SWINDON, UK – So, the last few days of the closed season, and still plenty of time for last minute news. Firstly there was the aftermath of Sunday’s challenge game between the Wildcats and Tigers in Telford. While the home side lost fairly convincingly, a philosophical Coach Watkins said, ‘generally there were plenty of positives to build on.’ Over the two leg series the Tigers managed big chunks when they contained the Wildcats not allowing them the freedom to sparkle as they have shown they can, and also managing to outshoot them by a respectable margin too. Coach Aldridge said he expects ‘good things’ from his side this season and intended to play ‘a lot more offensively this year.’ On paper, of course, the Wildcats have an impressive line up and you could put out any three forwards as a first line without too much reservation. Aldridge went on to say he thought he had the ‘best youngster’ in the league in Paul Swindlehurst and, ‘all the imports I wanted. I’ve got exactly the team I wanted.’ One of those forwards, Brit James Knight added his voice to that argument saying the Wildcats forwards were ‘second to none.’
The proof of the pudding, and all that, was put to the test mid-week in Slough where the Wildcats took the lead with two quick goals showing some of that sparkle, but maybe not over a sustained period because the Jets smacked in two quick goals early in the third and took over the driving seat to take the win.
One of the oddities in Swindon is the presence of basically two coaches in Aldridge and Pete Russell. Aldridge said, ‘Every team should really have two guys. The hardest thing is to be on your own.’ But will two strong characters, as is the case, be the right mix for success or the right mix for conflict and failure? As far as Aldridge is concerned he sees a top four place as attainable with the Flames in the favourite spot.
Meanwhile Bracknell’s coach Gareth Cox was a wee bit more cautious, despite dismantling the Jets twice, warning fans not to expect too much too soon although he did add his side was ‘not yet up to game speed.’ On the negative side Cox reported the head injury Andy Munroe sustained in a clash with Jets’ Mark Galazzi while not serious may keep him out of the first weekend’s games. The Bees also signed forward Daniel Lack on a 2-way contract with the Hornets.
Even more unlucky is Phantoms’ coach Chris Allen who released British forward Warren Tait to allow him to take up an offer in the Elite League only to then be faced with the loss of Shaun Yardley whose sustained an injury earlier in the summer but which has not responded to treatment. Yardley looks likely to be out for at least four weeks. All this comes on top of the loss of Dean Tonks, who arrived from the Elite League in May only to quit the sport in August, and caused Allen to comment the depleting squad was a ‘major headache and could not have come at a worse time.’
Talking of player releases, the Tigers said goodbye to D-man Mike Jones who has moved to the ENL Titans. And while not exactly EPL news, Steeldogs’ D-man Steve Duncombe, who also plays for the Steelers, was dropped by the Elite League club for turning up late for a game. His Steeldogs’ coach Andre Payette was pretty philosophical about the action, but not quite so with the news EIHL Steelers had been taking an interest in his Latvian forward Janis Ozolins. Payette was quite clear saying, ‘He plays for us first and foremost.’
Also with an injury problem is the Phoenix who reported Ciaran Long would miss the start of the season after suffering a knee injury he encountered in a meeting of bodies with Steeldogs’ Pavel Gomeniuk in their challenge match and for which the Ukrainian was awarded a match penalty. Phoenix coach Tony Hand observed of the encounter: ‘It didn’t feel like a friendly, though, the way the game was played.’
The Lightning made some eleventh hour signings with the return of British forward Ross Bowers, who has spent a season in the ENL with the Thunder, and forward Jamie Line, who iced for the club for a part-season, but is now on board for the tour.
And so we arrived at the first weekend.
At a final pre-season meeting of the Awards Committee in the Halibut and Haggis, minutes before their first face-off of the new league season. The mood was charged with excitement, and the distinct smell of cordite drifted across the wire from the lounge bar. The long wait was over. Talk was rapid in a jerkily sort of way as the conversation flitted between final predictions and tactics, hopes and fears. Barry, alone under the table, was quietly putting the finishing touches to his last will and testament, or so Grand-pappy thought, while he quietly watched him, harbouring concerns.
It was almost time to leave and walk the last few yards to the rink. I turned to look at the old man and as he straightened himself preparing to move out of his seat. I thought he looked distracted and sombre. ‘What’s the matter,’ I asked quietly, inclining towards him.
