s just the beginning. The future looks exceedingly bright. Despite a number of free agents who presumably the management will look to re-sign, the core of this team will remain next season and be strengthened by some rookies, including the amazing Chris Kreider, who threw himself into the play-offs like a man possessed and promises great things for the future.

With Tortorella at the helm we will stay focused on the task at hand, and realise that doing it ‘the right way’ comes at a cost – commitment to playing that way. And to endure the losses it brings. But those losses have been few, and undoubtedly in the pain of loss, this team will learn what it takes to win. It’s everything they’ve done this season. Just with a little more besides. And they will find that little more – because that’s what winning teams do. If we had won the Stanley Cup this season, it would have left this young, improving team with little more to aim for. But instead, we’ve still got the ultimate prize in our sights – to come so close and fall at almost the final hurdle will give this group the drive and motivation to take it even further next time around. So fear not, Blueshirts. The cup will be ours. Oh yes, it will be ours.

EIHL Play-off Weekend Review – The Final Chapters

Originally published on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/ on 14th April 2012

III. The Final: Nottingham Panthers v Cardiff Devils

I love a great ending to a great story. And let’s be brutally honest: for everyone in attendance at the NIC last Sunday (well, those not wearing Panthers jerseys at least), the perfect ending would have seen Gerad Adams and his men lift the play-off trophy and write themselves into the history books as champions for the first time.

The ‘always the bridesmaids’ refrain was used in relation to Cardiff several times throughout the weekend and I didn’t think it would have been unreasonable for the Devils to rock up in wedding dresses as a statement of intent if nothing else, but my helpful suggestion went unheeded and despite turning up in boring old regular hockey kit, Cardiff and their fans were ready to try and change their fate once again, the Devils having taken part in every play-off finals weekend since the inception of the Elite League but never having lifted the trophy. The Nottingham team entrance received a hilariously disaffected reaction from the full complement of Belfast Giants fans, all opening their newspapers on cue, and there was another main man in the spotlight, referee Moray Hanson taking charge of his last ever Elite League hockey game. He was given a rockstar send-off, skating laps acknowledging all of the fans who have been proud to give him abuse for his considerable time in the black and white stripes.

And so we were off: neutrals adopted the Devils as their own for the day and the strong home crowd settled down ready for a battle. The game started with a few good hits and an early scare for Cardiff as a defensive fumble left Lyle with work to do, but he pulled off the save to give his side a confidence boost and prompt some spirited pushing and shoving in front of goal which resulted in a generous dishing out of penalties on both sides. Both teams had chances but Nottingham looked the stronger on the attack, and they were throwing hits so big the plexi-glass cowered in fear. Not to be outdone, Jamie Vanderveeken made a brilliant open ice hit and Cardiff had a period of pressure – were the Panthers rattled? Rhett Gordon and Kenton Smith chirped amongst themselves, but despite a shot or two either way, the game seemed to quieten down. Nottingham couldn’t put their fluid passing game into practice as Cardiff broke up the play and possession chopped and changed. They hustled Panthers on their powerplay and didn’t allow them any room, and Panthers returned the favour to close out the first period. It had been a period rather lacking in invention and we hoped for better in the second.

But it continued in a similar vein, the sparkle and fizz we had hoped for absent, typical nervy play-off final stuff evident in its place, neither side wanting to make what could be a fatal mistake. Nottingham had some early pressure and there was concern for Cardiff as Adams appeared to hurt himself in a tussle with Neilson but he bounced back shortly afterwards. Lyle was toughing it out in the Cardiff goal and had everything that Panthers threw at him covered. As the period wore on Panthers started to dominate possession; were yesterday’s exertions catching up with the weary Devils? The odd chance fell to them, Scotts Dobben and Matzka both having good shots saved, and Lyle still looked assured in his net; it seemed we had ourselves a stalemate situation on ours hands.

Aside from a rather athletic attempt to prevent an offside decision by one of the Devils players, the game in general had lost some of its intensity and the crowd had gone quiet; Nottingham’s defence seemed to be the only ones in the game, Gui Lepine winning all the battles in the corners, hustling Devils off the puck time and time again. The Panthers almost broke the deadlock when a long shot took Lyle by surprise but after 40 minutes, we were still goal-less.

