SWINDON, UK – The big news of the week has to be the Flames clinching the league title, an achievement accomplished for the fifth time, so all due praise and adulation to them. While undoubtedly, even for a club of the calibre of the Flames, still a creditable achievement and without wishing to detract from it, a few words from the other end of the table come to mind where Coach Watkins at the Tigers recently commented that when the pressure is off players relax and enjoy their hockey more. Or words to that effect. The downside is, as history has shown, ease the tension and a league-winning side is capable of making a singularly unimpressive exit from the play-offs.
Just think how many times a side has won the treble, for example, or even the league and play-off title. In other words one title isn’t any assurance there is more to come which I mention not only because it appears to be true, but also gives something for everyone else to focus on with the honours usually being shared.
Or, working on the glass is half full rather than half empty premise, a title in the bag is a title in the bag.
Moving on, the week’s figures show Andre Payette and Adam Greener are still at the top of the Penalty-Takers Charts but Greener replaces Bison’s’ Chris Wiggins on penalty minutes by game average.
In the Points Scoring Top Ten Chart things are pretty much the same with three Brits, and Jets’ Joe Greener inching into the second Brit spot above Flames’ David Longstaff.
On points by game average it is still the Flames’ Jozef Kohut in charge a whisker further away from the chasing Aaron Nell who is also a whisker away from touching two points per game, something not yet accomplished by a Brit this season.
The EPL Top Ten Goal Scorers’ Chart is still headed by Sheffield’s Janis Ozolins with, interestingly, the Wildcats’ Nell jumping the Lightning’s Leigh Jamieson but only by the number of games played. Swindon, amazingly, have three players in the top ten placings which belies their league table position. In the Brit chart it is getting crowded and while Nell takes over at the top from Jamieson, nine players occupy the following eight places separated by just eight points.
When it comes to assists it is Longstaff and Longstaff at the head of both Top Ten Charts which going by the length of his occupation is beginning to sound about as established as a firm of old family butchers.
The same thing could be said for the whole of the two D-men Top Ten Charts where although obviously some increase in totals, there has been almost no movement; a bit like a government quango then.
Mid-week saw the first leg of the EPL Cup Final in Sheffield where the Steeldogs took on the Flames.
Before the match Steeldogs’ coach Andre Payette said, ‘I am optimistic because I have a team who have come through every big game so far this season, and I believe we can do so again. Our budget is second or third lowest in the league. They operate on the biggest budget in the league – that’s the difference.’
Steeldogs 3 – Flames 6
The visitors got off to a dream start when, with after just a couple of minutes on the clock, they scored four times in nine minutes. By the end of the first period the Steeldogs had clawed two back but had the devastating blow of losing top scoring Janis Ozolins for a high sticks injury to Neil Liddiard. The second period was much tighter, and the third produced an exchange of goals with the crucial factor being the number of power-play goals converted with three from three for the Flames but only two from seven for the Steeldogs. But perhaps the highlight, at least for the Flames, was starting with James Hadfield in goal for the sick Mark Lee and going on to an impressive save rate a tad under 93% which, seeing as he faced over forty shots, showed it wasn’t as though the Steeldogs weren’t up to it.
Coach Dixon said afterwards, ‘Obviously to be going home with a 3-goal lead is more than we could ever hope for, especially against the best defensive team in the league.’
On the other hand, and rightly so, Coach Andre Payette in Sheffield said his team reaching the Cup Final was a ‘massive achievement which has surprised everyone, but the players have worked hard all year. It is something to be proud of.’
On to some surprising news. Well, maybe, maybe not. With the Phantoms heading for their 10th anniversary celebrations on 21st April, part of which is a ‘legends’ game, it couldn’t be too big a surprise to hear former D-man James Morgan had agreed to partake. It may be remembered Morgan quit unexpectedly just over a year ago for ‘home, family & work’ reasons. More recently, with the Phantoms bouncing about in choppy seas without a paddle, his name has been banded about as either a saviour who could be relied on to walk on water and thereby haul the club to the play-off Promised Land, or a liability that would be something like tying the anchor round your neck and seeing how far you could swim in the storm.
To put it more clearly just in case the plot is hard to follow, Morgan seems to be a character that not just invokes opinion, but often with a fair measure of polarity involved. So, fans will either be pleased or horrified to learn Morgan said this week, ‘I am still young enough to get back to the top of my game and there is definitely a chance of it happening.’
