SWINDON, UK – The Wildcats started the week off with the news that another re-signing would be announced shortly, adding to netminder Tom Murdy already on the books for the coming season. Coach Aldridge explained, ‘We would like to keep a lot of the guys together, but we will have to wait and see.’
As it turned out it was 18-year-old D-man Paul Swindlehurst who put pen to paper for a second year, having signed and unsigned in Slough following his mentor Pete Russell to Swindon last summer. This policy of early re-signings, despite all the usual rumours further afield, appears unique so far in the EPL. Or at least in making things public.
The Wildcats also had some other good news with the announcement of the formation of the preliminary senior GB squad. Not only does it include four EPL players, but one is 22-year-old Aaron Nell who is undoubtedly one of the top British forwards. While currently lying just outside the top ten EPL points scorers, and already in that zone as far as Brits go, when you remember he has appeared about fifty-percent fewer times for the Wildcats this season having arrived late, then on game average he is the only Brit in the EPL top ten – ipso-facto, bingo-bongo, the top Brit in the category.
As far as Nell’s goal-scoring is concerned a similar situation pertains although he is joined in the EPL top ten by fellow-GB appointee, Leigh Jamieson from the Lightning. This pair also have a healthy gap developing between them and the next placed Brit which, while neither appear in the top ten for assist-scoring, suggests a predilection for the ‘bull’ rather than the ‘outer.’
However, while Nell has played at GB level for both the Under 18 and Under 20 sides he has yet to appear for the senior side and has over eighty games in the Elite League prior to his return to the Wildcats.
Jamieson, on the other hand, while in the Elite League for the 2007-08 season played in the WC D1 side five times and on several more occasions prior to that including at U20 and U18 level back in 2001.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Flames’ David Longstaff also made the squad. Longstaff is what you might call the elder statesman of the selections who at 37 has a wealth of GB experience starting with his Under 18 days in 1990 right through Under 20’s to senior level while serving both in the EIHL and the EPL. Oh yes, he can score goals at that level too.
At club level, Longstaff has long shown a point-scoring consistency and reliability that were he on the other side of the fence so to speak he would hold season ticket status, and currently, as he has for most of this season, been quite a formidable play-maker too.
It should also come as no surprise that Steeldogs’ netminder 21-year-old Ben Bowns has also received his call-up papers. Bowns is what you might call a truly home-grown EPL player with roots in the Sheffield Spartans in the ENL and a career in the same town since. And while he has appeared for the GB U20 and U18 sides, his relationship with the Elite League hasn’t come to anything just yet although he has said he would like to spend some time in there. On his current form it is hard to see how he will not be snapped up soon, but somewhat assertively he has declared he doesn’t intend spending too much of that time sitting on the bench as a back-up. So, like a true professional, the guy wants to play.
However, in a sense Bowns’s position may be the weakest of the EPL selections in the preliminary GB squad. That is not to say he isn’t of an adequate standard but that as a netminder he is in a small group and up against some decent EIHL names so in percentage terms more vulnerable to being dropped.
But regardless of what happens you can, as my old grand-pappy used to say, ’put this in your wellie and crush it:’ In his last outing at Under 20 level Bowns was awarded the Most Valuable Player Award of the GB team plus Goalie of the Tournament with an unbelievable 95.19% save rate which included a shut-out against Italy and two Man of the Match Awards. Not that I’m biased, of course.
So, the headache for new GB coach Tony Hand in revealing the choices said, ‘ There is an amazing competition for places and GB is as strong as it has ever been in terms of the talent we have to choose from.’ Right on!
In fact, right on to Saturday and its four games.
Jets 5 – Flames 2
Things couldn’t have been much closer between these two with a home-win and an away-win each, and both arriving at this game from 4-point weekends.
With an EPL Cup Final game in the offing the Flames will not be happy with their performance which started with three goals from the Jets inside fourteen minutes including a short-handed effort from Joe Greener. By the end of the second period the Flames had got it back to a 1-goal deficit but in the final period those pesky Jets snapped up two more sending the Flames back to the drawing board.
Phoenix 4 – Tigers 2
Although the Tigers won the first encounter between these two, the Phoenix won the three since but have suffered a couple of dents from the Wildcats before this game while the Tigers against the Bees, well, best forgotten.
The Tigers started strong enough and contained a Phoenix side firing from with both barrels and got into the first break just a goal down. Then, in a more assertive second period Joe Henry had the Tigers equal by half way but the Phoenix went ahead going into the second break. But then, well slap my boots and call me a buccaneer, Scott McKenzie trumped it to go into the dressing room for his second cup of tea with all even again. The Phoenix opened the final stint with a goal from Steve Wallace which, with McKenzie going off injured for a while, proved to be enough for the two points but plenty for the Tigers to be contended with. Lightning 6 – Bees 4
This pairing have kept things tight with four games so far, two going beyond regular time so six points to the Lightning and four to the Bees. Last weekend the Bees secured four points at the expense of the Tigers while the Lightning split things with the Steeldogs.
