SWINDON, UK – With the quarter-finals behind us, as you would expect there were a few interesting comments. Coach Russell, for instance, understandably stunned by the Jets exit from the play-offs courtesy of Peterborough said, ‘It was a 64-shot shut-out, it was unbelievable.’ Steve Wall, recipient of those unbelievable sixty-four incoming shots said he believed it to be an EPL record, as well it might be, although I know of no-where to search to confirm the claim. Either way it was worth writing home about and as a simple comparison James Hadfield with the Wildcats faced 59 shots from the Jets, which is the next nearest for this season at least as far as I can determine.
Coach Cruickshank, naturally over the moon with his result enthused, ‘I have said for a long time that I think this team is good enough to win the play-offs, and I believe that now more than ever,’ adding that his team feared no one. Well, that’s a good start seeing as who else is in the finals.
Interestingly, ex-Phantoms’ forward Joe Miller could have possibly faced his old team in the final having reached Coventry with the Phoenix after being released following a row over money, but as we now know that was not to be. More ironic is the story of Blaz Emersic who was dropped by the Jets but went on to reach the final with the Lightning – it’s a funny old game.
Not so funny was the lambasting Wildcats’ coach Ryan Aldridge gave his imports following the bashing dished out by the Flames. He complained they were, ‘lazy and not prepared to do the hard work,’ although he did conceded ‘a couple worked Saturday.’ On the other hand, forward Matt Foord said he felt defensive errors cost the Wildcats the first leg which seems to point the finger at Jan Melichar seeing as he is the only import on defence. However, I suspect Aldridge would disagree as the Czech is rumoured to not be straying far from Swindon next season.
While on the subject of pointing fingers, Bee’s owners Stuart Robinson and Katie Eleftheriou said there will definitely be a Bracknell Bees team next year and Coach Cox will be at the helm. They were particularly scathing of this season’s team which was referred to as ‘a group of individuals’, rather than a cohesive unit, that apparently played for themselves and were not bothered if they won or lost. Strong words heralding big changes methinks and giving credence to the rumour Jaroslav Cesky and Michal Pinc won’t be returning despite being top points scorers, and especially as they only singled out Sam Waller, Peter Jasik, James Galazzi and Alex Barker as worth re-signing. Be that as it may, Robinson and Eleftheriou also stated they hadn’t actually decided to remain at the club themselves, so something of a contradiction in all this with the balls still up in the air until they announce their will-they-or-won’t-they decision next week.
Moving on to the future and it was reported Steeldogs’ Ben Bowns and Flames’ David Longstaff had reached the almost-final selection for the GB squad to play Holland prior to the World Championships.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats announced the signing of Tom Murdy as their starting netminder for next season from the EIHL Coventry, so presumably the rumour Chris Douglas was not returning looks to be well founded.
Over in Basingstoke Coach Steve Moria said he would also be back next season. ‘I am going to give it one last year as I want to go out on a high,’ he commented, adding that he wanted to bring back all his team plus additions but tempering that statement with, ‘It looks like a core will return. I will be also looking at who else is available.’
Coach Payette at the Steeldogs, also recently reappointed, threatened us all with: ‘I aim to build a more competitive team with the aim of moving further up the league table next season.’ Of course, and I for one look forward to it.
Now how can we mention Payette without also referring to his old buddy Andrew Sharp? In an interview Phoenix’s owner Neil Morris was put on the spot with a question straight to the jaw about the Canadian’s effectiveness. Morris, after a few vocal wheel spins to find the right words explained Sharp’s role was ‘not simple’ because no one, apart from Payette that is, was willing to fight him, so if he goes looking for trouble he attracts ‘instigation’ penalties. Hmmm, sounds simple enough and something I said when Sharp was signed. However, Morris continued that Sharps job was to ‘police the ice’ acting as a deterrent simply by sitting on the bench and occasionally throwing a leg over the boards as though entering the rink and thereby frightening everyone into behaving properly according to Phoenix standards. In other words, the answer to this pointed question is basically the officials are doing their job and Sharp isn’t getting the run of the roost with impunity, and while some players might feel intimidated or wary by his presence, I really believe there are plenty who don’t give a fig and know darn well the best way to react is not, and let him take the minutes in the box for inciting kind of like he did in the semi-final.