For those falling into the ‘pleased’ camp, they can take heart that he would, ‘definitely consider a comeback next season,’ On the other side of the hill in the opposing domain his claim that he was due to have started this season with the Jets only they ran out of money, might bring relief until he qualified his comeback statement with, ‘…only if it was with the Phantoms.’
Having previously commented that the sport needs ‘characters’ Morgan’s return, wherever that may be, can only be a good thing. Probably.
Back on safer ground, later in the week came an unusual Friday game between the Wildcats at home to the Lightning.
Wildcats 6 – Lightning 5
The home side have improved muchly in recent weeks with wins over the Steeldogs and Phoenix while the visitors have a shared weekend with the Steeldogs, a win over the Bees and a penalty-win over the Phantoms. Their own pairings have produced an away-win each at the beginning of the season then three wins for the Lightning with just a point out of it for the Wildcats.
What a cracker of a game it turned out to be. First came a pre-arranged demonstration of line dancing by Nicky Watt and Michael Wales and while they both retired to the box to consider the judges’ verdict the game got under way. The home side claimed the first period with the promise of more to come, but then, in the second period, went belly-up as the Lightning fired in four power-play goals and the Wildcats demonstrated how, with Blue Peter dexterity, you can turn a 2-goal lead with the minimum of fuss into a 2-goal deficit. So, with the Lightning in command and the Wildcats appearing to have slipped into their old ways, Puff! Up pops that magician Jonus Höög to pull a hat-trick out of his, um, helmet and all of a sudden both sides were studying what they thought was at least a point. That was until forty seconds to go when the Wildcats chalked up a record sixth home win.
On to Saturday and while we have grown to accept all the results this season have acquired a different level of cruciality and interest, this evening was no exception with all five having their varying importance.
ake the Wildcats at Slough, for example –
Jets 2 – Wildcats 4
While both sides have had home and away-wins in their previous encounters, if the formulae was to be followed the Jets in Slough were due the result. But the Wildcats arrived from that impressive comeback midweek against the Lightning while their adversaries had a shared weekend against the Flames after a double-headed win over the Bison.
So probably no great surprise when Darius Pliskauskas put the Jets into the lead after two minutes or, in fact, when Nell equalised shortly after. The second period was all Wildcats apart from Greg Rockman saving a penalty shot but it saw them go into the final stint with a 2-goal lead which they were able to protect for two more points.
Bees 2 – Phantoms 6
In their four previous encounters the Phantoms have won in Bracknell and then lost at home and away with the last game a win on penalties. With only one point from their last four games but improving, the Phantoms were up against a Bracknell side that only have a weekend of wins over the Tigers to their credit.
In terms of that eighth play-off place this double-header weekend was vital or, as Murray Walker adroitly explained, as crucial as the car is to formula 1. As it turned out, it was the Phantoms in their new racing livery that made the most of it. Three goals in the first period were enough to achieve a position of dominance they wouldn’t concede, and when Tom Carlon added his second on the half-way mark it really was all over. In the final period the Bees made an attempt to gain some respectability but the Phantoms were too far ahead for it to make much difference.
Bison 1 – Tigers 4
Well, the Tigers were overdue some reward and the Bison, who have suffered from injuries and poor results recently, were their luckless victims. Telford are not without points against this side, however, having gained a penalty win in Basingstoke previously, but this time was different – big time!
The visitors leapt into the lead with two quick goals in the opening minutes and went into the middle period 3-up when McKenzie departed following a high-stick call on Marcel Petran. It wasn’t until five minutes into the final period that Joe Miller saved the shut-out, which would have been a nice touch for Declan Ryan who was magnificent in keeping out 45 shots from the Tigers goal. Then an empty-net goal in the final minute gave the Tigers an impressive two points and added to the Bison misery.
Lightning 3 – Flames 1
The lightning have prove quite capable against the league leaders having picked up five out of six points at the start of the season, but since then the Flames reversed the trend with a pair of wins.
The Flames arrived from their mid-week Cup win over the Steeldogs while the Lightning come from a 4-point weekend on top of a shared double-header with the Steeldogs.
James Hadfield was once again in goal for the Flames, and things were close for almost half an hour when Jamie Line broke the deadlock for the Lightning. Seconds before the final break the Lightning doubled their lead and temporary captain Blaz Emersic added a third a minute into the last period. The best the Flames seemed to be able to do was save a shut-out thanks to Ben Campbell with minutes to go, and send a prayer to the Tyche, the Greek god of luck, that the Phoenix fared no better.
