SWINDON, UK – In the EPL Top Tens Charts this week Adam Calder remains top of the Points Scoring table, but the Jets’ Darius Pliskauskas has jumped to mid-way while Tigers’ Scott McKenzie now sits at number ten in the Brit Chart.
Points by Game Average is still headed by Calder and while for some time it has been Steeldogs’ Janis Ozolins in contention for the lead, this week saw the Flames’ Nathan Rempel move up into the second position. In the Brit Game Average table David Longstaff has returned to the top but Tony Hand has risen back into second place despite not playing a minute.
No change in the Goals Charts although Pliskauskas has moved up into second place in the EPL table and Bees’ Lukas Smital has dislodged Luke Ferrara of the Phantoms. In the Brit Goals Chart it is still Lightning’s Leigh Jamieson with Luke Ferrara moving into second place.
Both Assists Scored Charts are still ruled by Flames’ David Longstaff but Bees’ Martin Masa jumped into second place in the EPL Chart, while in the Brit Chart Bees’ Shaun Thompson has made an appearance.
The D-men Charts are still topped by Phantoms’ Chris Allen and for the Brits Steeldogs’ Ben Morgan but the Flames’ David Savage entered the EPL table meaning he is placed at number four in the Brit Chart which also saw Phoenix’s Luke Boothroyd enter.
In the Netminders’ Chart Ben Bowns extended his lead to more than a percentage point, but Jets’ Greg Rockman is slowly creeping up and now threatens Lightning’s Alex Mettam for the second spot.
In the Penalty Charts there is no change although Lightning’s Grant McPherson, who must have been hiding in a cupboard, entered the EPL Game Average top ten for the first time.
Into the week and with the signing deadline the Flames announced the re-signing of Slovakian forward Jozef Kouhut who previously iced for them between 2003 and 2008 when he averaged well over two points per game. He went on to play for the Wildcats, and most recently HK Puchov in Slovakia.
The Tigers suffered an appalling piece of ill-treatment at the hands of Swedish forward Henrik Sahlin, who had only been acquired from the ENL Bristol Pitbulls in December, and who simple walked-out. While no return to Bristol is possible with the loss of the rink there he is apparently returning to Norway, although as Coach Watkins said, ‘Very unprofessional, left without even a phone call.’
Sadly this again highlights the short-comings of any contractual value and while there is no point compelling a player to remain where he clearly is not happy, this surely shouldn’t be allowed to happen without some redress? Sadly, it isn’t as though this is the first time this has happened in Telford this season as Andy McKinney walked out in November for Elite League Hull to which Coach Watkins said, ‘Right now I feel very let down. I am very disappointed at the manner of his leaving, with no notice.’
Such behaviour is not just unprofessional, as Watkins says, but discredits the sport and is an insult to the English Ice Hockey Association and all it’s clubs because it effectively puts a player above all authority which is a formula for anarchy. Pertinently, had any disciplinary measures been in place Kohut’s return to the Flames may have not been possible after him having walked out on the Wildcats in October 2010.
However, the Tigers did manage to sign British forward Vince Connon from his second season with the Elite League Braehead Clan. Connon, still only 20, beforehand completed two creditable seasons with the Ontario Hockey Academy in their Midget League and that after a spell with Dundee Stars.
On to Saturday and a full menu of games.
Bison 5 – Wildcats 4
The Bison have looked pretty comfortable against the Wildcats so far this season having played four times, scored 23 times for just eight in reply and not a point conceded with little difference between venues. The Bison also went into the weekend with a win against the Lightning and a strong recovery against the Jets for a penalty win, while the Wildcats only manage a point from a Steeldogs double-header.
But it was the Wildcats that came out strongest and took the lead after a minute then a first goal by Jan Melichar gave the visitors a 2-goal advantage by the first break. But it wasn’t to last and by the second break the Bison had the lead in a game that got progressively feisty. Two goals early in the third by Aaron Nell put the Wildcats back on equal footing and then back into the lead, but again they couldn’t hold it and Jacob Heron got the winner with minutes to spare thereby nudging the Wildcats’ losing streak along.
