SWINDON, UK – Following a Sunday of carnage in Telford against the Jets which saw Josh Bruce, Marek Hornak, Ryan Selwood and Daniel Croft all victims, Coach Watkins said, ‘I am proud of my guys.’ And rightly so. While the Jets were only leading by two at the start of the third period when Hornak was taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder, a Jets win by four goals was a lot better than the nine and twelve goals of the previous weekend and what might have been.
But if it is injuries you want, you need to go to Basingstoke where it is looking like an epidemic. Craig Tribe, Marcel Petran, Ollie Bronnimann and Kurt Reynolds were the latest to climb on board the sick train which left the Bison icing just nine players plus netminders. But despite their impoverished camp the truly impressive thing is, although with some tiring issues against the Wildcats and Flames which you would expect, they are still bagging points.
As Coach Steve Moria pointed out, ‘We are excelling and digging deep, and I am sure the guys will do that again. You can be sure we will give it our best for our fans.’ However, with a single game weekend coming up, and against a Phantoms side they just about stole two points from last time out, this game on their own soil promises to be a good game to watch. Like Coach Watson in Telford, Coach Moria must be rightly chuffed with his boys.
Not quite so proud of his boys was Coach Allen at the Phantoms who, reeling from two games that looked like juicy pork pies on the table only to see them turn to rancid crumbs said, ‘Two nights in a row we have thrown away winning leads after controlling games. I was angry about that, and the players know it.’ Oh dear, so that will be bread and water for training again, then. Later in the week, with an eye on the approaching Lightning’s game, the club said their season is now, ‘on the line’ adding they are in ‘no mood for anybody messing around.’
Meanwhile in the Lightning camp Coach Nick Poole, following a six-goal taming of the Wildcats said, ‘There is no reason why the goals shouldn’t keep coming this weekend.’ That will be against the Jets and the Phantoms, but bearing in mind new import Tuomas Tikkanen was finally in sync with his satnav and after seven games scored his first goal with a 3-goal weekend, Poole added, ‘We knew it was coming, and he did too.’
Also in need of recalibrating their satnav are the Bees, who have lost some of their recent momentum which Coach Gareth Cox described as a ‘blip.’ Echoing the sentiments expressed in Peterborough, Cox went on to say, ‘All thirteen games we have left to play are play-off games for us.’
Without such problems at the moment is Coach Andre Payette in Sheffield who, after a six-game winning streak culminating in an overtime win against the Bees and including a Cup Final placing said, ‘It was good to see a couple of my young players step up. Andrew Hirst had a great game and Craig Elliot provided a spark.’
So now we know it. The EPL Cup final will be between the Flames and the Steeldogs. This raises some teasing questions when you consider the differences in styles. You have the ‘old dogs’ against the ‘new pups,’ perhaps, or the technicians versus the iconoclastic grafters. Whatever your view the final has all the possibilities of a spectacle you would expect to see in the Roman Colosseum circa 100CE between gladiators, Christians and the lions, although who will fulfil which roll remains to be seen.
The mid-week decisive game, the second semi-final leg between the Flames and the Phoenix which, like its other pairing of the Steeldogs and Lightning, was a close-fought game that could have gone either way. But unlike its predecessors, decided by a single goal, this one had nine of the little blighters.
Flames 3 – Phoenix 2 EPL Cup 2nd semi-final 2nd leg (Flames win 5-4 on aggregate)
Nothing to report for the first period which was so close it could only have been separated by a bribe. Then, suddenly, two minutes into the second period and Ben Campbell had the Flames in the lead which was followed by three minutes of tense activity which saw the Phoenix draw even through Slava Koulikov and Ben Johnson unassisted put them ahead. Things didn’t slow down and it was the Flames next on the score sheet to level things which is how it stood into the second break and beyond for eventually nearly twenty scoreless minutes. It wasn’t for the want of trying on both sides, though, but in the end it was David Savage in a four-on-three who booked the Flames’ ticket for the Cup Final with eight minutes to spare, while Rempel booked into the box for twelve minutes for causing a blood injury to Phoenix’s Ladislav Harabin.
The Cup game wasn’t the only match of the evening because in the league the Jets hosted the Bees.
Jets 5 – Bees 1
The first outing between these two produced a Bees’ win at home and then the Jets went on to pick up four wins with just a point dropped in a penalty shoot-out result. The Bees had been picking up points steadily in recent weeks while the Jets have faltered with losses to the Wildcats and Steeldogs and a dropped point to the Phantoms. So if the Jets are to get their title challenge back on the right track they have to retrieve points in braces.