He slipped his right hand between the buttons on his jacket and leaned closer. He was doing his Napoleon impression, so I knew something serious was on his mind. ‘We got a fight on our hands this year, boy,’ he whispered. And then he leaned back and with his free hand uncurled two fingers in a ‘V’ and thrust his hand forward, and said, ‘We shall fight them on the beaches, we shall fight them on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.’
Oh dear. Time for his tablet.
The first game on the Friday evening saw the Wildcats host the Steeldogs and after an opening skirmish things settled down and the home side in superb form clocked up a two goal lead. But the Steeldogs dug in and fought back forcing the game into overtime where they won it with a cracking goal from Ben Morgan with seconds to spare. Coach Payette had said he thought the Swindon side to be one of the ‘most improved teams in the league,’ and would make the top four.
The following evening the Wildcats travelled to Telford and dished out more of what was on offer in their previous challenge game. But only for half an hour because at that point the Tigers mounted an effective resistance although at 6-0, the final score, perhaps the Wildcats were conserving themselves. GM Steve Nell had expressed his annoyance at his side having to play three games over the weekend. ‘It shouldn’t happen in our sport,’ he said, ‘It’s a tough start…it’s not normal.’
Other opening games on the Saturday included the Bees in Basingstoke where a close fought game, showing the Bracknell side are going to be a force to be reckoned with, went right up to the final eleven minutes when the Bison netted the deadlock with two goals through Jacob Heron and Daniel Volrab and completed the game 4-2, and we even had a scrap to finish off with.
Then there was the Phoenix in Slough where a blistering first period saw a short-handed goal by Martin Cingel and then three more put the home side heavily down by the first bell. In the second the Jets were much more settled and fought their way back into the game keeping up their momentum into the third period so that by the final ten minutes, with just a goal in it, the result was looking uncertain. Then an empty net goal by Juraj Faith scuppered things for the Jets.
In the first of the ‘Ashes’ games the Lightning proved too strong for an under-strength Phantoms with new import Juraj Gracik on the scoreboard but the Peterborough younger inductees far from a pushover despite the 5-1 score line.
Sunday and the return leg of the ‘Ashes’ games in Peterborough was a different affair with the Phantoms stronger on home ice although with five minutes to go the Lightning pulled equal only to see Maris Ziedins snatch the win, but not the ‘Ashes’ on aggregate.
Also looking good on home ice were the Bees who although dropping a goal in the first minute to the Jets were back in it by the end of the first. The next few minutes saw the Bees take the lead and not really look back going on to a 5-2 win and dismantling the Jets for the third time in eight days.
Also getting dismantled were the Wildcats who at Sheffield found the Steeldogs a bit too much to handle finding themselves four goals adrift by the half hour. A goal by James Knight was some consolation in a good third period, but for a team with such potential on paper, something is as yet seriously lacking which seems hard to put down to just a busy schedule seeing as it is the start of the season.
And talking of potential, what happened to the Tigers in Guildford? After a drubbing the night before, the Telford side showed just what they are capable of with three unanswered goals in two periods. Unfortunately netminder Josh Nicholls had a close encounter with a puck and was stretchered off, and Luke Brittle departed with an arm injury, but it didn’t stop the Tigers from going on to take a respectable win even with the Flames testing their new backup netminder James Hadfield and claiming a consolation goal minutes from time.
In Manchester the Bison took the lead and were 3-1 up by the end of the period. A brace apiece by Steve Wallace and Martin Cingel saw the Phoenix on equal terms early in the third period and the game sailing towards overtime where the Phoenix clinched it after less than a minute by a goal some saw as an unlucky deflection. If you are a Bison fan, of course.
So some interesting results from the first weekend and far too early to be wanting to stick a neck out. But suffice it to say it is good to see the Bees, Steeldogs and Tigers taking points in games that would have borne a lot less fruit last season.
And finally. I doubt many people will know the name of Frank Moria, but when you know he is the Bison’s coach’s dad, it makes more sense.
Moria senior, who must be a sprightly elder gentleman, because his son Steve is 50, drove for four days from his home in British Columbia, Canada to Fairbanks in Alaska to represent his son on the occasion of his induction into the Nanooks Hall of Fame. “Awesome,’ said Frank. ‘I’m really proud.” And Steve’s notable achievement? All-time leading scorer with an average of over three points per game.
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Contact Bill.Collins@prohockeynews.com
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