Steeldogs 2 – Phoenix 1
The Phoenix only managed a point from a pair of Wildcats’ games before winning twice against the Tigers, but the Steeldogs lost in the Cup game after being beaten by Swindon. Previously these two sides have had some close fought battles which has been reflected in the results with both achieving away wins, home wins after regular time, and the Phoenix with the edge of a home shut-out.
So to keep things nice and tidy the Steeldogs were due a home win and, as is often the case between these two, it was once again a tense affair. Janis Ozolins was credited with the opening goal for the Steeldogs after a third minute own-goal with Edgars Bebris adding a second just seven seconds away from the break. The Phoenix pulled one back a minute into the middle period and applied a lot of pressure, but that was how it stayed for the remainder of the game which just goes to show you how close it all was and what a strong defensive performance was mounted by the Steeldogs. But at least the result squared away the
series and kept the scoreboard orderly although the Phoenix will be disappointed for not capitalising on the Flames’ loss.
An interesting evening, then, which left you wondering if Sunday could match it.
Phoenix 2 – Jets 5
Having lost last night to the Steeldogs the Phoenix would have been anxious to get their title challenge back on track, albeit with fingers now crossed. They have shared honours against the Jets so far this season, but with both having lost last night a game difficult to call.
Not a difficult call for the Jets, though, who took the lead as Slava Koulikov went down and subsequently retired from the match. Although the Jets added a second, the Phoenix started the middle period with a reply and went in to the final period just a goal down having had a momentary pause for Ryan Johnson to abuse an official. The final period saw Darius Pliskauskas put on some big boots and stamp out a hat-trick taking him to the top of that leader board, and the Phoenix’s title hopes effectively fade into the mist.
Phantoms 2 – Bees 0
The second leg of a vital weekend with the Phantoms one-up so far and the Bees desperate for some points. But the Bees had already won twice against the Phantoms, so all was not lost.
Well, actually it was, as the Phantoms continued with their assault of the previous night and while not quite as rampant, enough with a shut-out to take them above the Bees in the league table.
Steeldogs 2 – Wildcats 4
The Wildcats finally beat the Steeldogs on their last outing and with last night’s win in Slough must be feeling confident. For the Steeldogs, though, they have a victory against the Phoenix under their belts from last night, so again a game that promised much.
Things started tense enough and quickly saw Pavel Gomeniuk ejected for either the undisciplined ravishing a Swindon player or becoming the bewildered victim of an Oscar-winning dive. Take your pick. The Wildcats started the scoring in the second period and, despite the home side getting back on equal terms to go into the third will everything to fight for, it was a late pair from Höög that ended a tremendous thirteen-game home-winning league run in Sheffield.
Tigers 2 – Lightning 0
The Tigers had yet to win against the Lightning and, have not scored as well against them as they have against some other sides. But, the Tigers come from a win over the Bison, but then the Lightning beat the Flames, so who knows what might happen?
And ‘what might happen’ was about what happened. In fact, nothing happened on the scoreboard for nearly fifty minutes in a game as close as shoes and socks until Luke Brittle scored twice to not only give the Tigers their first 4-point weekend of the season, but a first shut-out to boot. Amazing!
Flames 4 – Bison 3 after overtime
Despite the Bison’s current problems they have shown well against the Flames so far this season with two home wins, the same as the Flames. And with both losing last night it comes down to which side has the best bouncebackability factor. The Flames had a wee bit more incentive with the possibility of wrapping up the league title, and went ahead after seven minutes. But it was the Bison who bounced back and with Steve Wall saving a penalty shot at the half-way stage and nothing to separate the pair after an hour, the game went into overtime where it took Jez Lundin just half a minute to clinch the two points. Oh yes, and the league title.
So the Flames have effectively secured the first title up for grabs and what a relief we don’t have to get into one of those footballing permutation mazes whereby if the Jets score three goals on a Thursday and the Steeldogs have a loss on a Tuesday then the Phoenix can win the league by a goal if the Lightning doesn’t play on a Sunday….well, you know the kind of thing.
Further down the league, however, there is still much going on. The Bison, for example, are slipping into the grasp of the Wildcats who seem to be peaking at the right time while the rejuvenated Phantoms have jumped the Bees. Even the Tigers, who it could be said have no target to aim for anymore are far from having given up as the weekend proved. And as for the rest, well there is just a meagre five points between them so try finding a place in the league where it isn’t interesting or entertaining.
And to think there is 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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