The Bees, however, started with enough vigour to make you think their recent rejuvenation hadn’t wandered off course and made you wonder that the Jets might be about to get another spanking with a goal by James Galazzi after five minutes. But, by the first break, taken a few minutes early rather than having to issue everyone with miners’ lamps when the lights failed, the Jets were even. Then, well, the Bees pretty much ran out of steam and would probably have been glad to call it a day when the lights failed again near the end. In the EPL Top Tens Charts this week Steeldogs’ Janis Ozolins stays top of the EPL Points Scoring Chart with both Flames’ Nathan Rempel and Lightning’s Leigh Jameson making entries. In the Brit Chart Flames’ David Longstaff stays top with Wildcats’ Aaron Nell, who entered last week, continuing to creep closer.
However, on game average it is Flames’ Jozef Kohut, who entered at the top, who is staying put but whose score rate continues to drop slowly, while Nell, who heads the Brit Chart, continues to improve.
On goal scoring it is still Ozolins and Jamieson ruling the roost, and Flames’ David Longstaff in command of both EPL and Brit Assists Charts. No change at the top of the D-men Chart either with Phantom’s Chris Allen leading the EPL and the top Brit Steeldogs’ Ben Morgan.
On the news front, the Phantoms recently announced a ‘Legends’ game between former and current players to mark the club’s 10th anniversary to take place on 21st April. Confirmed appearances include Joe Miller, Maris Ziedins, James Hutchinson and Steve Wall of the EPL treble-winning side, plus Canadians Nathan Rempel and Jesse Hammill, and Lewis Buckman who’s number 6 shirt was retired a couple of seasons ago.
But, also on the list is Simo Pulkki and Antti Kohvakka of which Phantom’s
Jon Kynaston said, “It is great for the occasion to have these players coming back to the club. But I am also really excited to have Simo and Antti back. Simo was a giant of a defenceman from the very early days of the Phantoms who went on to have a career at the highest level in Finland, and I am sure our fans have very fond memories of him.
“And the same goes for Antti. He is a player who is close to the hearts of our fans and the sort of guy you want to have around at an occasion like this.”
On to Saturday and a full house five games.
In what must be seen as a prelude to the EPL Cup Final the Flames hosted the Steeldogs in a game charged with importance on many levels, including simply bragging rights.
Flames 4 – Steeldogs 1
These two have played four times so far this season with the edge going to the Flames with a shut-out and two away wins, albeit one on penalties as far back as mid-December. Three of those games have been decided by a single goal, and since then, of course, the Steeldogs have improved.
Having recently beaten the Bison, Wildcats and Phoenix in the Cup semi-final the Flames had a lot going for them going into the game, not to mention being on home soil. But the Steeldogs are also on a winning run which includes wins over the Jets and Phoenix in overtime.
It would be a rash and foolish thing to write the Steeldogs out of anything just yet although if anyone has answers, it must be the Flames. And answers they did have because Jozef Kohut opened the scoring half-way through the first period and went on to claim a hat-trick in a game remarkably free of penalties which made you wonder. Alternatively, perhaps the Flames were actually the better side on the night, or maybe it was nothing more serious than the Steeldogs were missing the fresh blood normally in their water bottles.
Bison 5 – Phantoms 8
This is the final game between these two and four of the previous games have been wins for the Bison, three after regular time and last week’s remarkable comeback involving thirteen goals.
The Bison are currently doing fine in the points department, but not so fine in the injury department while the Phantoms are still not really on an even keel, so who knows what might happen?
So, what happened – who knows? The first period was scoreless although probably went to the Bison who then opened the scoring early in P2. But the Phantoms hit back quickly, even taking the lead, but then ended the period equal after Craig Tribe left the ice injured. So the third is where it all happened, whatever it was. Yes, the Bison had a full import quota for a change but were still missing players, but after six minutes by which time the scores had again equalised, three Phantoms’ goals in a minute was just about too much for an ailing Bison side. Even so they still managed to fight back with a short-handed goal and lose Joe Miller to an accidental high-sticks call. But, 5-8 at home? While not a totally convincing performance by the Phantoms, it was decent enough and probably traumatised their ex-netminder Steve Wall, now in the Bison goal, enough to make him need his teddy in the dark for a while.