Let’s face it, what we needed here was a bit of urgency. And there’s nothing like the final period of the final game of the season with a hefty chunk of silverware on the line to inject that urgency into two sets of players. None seemed to be feeling it more than Lepine, who delivered a massive check to the head of Cardiff’s Adam Harding for which he received 2+10. On review it looked like a good hit but it sent the player sprawling into the boards and prompted the blood-cleaning folk to come and have a look at the ice. The resultant powerplay was poor from the Devils, there was no real build-up and a careless turnover almost led to a goal for the Panthers. The momentum was one-sided, a breakaway chance for Nottingham should have been a nailed on opening goal but Danny Meyers fluffed the tap-in and went careering into the boards.

The Devils were under the cosh as they gave up a penalty and shots rained in from Clarke, Myers and Beauregeard, and it was squeaky bum time as a Lyle save gave a Panther a rebound shot but it was cleared in the nick of time. The game started to open up – after 50-odd minutes, we finally had ourselves a contest. It was lively, end-to-end stuff with shots on both nets, both teams trying to stretch the other, the netminders still proving the difference, Stevie Lyle displaying brilliant reflexes to dive on a loose puck that would surely have been an easy finish for a  prowling Panther just inches in front of his line. The Devils were defending doggedly, in particular Jamie Vanderveeken who ranks as my top player of the play-off weekend overall. Give that man a prize.

Something had to give, and give it did, with 7 minutes remaining, a gift of a chance falling to David Beauregard who made no mistake. With the Panthers on the scoresheet the NIC lifted, the crowd noise was immense and Nottingham were brimming with confidence, piling the pressure on Cardiff and coming close to doubling their lead, hitting the post. The Devils had nothing left in the tank and despite pulling Lyle they could not make the man advantage tell and their defeat was sealed in the dying seconds as David Clarke neatly delivered the puck into the empty net. Heartbreak once again for the Welsh side, jubilation once again for the Panthers and their fans.

It wasn’t the fairytale ending that neutrals had been hoping for; but as much as we all love to hate the Panthers there was no arguing with the fact that they deserved to lift to play-off trophy once again. That being said, we didn’t hang around to watch them celebrate.

IV. The Fallout

There’s nothing quite like the giant rumour mill that is playoff weekend. When the fans, players and management of ten Elite League teams (plus an ex-team) and the associated media circus come together in one place it’s inevitable that news will travel fast, and a juicy bit of gossip will travel faster, and this year was no exception. It would be entirely unprofessional of me to repeat even half of even the more credible rumours that I heard through the legendary play-off Chinese Whispers communication system and needless to say the ones which are true will come to light in good time, but it was all in the best possible taste.

Things that did come to light via the medium of Twitter were announcements of player retirement, Belfast’s Jon Pelle and Cardiff’s Scott Matzka both using the social network to deliver the news to their fans, the Giants’ Ryan Crane also hinting that it may be the end for him. Another player, Phil Osaer, announced his return to former team Cardiff, validating one of the rumours: that Stevie Lyle will be taking leave of the Devils next season. Debates sprung up about the format of the play-offs in general and the perceived problem of the event taking place on Nottingham’s home ice. It was quickly revealed that the format would in fact change for the 2012/13 season. The issue of venue remained unclear but it seems unlikely that the weekend will go anywhere.

I suffered from a bad case of ‘play-off throat’ brought about by too many late nights and too much singing. It developed quickly into full-blown play-off flu. And I suffered from an even worse case of Elite League withdrawal, mildly soothed by a spot of NHL but still prevalent, as I contemplated the end of the season, my second as an Elite League fan, my first without a team. There was much to reflect on: had my season of neutrality dulled my passion? Not a bit of it, but it had proven to me how much of an uphill struggle being an outsider in a world of tribes and affiliations really is. Will I continue my nomadic trails next season, in the hope that there might be some light at the end of the tunnel, and that in the meantime there will be more excitement, battles, fights, beards, skills, thrills and spills to keep me entertained? Abso-bloody-lutely. So it’s farewell from me for now, but fear not, I will be back with news, all in good time. Over and out.

EIHL Play-off Weekend Review – Chapter 2

Originally published on http://www.ukamericansportsfans.com/ on 12th April 2012

Semi-Final 2: Nottingham Panthers v Hull Stingrays

There are some sporting occasions that demand the attention of the media types writing about them in the same way an arresting landscape demands to be captured by an avid photographer. Some games where the keyboard thrills to the touch of the intrepid journalist as it experiences through their frenetic fingers the passion, the tension, the drama and the excitement of said contest, and the reader devours the resulting report like a favourite meal, savouring each well-phrased memory like a tasty morsel as they relive a spectacle that they were privileged to be a part of.