Bees 1 – Tigers 0
Three times these two have met and all games have been close with 2 wins to the Bees in Telford, but a penalty win for the Tigers in Bracknell.
Recently the Bees won in overtime against the Phoenix and then lost to the Phantoms on penalties in a finale that was somewhat controversial while the Tigers suffered an appalling defeat at the hands of the Flames in the first lag of their double-header only to bounce back and win on penalties the night after which inspired Coach Tom Watkins to comment, ‘We have just got to get out consistency levels right home and away.’
This game, however, started close enough, in fact too close for new boy Vince Connon who picked up a lump for his face in his first shift, and then carried on about as equal as it could be with just a Martin Masa goal early in the second period separating the pair. But all credit to netminders Tom Annetts and Greg Blais for keeping it as tight as it was, and the rest for matching shots on goal at 32-each.
Lightning 1 – Phoenix 3
The Lightning at home managed to make a solid deposit against the Phoenix in the first meeting of this pair, but the Phoenix repaid with interest with two wins at home and a convincing victory in Milton Keynes.
In their last games the Lightning shut-out the Bison and then a week later were clobbered in a return match. The Phoenix, meanwhile, beat the Steeldogs mid-week which caused Coach Hand to observe, ‘We are still in the mix,’ but then lost in overtime to the Bees.
So a goalless first period lulled you into thinking this was going to be a close-fought battle right to the wire, but it wasn’t to be as the Phoenix took control minutes into the second period and the Lightning failed to do much about it. Juraj Faith added a second around the half way mark, and although the reliable Leigh Jamieson pulled one back unassisted half way through the final stint, it was too little too late especially when James Archer stuck another in for good measure and certainly kept the visitors in the ‘mix’.
Jets 4 – Flames 5 after overtime
The Jets have not made it easy for the league leaders with both sides recording 4-1 home wins, and the last game a victory in Guildford, but only just.
A couple of wins for the Jets were concluded last Sunday by a strong showing against the Bison which they eventually lost on penalties, while the Flames managed three points from four against the Tigers causing Coach Dixon to comment the Tigers, ‘rightly deserved to take the win.’
So you would have expected this one to be close but a Jets’ goal in the first few minutes made you wonder if the Flames were up to it, especially as they went on to outshoot their opponents and Adam Calder added a second almost before the whistle had stopped at beginning the second period. But the Flames have a habit of fighting their way back into a game when duty calls, and the bugle was answered with the equaliser coming in ten minutes and returnee Jozef Kohut claiming the lead at the half way point. Two minutes after that the Flames had not only lost their lead but regained it, but not for long thanks to Aaron Connolly which left the final period too close to separate the sides and Kohut who nabbed the winner in overtime. So, yes, close it was.
Steeldogs 3 – Phantoms 0
Despite an early season’s loss at home to the Steeldogs the Phantoms returned in kind but only to be beaten twice in Sheffield. Then followed the revitalised Phantoms’ win at home which the Steeldogs promised never to allow again, so you would be excused for making sure you had a seatbelt with you for this one.
Coming into this pairing after two losses the Steeldogs then recovered from behind to beat the Wildcats on penalties, which inspired Wildcats’ coach Ryan Aldridge to observe his side were ‘perhaps’ guilty of thinking they had it in the bag when they were leading 3-1, but the Steeldogs made sure at home the following night anyway.
Strangely, then, the expected blood bath didn’t take place despite all the sabre rattling in the week although perhaps due to an absence of certain bodies. However, things started well enough with pace and action and, in fact, a surprising lack of penalty minutes so it was hard to separate the pair, and when it came to a scuffle around half way the ref simply had a gentle word in the ear of both captains and off they skipped to the woods again leaping right into the third period where, in a burst of about six minutes the Phantoms seemed to misplace the map and the Steeldogs jumped all over them. By the time things had settled down it was too late and Ben Bowns collected his third shut-out of the season, and a second against the Phantoms, who seemed bewilderingly placid compared a few weeks ago which left the visitors to pick up the points without having to shed any blood.