When it came to it the Bees dominated with two goals in the first period. And then it all started to fall apart. The Lightning opened their account through Tuomas Tikkanen on a power-play minutes after the restart with Adam Brittle equalising ten minutes later also on a power-play. Adam Carr then gave the Lightning the lead for the first time despite an icing infringement that, well, upset a few. And while the ensuing ten-minute misconduct penalty on Shaun Thompson for protesting the point saw him adjourn to the box, the Bees’ game adjourned out the window. To be fair, the Bees found their composure and fought back in the final period despite another from Tikkanen, but eventually ran out of time to correct their earlier vestibular lapse.
Wildcats 5 – Steeldogs 1
Four games so far for these two sides and all have gone to the Steeldogs with two taking extra-time. But while Sheffield side are the only one not to have been beaten by the Wildcats, they more than made up for it in this game with a victory inflicted bigger than anything suffered at Steeldogs’ hands, er, paws in the past. In fact, it was the Steeldogs biggest defeat of the season on goal difference. The Wildcats also came into the game with an improving home record, while the Steeldogs had a shared weekend with the Lightning.
Aaron Nell and Jonas HÖÖG battled through a feisty game which saw netminder Tom Murdy out injured and accounted for the 3-goal lead by the second break. The Steeldogs couldn’t seem to do much about it apart from Ashley Calvert saving the shut-out with minutes to spare.
Sunday, and again just four games but interesting ones. Take the Phantoms at home to the Lightning, for instance.
Phantoms 2 – Lightning 3 after penalties
After the dismantling by the Lightning two weeks ago and, albeit losses but resisted ones, to the Flames in last week’s double-header, the Phantoms came into the arena a much different team to face a side fresh from two points at home to the Bees.
The Phantoms have taken three points off the Lightning in Milton Keyes, and suffered twice at home in return, so a game between two sides where anything can happen.
There was nothing to separate the pair in the first period, but then things did, in fact, start to happen. The Lightning went ahead, but only for two minutes and as an edge found its way into the game Adam Brittle took a knock as the Lightning retook the lead, and Tom Norton took an early shower after a group shuffle. On the ensuing power-play Maris Ziedins put the Phantoms back in it which is how it stayed until it was decided on penalties. Damien King in the home goal did more than enough for a mention in despatches, and Alex Mettam at the other end was his usual reliable self. Now, the home side has apparently been to the dentist and been refitted with a set of sharper teeth, but will it be enough for them to take a chunk out of the play-offs?
Tigers 3 – Phoenix 4
After last night’s loss which was by no means a disgrace the Tigers must have been feeling hopeful for at least a point against the Phoenix in their own rink. Although the Phoenix went ahead after four minutes, the Tigers’ reply was immediate but then so was the Phoenix’s subsequent response. But then again, seconds before the first break Vince Connon slipped in the equaliser for his first home goal, and it was ‘game on!’ An early Phoenix goal in the middle period was also quickly neutralised by Scot McKenzie, and while Tony Hand again gave the visitors the advantage this was all still only half way through the game. And that is how it remained with the Tigers maintaining their threatening stance right up to the final buzzer.
Flames 4 – Jets 1
Another double-header with the Flames set on revenge for what was a pretty convincing defeat in Slough. Both sides came from a pair of wins into this weekend, and were on equal terms against each other with a home and an away win apiece.
After last night’s game in which it was the Flames playing catch-up, this encounter was the reverse with an early goal by the home side almost immediately wiped out long before the first break. The second period produced only one goal, by Rick Plant, which consolidated a Flames’ position they never allowed breached, and two more quick goals early in the final stint put the sweet smell of revenge in their nostrils. Almost certainly the whiff must have had the piquancy of scorching flesh so naturally attracted Andrew Sharp and Adam Greener who both savoured a ten-minute tit-bit for etiquette misconduct when the meal really was over.
Bees 3 – Bison 6
Five games and five home wins, so the odds suggest it would be the Bees triumphant this time out, and with the Bison having suffered two defeats last weekend at the hands of the Jets and the Bees a double win over the Tigers, those odds would appear to shorten.
In the event, it was the Bison who not only started things off but after ten minutes found themselves three-up. Carl Ambler replaced Tom Annetts in the Bees’ goal and things appeared to settle down a tad with Lukas Smital claiming a goal seconds before the first break. Martin Masa reduced the Bison lead to one goal seconds after the restart, so the final period meant there was still everything to play for especially when it opened with an equaliser from Rob Lamey. And then, in almost a repeat of Saturday’s game, the Bees faltured and the pendulum swung back to the Bison who added a punishing three more goals.
So there you have it. While the Flames lead at the top of the table took a slight dent from the Phoenix’s four-point weekend, the Jets and Steeldogs are looking slightly adrift. Further down the table the Wildcats are hauling themselves away from the Bees and that eighth play-off place where the Phantoms could still have a thing or two to say about that.
And to think there is lots more next week. 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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