Sadly, this was not one of those games.

There was no doubting the allegiance of the many neutral fans in the building: everyone loves a plucky underdog and they don’t come any more plucky than Hull, whose win over the Sheffield Steelers was one of the biggest surprises of the Elite League season. I hoped against hope that they would show up against the Panthers and take the game to them; the second semi-final had a lot to live up to after the first one and there was no denying the feeling around the NIC was one of vague anti-climax.

The opening exchanges between the sides were scrappy but the crowd were in fine voice. Hull flailed early on but netminder Christian Boucher made an assured save from a Brandon Benedict breakaway effort and settled the jangling nerves. The early signs were worrying for the ‘Rays fans. The Panthers looked up for it and were playing their fluid, attacking style of hockey with aplomb. Hull weren’t rolling over however, and despite the nerves showed some guts, throwing some big hits and getting involved when their hosts allowed them to.

They were like rabbits in the headlights going forward however, unable to make any impression on the Nottingham goal, and soon Nottingham were off the mark, the goal coming from a delayed penalty 6-on-5 situation, David Clarke the scorer. Boucher made a great save to deny the Panthers a second and it looked for a moment as if we may have a tied game on our hands as Jereme Tendler broke away up the ice but he was stopped by Craig Kowalski. Boucher once again came up big for Hull making an outstanding double save and Hull killed a Nottingham powerplay, before a spot of roughing between David-Alexandre Beauregard and Sylvain Cloutier resulted in some 4-on-4 action. The first period closed with Panthers just one goal to the good and it seemed as though Hull might be in this game for the long haul.

This theory was quickly disproved as the second period opened however, Nottingham scoring two goals in the space of thirty seconds from Marc Levers and Sami Ryhanen to knock the wind out of Hull. It was clear who’d had their Weetabix in the period break. Boucher looked like a different netminder, his confidence rocked, and it felt as though all the life had been completely sucked out of the game, Hull deflated, the Panthers fans jubilant.

There was life in the old dog yet however, as despite all members of the crowd to a person admitting this one was 99.9% decided, Hull had a powerplay and were unlucky not to score, Boucher getting his act together once again and blocking a few shots, and finally, after a successful penalty kill, Hull scored, Jason Silverthorn sending the Stingrays fans crazy, and neutrals asking the hockey gods if perhaps we could have ourselves a game now, thank you very much?

Apparently not. Just over a minute later David Clarke struck to make it 4-1 and restore the 3-goal cushion, and completing another killer double blow to the ‘Rays chances of staying competitive in the game, Rhett Gordon made it 5-1 less than a minute after that. The Panthers were more than dominant and were stabbing the already flailing corpse of this poor, battered game without sympathy. It was clinical. Just in case we were in any doubt they scored yet again just before the end of the period to compound Hull’s misery, and surrounded by Nottingham’s celebrating fans I felt something of the pain of being the ‘little club’, head in hands, the cold hand of inevitably gaining a creeping hold on the pit of my stomach.

Nobody felt much like a third period, but something or other, perhaps the ‘nothing to lose’ factor had given Hull a boost, and Boucher settled the ship before they scored a second goal from Derek Campbell. It would not lift the spirits for long however, a cruel bounce seeing the puck skip over Boucher’s head from an attempted glove save to make it 8-2. Hull bit back, nailing Panthers to boards. Dan Green came into the net for Nottingham. They scored again. I didn’t win the 50/50. To add insult to already massive injury, Jordan Fox clinically despatched a tenth goal. I worried for the Devils in the final with Nottingham in this form. I worried for the Hull fans in the pubs of Nottingham after this game. There were five minutes left but I had lost my mojo. The embarrassing scoreline became mildly less so as Cloutier scored a third for Hull and gallows humour prevailed: ‘We’re going to win 11-10.’ It didn’t even sound right. I needed a pint. So did everyone else.

And that was that. The sound of the final horn had never been so welcome. The underdogs were just that, the Panthers victorious: they would go on to challenge Cardiff in the 2012 play-off final. It promised to be a thrilling contest. Or at least, that’s what we hoped, after this damp squib of a semi.