So on to Sunday, and just four games.
Flames 4 – Lightning 2
In their first game the Lightning won at home then lost in overtime in the return in Guildford. Since then the Lightning made it more convincing with a 6-2 victory there, but then lost at home, so all-in-all a pretty evenly matched pair.
But last night’s loss at home to the Phoenix has to be considered a mark against the Lightning and a plus for the Flames seeing as they are at home after beating the Jets in Slough in overtime.
But the Flames didn’t get it all their own way. In fact, Blaz Emersic hit the post right at the off and got the equalising goal around the half-way mark, but the lead was immediately reinstated by the Flames and lost again all within a few minutes. All stayed pretty close for twenty minutes and then Nathan Rempel put the Flames back in front but only after a rare treat as returnee Andrew Sharp tried to goad someone, anyone in fact, into a shared partnership in the box. But it was all to no avail which suggested that although even Grant McPherson isn’t exactly lost over the horizon when it comes to finding the sin-bin, he is now shrewd enough to play the odds. But while the Lightning looked more in tune than the night before, they weren’t quite astute enough to upset the Flames.
Phoenix 6 – Wildcats 3
A home win apiece for these two but that was before the Phoenix were able to put all the pieces of their winning puzzle together to form a recognisable picture. And with a second away game of the weekend having suffered a tough loss in Basingstoke, the Wildcats were always going to be up against it with the Phoenix on home ice.
Hardly surprising, then, that once again it was the Wildcats who took the lead which is beginning to look like a harbinger of doom because seconds into the second period the Phoenix were equal and by half-way James Archer had chalked up a hat-trick in as many minutes as it took him to have a cup of tea and by the end of the period the Phoenix were comfortably in command finally inflicting the worst losing run the Wildcats have suffered this season.
Jets 3 – Bison 0
The Jets have won in Basingstoke but then lost at home with the last game between the pair going to the Bison on penalties at home.
But after a point from last night, on top of a couple of wins including and that point from the Bison a week ago, the Jets must have been feeling fairly confident at home particularly with the Bison making hard work of the Wildcats the evening before at home.
So, it was the Jets who started with two quick goals by Darius Pliskauskas, which although not quickly built on was enough to consolidate their position and keep the Bison out until ten minutes from the end when Pliskauskas completed his hat-trick and Greg Rockman, with a third shutout for the season, moved into second place in that table, but in gaining only a three-point weekend to the Phoenix’s four, have allowed a foot in the door.
Tigers 6 – Phantoms 8
The Tigers had lost twice at home to the Phantoms before winning in Peterborough on penalties and then losing in a fourteen-goal fiesta.
Coach Watkins had called this weekend’s games, ‘the biggest matches of the season.’ Well, it was certainly big in goals, equalling the EPL record for the season as the visitors raced away but were quickly reined in ending the period a goal up. The Phantoms raced away again in P2 as Maris Ziedins bagged a hat-trick, and giving rise to the suspicion that that was it. But not quite as the Tigers made a remarkable recovery and once again scored a total worthy of victory in most games with, all on the scoreboard.
But the Phantoms must be feeling worried that not only did they concede so many to so few – well no, actually, as amazingly Senko, Soar, Hornak, McKenzie, Brittle and Henry were all on the scoresheet – but against the bottom side to whom they capitulated from such a strong position. In the Phantoms’ favour the final play-off spot is increasingly looking like a 3-way event as the Wildcats slip into the Bees’ jaws, but at the top of the table the Phoenix are consolidated clearly in second place, so no sharing of goal-difference there, although the Steeldogs and Jets are only a point away.
In the coming week we have the Phantoms at home to the Flames, while the first leg of the first EPL Cup semi-final takes place between the Steeldogs and Lightning in Sheffield.
Can’t wait.
For more EPL facts and figures, stats news and more take a look at www.iceman-epl.com
Contact Bill.Collins@prohockeynews.com
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