Big Dave Sez…… Bolzano Special

SHEFFIELD, UK – As I type this special Continental Cup article, I am struggling to accept one fact from the whole weekend – the Sheffield Steelers are in the Final of the Continental Cup. It’s hard to believe that, given their current form in the league, they would do anything in this group, but they found an inner depth that allowed them to compete, and conquer all in front of them.
 
You might think that, winning the first two games by one goal, and winning the decider on a shoot-out was hardly setting the tournament alight, but that could not be far from the truth. This was an even group with each game being very close, apart from the Bolzano/Maribor game – where that game was over after 5 minutes.
 
Sheffield opened up with a win against The Hague, although everyone thought this would be the easiest of the three games; it became apparent that it would be more than just a walkover against the boys from Holland. 4 points from Jeff Talbot and 3 points from Jeff Legue helped the Steelers achieve a 4-3 victory.
 
Saturday it was another afternoon fixture, this time against the Slovenians of Maribor, and after the previous evening’s game between the hosts and Maribor – it would be fair to assume that it would have been an easy win for the Steel City club. However, what they were not expecting was the form of net minder Verlic who probably played the best game of his life, and if he gets close to playing like that again, then he will do well for his career. However it was Matt Hubbauer who stole the show with a hat-trick and a double from Brad Cruikshank gave Sheffield a 5-4 victory, and the prospect of a winner-takes-all clash against Bolzano Foxes, and this was confirmed with a 3-0 win for the hosts against The Hague.
 
So Sunday night came along, and with The Hague’s 4-1 win against Maribor providing the starter, there was no doubting that HC Bolzano Vs Sheffield Steelers was the main course of the day. The nerves in the Steelers end was clear to see, and in stark contrast the confidence in the Bolzano end was as clear, with their ‘ultras’ displaying a banner already declaring that the Foxes were off to France. Sheffield had other ideas, and when they went 2-0 up in the first period, the banner suddenly went AWOL.
 
However, the nerves never left, and Bolzano then went into a 3-2 lead, and if truth be told – everyone from the UK thought that was it, and for the second year in succession, Bolzano were going to the final at the expense of a British team. The one thing that will come out of this tournament, is the grit and the ‘never-say-die’ attitude, and this was shown in full force with the Steelers pulling back to level it 3-3. This score remained all the way through the final period, and overtime. Chances were a plenty for both sides to win it, but neither could get past Verner or ex-panther Mika Häkkinen, and as we finished overtime   – it was about to become the battle of the net minders for a place in Grenoble.
 
3 rounds of penalties later, and a second save from Verner meant that the Sheffield Steelers would be going to the final of the Continental Cup. The smiles on their faces whilst they were waiting for the MOM’s to be announced were a joy to watch. This was not a normal victory for any of them, this was historical, and meant the world to each and every one of them. The roster of 2009/2010 will forever go down in Sheffield history for taking the club to their first ever Continental Cup final.  
 
Sheffield are now the third team in the ‘naughtie’s’ from the UK to make the Continental Cup Final – with the London Knights and the Belfast Giants making it in 2001 and 2003 respectively. This however is probably more of an achievement than the rest, as this is the first team to do it with a fair number of Brits on their side – given that London and Belfast were exclusively full of non-British players when they made the finals.
 
Not one player deserves special praise, because they all did their jobs superbly, from the skilful Legue and Hubbauer to the work horses of Phillips and Hewitt, the big game net minding from Verner, and the making of a Steeler in Robert Farmer, who is rumoured to have signed full time for the Sheffield Steelers. Each and every one of them deserves praise in equal measures, and praise they shall receive. The major question that all Sheffield fans will be asking is can they continue this found form into the domestic campaign?
 

One moment from the celebrations afterwards that will stick in my mind was the beaming smile of Brad Cruikshank. A player who had received some flack from the terraces had just helped his side qualify for the final, and he was not scared to show people how happy he was. Knowing how happy he was after qualifying for the final, Christ knows what he’ll be like if they win the Continental Cup!!
 
What does this mean for the EIHL? Well if you listen to those who cannot see anything positive about the sport in the UK, it’s a massive fluke and that all the teams must have been cannon fodder. On the same line, it does not mean that the EIHL have taken over the Italian, Dutch or Slovenian leagues overnight. What this does mean, is that the league is slowly starting to be competitive on the continental stage. Coventry were a whisker away from making the final last season, now Sheffield has made it. Appearances in the final can only bode well for the profile of UK hockey. Even if Sheffield were to lose each game 10-0, making the final 4 of the premier European competition in the 2009/2010 season is one massive feather in the cap. It also gives us something to work with, and to try and enhance, so that is it not an appearance every six years, but one in every two seasons or less. That is the challenge for teams in the Elite League.
 
A special mention must go to the fans that made the journey across to Italy. I don’t know what it is with European sporting adventures, but it seems to bring the best out of British hockey fans, and this trip was no exception. From the friendships made with The Hague fans, to out-singing the Bolzano ‘Ultra’s’ – they were a huge credit. One moment that stood out for me was before the first game, when the fans sang God Save The Queen the hairs on the back of the neck stood up – one of the many moments that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.
 
In between writing this article, the news that young George Matsos being taken ill has gathered the hockey community has the lad in their thoughts and prayers. And, of course, for Dave and Sandy Matsos. I think it’s safe to say that I speak for everyone from Prohockeynews in sending our prayers and thoughts to the Matsos family, and that George pulls though.
 
Hopefully you will have seen the photographs from the Continental Cup Semi-Final on Prohockeynews, if you have not, you can find the photos by clicking here . These photo’s are the art work of Gaetano Zaccone and we can all agree that these are quality shots from Bolzano. Here in the UK, we are used to quality photographers covering our wonderful game; Rik Rayner, Prohockeynews’s own Jessica Roberts and the late, great Dave Page are just some of the quality photographers that we have or had, and I think we can add Gaetano to that list.
 
Finally a massive thank you to everyone who ’tuned in’ to Steel Night Live. Apart from the farce that was Saturday where the rink’s wireless did not work – we had over 2000 watch the coverage, and I hope you enjoyed it (and I also hope you laughed at my typo on the Sunday night) With those sorts of numbers, and given the right facilities again – I don’t see why Steel Night Live and Prohockeynews cannot work together again in Grenoble.
Contact the author Dave.Grant@Prohockeynews.com