OK, so a few times a season he might take a player/coach/import out of a game for some minutes which may be seen as a good deal, but the cost in doing so, which it could be argued has even included the play-off final place, suggests the cost can be high with this style of play. We should also not forget the NHL dumped the so-called ‘enforcer’ practice some years ago as, basically, unproductive, while even the EPL has followed suit more recently as I think has been shown this season. So, in these touchy-feely times I think the Phoenix are a great team but might have been better off with a hard D-man rather than an ‘ice policeman’.
Onto some good news, the Coventry Skydome reported almost a sell-out for the finals’ weekend, which apparently is a record for the event and, as it happened, produced a 2,300 crowd for both days, which takes us nicely onto Saturday.
The first semi-final between the Phoenix and Lightning started even enough until the half hour when Matt Towalski and Adam Brittle fired in two quick goals stunning the league champions and for the remainder of the period threatening a rout. But the Phoenix have been there before and in the third were more composed with more possession but just couldn’t breach the Lightning defence. As regular time approached the game culminated in a burst of penalties which included Sharp picking up his customary penalty, this time for leaving the bench and attempting to instigate a brawl. Then, out of the mist with seconds left on the clock Pavel Gomeniuk and Tony Hand stunned everyone and put the Phoenix back in the game and it was into over time we went. The Lightning, however, were not disheartened by this late comeback and with nineteen seconds remaining in the overtime period Leigh Jamieson sent MKL to the Final which just might have occurred earlier had it not been for Steve Fone.
The second semi-final was a far less nail-biting experience as the in-form Flames got off to a cracking start against the Phantoms. With just over a minute gone David Savage opened the scoring and by the ten minute mark Milos Melicherik and Matt Towe had put the Flames three up. A Phantoms time-out seemed to settle things for the underdogs although the second period was nothing to write home about. Then with just under fifteen minutes to go David Longstaff added a forth quickly followed by James Hutchinson’s reply but two more quick goals from Rick Plant and Longstaff meant the Flames cruised into the final well and truly ending the Phantoms’ dream although interestingly the shots-on-goal were the same.
But, at last, the afternoon we have all been waiting for – the EPL Play-Off Final. Mylordsladiesandgenlemen, in the red corner we have the Milton Keynes Lightning, and the blue, the Guildford Flames.
Perhaps surprisingly it was the Lightning who took the lead through Lukas Zatopek after five minutes, but it didn’t last because Ben Campbell clocked up the equaliser followed minutes later by the go-ahead goal from Nathan Rempel. Then seconds before the end of the period Campbell got his second. Straight after the break referee Dave Cloutman slipped and hit his head on the ice and was replaced by referee Matt Thompson and by the end of that period the Lightning had pulled one back through Gary Clarke. With ten minutes to go Blaz Emersic drew the Lightning equal heralding a edge-of-the-seat final ten, which couldn’t have been more dramatic. Guildford’s Matt Towe walked for a high-stick call but in the ensuing power-play the Flames were awarded a penalty shot which Martin Masa converted with Rempel wrapping it up with net empty when Hollyhead was pulled.
So, a game worthy of a final and the Flames ended their massive 17-game winning run with the win to crown it all and what is their first Play-off Champions’ trophy in seven years, and deservedly so, with D-man David Savage being named the Player of the Weekend.
But we end this season with a few words from Flames coach Paul Dixon: ‘We just had to win seventeen games,’ he said. ‘We are the best team in the league. We’ve proved that through the course of the season.’
And finally…for those who would like a less serious look at the EPL, you might like to try the Alternative EPL Awards on my site where there are also more EPL facts and figures, results and news – just click on www.iceman-epl.com
Contact the author Bill.Collins@Prohockeynews.com
