UK – The 2010 Elite League Play Offs which took place over Easter could well have been one of the best Play Off weekends since the Elite League came into place. Both semi finals were hard fought entertaining games that kept the fans on the edge of their seats for the whole of the day while the final was a nervy close encounter that had even the neutral fans biting their nails as the Play Off title was decided on sudden death penalty shots.
The opening game of the weekend was a high scoring affair between the Elite League Champions the Coventry Blaze and the hard hitting Cardiff Devils. Coventry went into this game as heavy favourites however the Welsh side soon took control against an under strength Blaze roster who started the game with only 3 genuine defencemen available to them. Devils were able to book their place in the Final thanks to a 6-3 victory with Man of the Match Phil Hill and Max Miller both bagging braces.
The second game was a much tighter tense affair and for the majority of the game it looked like an early strike from blue liner Michael Jacobsen could have sealed the Giants place in Sunday’s final. However Panthers rallied late in the third stanza and Jade Galbraith fired home to take the game into sudden death overtime. With no goal coming in the extra 5 minutes of 4 on 4 play the contest went into penalty shots and Belfast came out on top 3-2 in the shoot out with former AHL star Jeff Szwez netting from both of his attempts.
From a neutrals point of view the opening day of the Play Offs had been a great success, fans in attendance at the NIC had seen an open free scoring game between Paul Thompson’s Coventry Blaze and Gerad Adams Cardiff Devils before the passion and great endeavour of the clash between Nottingham and Belfast. There was also plenty of off ice activities to keep the fans busy as there were many ice hockey related stalls dotted around the Arena and a barbeque had been set up in the square just outside of the main entrance.
Many supporters came along to the early game on the Sunday lunchtime to watch England take on Scotland at Under 19 level. England comfortably won the tie 6-1 and the score could have been even more one sided if Scottish goaltender Mark McGill had not been in such good form. Playing in the NIC in front of a good crowd will have been a great experience for all of the youngsters involved especially a great number of the Scottish roster who have only really have had experience of playing in the Scottish National League and in the Northern League up to now.
The showpiece game of the weekend faced off just after 4.15 pm on the Sunday and with the game being broadcast live on Sky Sports all of the British ice hockey ‘family’ were hoping for a entertaining end to end game. Belfast took the lead shortly into the second period when Brandon Benedict fired home and the fans from across the Irish sea were ecstatic on 32 minutes when veteran forward George Awada put the Irish side into a commanding 2 goal lead. However Devils showed plenty of steel and determination as Cardiff reduced the arrears to a single goal when Birbraer replied under a minute after Giants had netted their second.
Birbraer and Mark Smith were causing plenty of problems for Belfast’s defence and it was the former who tied the game just before the end of the second with a superb one timer from distance. With no goals coming in either the 3rd period or overtime the game was to decided by penalty shots and it was the Giants who once again came out on top in the dash from the red line to the goal with Evan Cheverie netting the only goal of the shoot out after the first 7 attempts were not converted.
With 15 goals in the 3 principle games of the weekend extravaganza of hockey, fans certainly got value for money over the course of the 2010 Play Offs. With the Braehead Clan entering the league next season and some alterations to the Play Off format, the 2011 Play Off weekend at the NIC promises a great deal. However next year’s event has a lot to live up to after a excellent weekend of hockey this Easter.
Contact the author Chris.MacKenzie@Prohockeynews.com
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