COVENTRY, UK –
Battered and bruised Coventry Plumbing and Heating Blaze are preparing in a determined and focused manner according to Canadian forward Derek Campbell. The feisty winger says that the mood in the Coventry locker room is one of resolve and determination with the League Champions hungry for more glory.
The last prize of the season will be won this weekend at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham and despite Coventry having key players Tom Watkins, Jason Robinson and Greg Owen unavailable due to injury, Coventry go into the weekend hockey finale with high hopes.
The Greg Owen injury was picked up in the play off clash with Hull Stingrays at the Skydome Arena in Coventry on Sunday 28th March. Stingrays Ukraine veteran blue liner Pavel Goymenyuk made contact with Owens’ knee and it is the subject of heated debate in Coventry amongst the fans, players, and club management as to whether the clash was intentional or accidental as described in the match report at www.activcoventry.com The general consensus is that this was dirty play by Goymenyuk and Blaze have been denied the services of Owen who has been a tremendous asset to Coventry this season and has scored some vital goals.
Head Coach Paul Thompson has said that he won’t hesitate to give opportunities to young British players from the Coventry ENL roster and also some of the players on 2 way contracts from EPL clubs. Blaze fans can expect to be needed to give their amazing support to the likes of Tom Ledgard, Joe Henry and the semi retired veteran James Pease. Blaze are also in a position where they will be icing key players who are carrying injuries so they have a major challenge ahead . Yet the mood is buoyant and the semi-final clash with Cardiff Devils will be just as feisty as the other games between these two teams this season. Thompson is emphasising to his players the mental approach of 1 period at a time, 20 minute hockey and win each period as if it was a game in its own right.
“It’s going to be a tough weekend but winning is very much on the agenda. We don’t want to sign off yet” said Thomo (Thompson). “We will have some difficult decisions to be made about who will play as we are a battered team right now. But we want to bring this trophy back to the city. We lost to Cardiff when we last faced them in the semi-final and it’s time to put that right.”
Danny Stewart(Blaze) and Phil Hill(Devils) lock horns
On the subject of who will play, if Jason Robinson is unavailable then all the remaining imports will ice. If Robinson can play some part then Thompson has the difficult decision of leaving an import on the bench and it would almost certainly be a forward. Last weekend it was Derek Campbell who was left out in Hull and although he played in the second leg back in Coventry due to Robinson being in too much pain to play, he did not look a happy bunny. Recently Alternate Captain Danny Stewart was left out against Belfast Giants and he sounded non-committal on local Radio Coventry & Warwickshire when asked if he would still like to be a Blaze player next season. In fact there was a definite lack of enthusiasm in his voice so this weekends’ playoff games could well be the last game or games in a Coventry shirt for some of the Champions. Contact the author Comment@Prohockeynews.com
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