SWINDON, UK – Another odd week with games all over the place and the Roundup to match, a bit like when an inch of snow or rain throws the whole country into chaos. I think it might be a good idea to cancel Christmas and the New Year so the hockey season can flow uninterrupted.
However, a couple of changes in the Top Ten Charts this week, the first being in the Points Scorers Charts where the only difference in the four – EPL and Brit total and average – being David Longstaff displacing Aaron Nell and returning as the leading Brit on game average.
Martin Cingel removed Janis Ozolins to return to the top of the Goals Scoring Chart, and in the Penalty-Takers Chart Chris Wiggins topped both EPL and the Brit chart while Andrew Sharp took over both on game average.
Into the week and for a change we start other than with the Phantoms. The Wildcats, for instance, who lost netminder Tom Murdy to injury decided to sign Dean Skinns, late of the Bison, as temporary cover. Coach Aldridge had hinted his current backup Grahame Bird may not be his starting choice, which does make you kind of wonder what he is doing there especially as he has iced less than thirty minutes so far.
Also not icing much anymore, for the Jets that is, will be forward Tom Carlon who was released in a bid to save money. The club made it clear the decision was nothing to do with Carlon’s ability, a sentiment the Phantoms agreed with because they snapped him up without hesitation. Carlon, who played for the Phantoms for two seasons prior to joining the Jets had a decent record to show for it said he was, ‘gutted,’ while his new boss Chris Allen said he believed Carlon is the best British power-forward in the league. The catch, if it is one, is having been the victim of one shaky bank balance Carlon will now be partly financed by the Phantoms Player Fund, an innovation which took root when Lithuanian Darius Lelenas was released last season and fans grouped together and made an agreement with the club to administer and finance the remainder of his season.
Perhaps the big news of the week was the announcement that Phoenix coach Tony Hand has been appointed coach of the GB senior men’s team. While maybe no great surprise, and there are those who say it is a controversial choice, Hand’s pedigree is pretty impressive and well known, but like any step up to international level it remains to be seen if he can produce the goods. Hand explained, ‘It will be a dual role as I am, as always, fully committed to Manchester Phoenix.’
Which brings us onto the week’s games, and the first going into the new year was on a Friday.
Lightning 1 – Phoenix 4
With only the Tigers and Wildcats having beaten the Lightning on home ice you would have expected it a tall order for the Phoenix to join that exclusive duo. But join it they did in style with a pair from Martin Cingel in a fast first period and the completion of his hat-trick with a minute left in the game by which time the Lightning were well out of it, as was the unlucky Tom Duggan who left the ice once again through injury. But, even so, the home team still managed to save the white-wash thanks to Blaz Emersic and thirty seconds. Phoenix’s Coach Hand had said, ‘I am confident we can get something out of this game.’ So two points was a fair reward and gave the Phoenix their first three-game winning run of the season.
Steeldogs 4 – Peterborough 1
The Steeldogs slipped on some ice and were down after a minute in this third encounter between this pair, with a determined Phantoms side and Maris Ziedins back on form which gave them the edge. It was not until after the half-way mark that Lloyd Gibson broke the deadlock with Janis Ozolins adding a second a minute later. And then it was all tight again until the Steeldogs grabbed two more late goals in the third and it was the Phantoms sliding along behind them.
Wildcats 4 – Jets 2
The Wildcats have been much stronger against the Jets this season with a unique shut-out in Slough after losing at home. So, while anything could happen it appeared the visiting Jets were at it again as after a close-fought first period they started things rolling with a goal from Ryan Watt against his old club. But by the end of P2 the Wildcats were in the lead adding to it late in the third on a power-play although Doug Sheppard caused some concern by getting the Jets back within one goal with a minute to go but Jaroslav Cesky wrapping it up with an empty net.
New Year’s Eve saw one game, and what a way to end the year it was for the Bison having lost the thread again recently.
Bison 5 – Flames 2
Although the Bison had beaten the Flames before, albeit on penalties, not many teams have done so recently with a winning run in double figures and a six-game run away from home. And that was how it looked the cookie was about to crumble after five minutes when the Flames went into the lead in Basingstoke. But two minutes later Joe Miller had equalised and Daniel Volrab took the home side into the lead five minutes after that in a pacey start. Early in the second the Craig Tribe extended the lead unassisted as the Bison began to dominate although in a rare mistake Nathan Rempel scored a short-handed goal late in the period. But is wasn’t near enough to pose too much of a threat, and neither was Andrew Sharp because he wasn’t playing, and Ollie Bronnimann added another in the final leg and if not exactly bursting the Flames’ bubble, certainly giving it a nasty prick.
So, into 2012 and the first big surprise was in Guildford.
Flames 2 Lightning 6
An even nastier prick, more like a stab wound, came twenty-four hours later in Guildford where the Flames still with nothing Sharp to throw at them faced the Lightning. Although the home side took an early lead and Leigh Jamieson took ten minutes for arguing the point with the ref, the Flames held the advantage firmly until half-way when Ross Bowers and Blaz Emersic upset the apple cart and put the Lightning into the lead. Into the third and the rest of the Lightning began kicking those apples all over the shop with the in-form Jamieson adding his second to give the Flames their worst defeat of the season causing Coach Paul Dixon to comment, ‘We got exactly the number of points we deserved this weekend, and so did our opposition in those outings.’
Bees 5 – Phantoms 3
In Bracknell the Phantoms have plenty to fight for with their recent recovery faltering, while the Bees have only gained a point from their recent triple Flames encounter. But it was the visitors who took the lead near the end of the first in a closely fought game, and the second started in similar vein but early on Martin Masa equalised for the home side and seven minutes and six goals later the Bees were in the lead with Masa completing his hat-trick with plenty of time to spare, and Scott Spearing completing an impressive half hour of penalties. So when co-owner Phil Wing said, ‘We are not going to settle for making a play-off place from here. We all feel that a top six is a very achievable target,’ he obviously wasn’t planning on ‘nuls points’ this weekend.
Jets 7 – Wildcats 2
A couple of losses quite upset the Jets’ holiday plans but didn’t deter coach Doug Sheppard earlier in the week the Jets were, ‘in a great spot.’ But he must have held his breath when rather than a solid rebound against the Wildcats the pesky visitors took the lead. However, by the end of the period it was all back on an equal footing. The second saw the Jets take an early lead, and two minutes later the Wildcats were back on terms, and a further two minutes saw the lead restored for the remainder of the middle stint. Then came the final period and four minutes the Wildcats will probably want to forget as the Jets slipped into a higher gear which included three goals, one short-handed, including the completion of a hat-trick for Darius Pliskauskas, and it was Goodnight Vienna. All this brought to mind Wildcats’ coach Ryan Aldridge’s words earlier in the week when he said, ‘ I am not saying we don’t try every game we take to the ice, but we need to show the same consistency in every game.’
With the second half of the season under way, and still plenty to play for, what, if any, difference did the holiday games make to the table? Well, not a lot really, Sure there was some adjusting in mid-table, and the top grew a fraction closer, but the Flames still have a buffer even if those below are all closing up. But, while week fifteen has a few more games to fit in, that’s it for the Roundup this week. For more EPL facts and figures, stats and charts plus a headline mailing list, why not try www.iceman-epl.com
Contact Bill.Collins@prohockeynews.com
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