Wildcats 7 – Tigers 2
The Tigers have beaten the Wildcats already this season, although the Wildcats have clocked up some big wins in return. But the Wildcats had a bad weekend behind them coming into this game, while the Tigers have been almost sunk by injuries so it was not surprising the Wildcats had two goals on board early, but Luke Brittle kept the Tigers in contention by the end of the period. Even by the half-way stage the Tigers were far from out of it with Ross Venus keeping the Wildcats’ lead to one goal with an unassisted power-play score of his own. But the final stint belonged to Swindon as Jarsoslav Cesky converted a penalty-shot and Jonas Hoog chalked up a hat-trick plus an unassisted short-handed goal as the Tigers’ boiler ran out of steam.
Lightning 4 – Jets 0
Of the three games these two have played the Lightning have won two, the first time early in the season in Slough and most recently at home although currently, apart from beating the Wildcats, they have struggled including being knocked out of the EPL Cup. On the other hand, the Jets, after a bad weekend two weeks ago have recovered somewhat including a strong recovery against the Phantoms. The Lightning looked a lot more solid facing the visiting Jets and took the lead through Adam Carr in seconds who added his second two minutes later then went on to complete his first hat-trick of the season on the half-hour. The Jets didn’t seem to have a persuasive argument in them as Greg Rockman in goal was bombarded with about half the shots offered in reply.
Bees 3 – Phoenix 5
Three of the four games between this couple have gone to the Phoenix with the last going to the Bees at home in overtime, so a ‘tails’-up’ after their recent lumpy period.
The Bees knew they would have to try and contain the visitors, and that’s what looked like happening especially with the first goal of the game after five minutes. But the Phoenix got their act together by the end of the period and came out after the break with guns blazing into the middle stint which saw Carl Graham collect a ten-minute misconduct penalty for something which must have involved telepathy, and although Matt Foord managed to keep the Bees in touch, that was about as close as they got apart from Phoenix’s Slava Koulikov leaving injured at the end.
Sunday had just three games.
Phoenix 3 – Bees 2 The second part of this double-header weekend despite last night’s result was not a foregone conclusion.
The Phoenix had been ticking over nicely but in the last week were knocked out of the EPL Cup while last night’s win must have improved their demeanor.
As it turned out it was the Bees that again went into the lead, this time through Peter Jasik, but it lasted only two minutes. In the second period the Phoenix went ahead thanks to James Archer on a power-play after Ryan Johnson applied for a match-penalty for involving himself in some extra-curricular activity and which saw Scott Spearing adjourn to the box followed by Martin Masa. Masa came back to equalise for the Bees with less than two minutes to go, but then Archer trumped it with eighteen seconds. The Bees probably feel hard done by for not having at least wrenched a point from this scrappy affair which was probably something to do with the two 10-minute misconduct penalties they collected after the going home bell.
Phantoms 3 – Lightning 9 The Phantoms beat the Lightning in their own rink, but then lost at home themselves with their last game going to the Phantoms on penalties also away from home. And, of course, last night against the Bison a prodigious result for the Phantoms that was either the start of a welcomed threat on the run in to the play-offs, or a premature excuse to open the champagne.
So that’s the champers back in the cupboard, then. While the Phantoms held things together for a period, equalising after Blaz Emersic had started the Lightning ball rolling, the second period was the kiss of death. What happened to Fortress Betton and the new-style physical play? What happened to looking out for your team-mates? Sure, King did his best but was left shockingly isolated at times, and while Will Weldon, Richard Bentham and Ondrej Lauko were notable because they actually did something, one shot on goal in a period? Frankie Howard is probably turning in his grave, assuming he is dead and if he isn’t he probably is now, as this was a serious case of Woe! Woe! And thrice woe!
But the real tragedy is the Lightning while good were not at their best, and have questions of their own to answer like: with nine goals on the card, where was Tuomas Tikkanen? And what to buy Emersic for having scored his second hat-trick of the season?
Steeldogs 5 – Jets 3 This was the last game between these two and the Jets won the first three games including one in Sheffield. But the last two clashes have gone to the Steeldogs quite convincingly, including the worst defeat inflicted on the Jets this season. Add last night’s losses for each and this was a game both could really do with winning.
For two periods, with just a Doug Sheppard goal after four minutes between them, it was still looking like anyone’s game. Then things exploded early in the final stint. Pavel Gomeniuk equalised for the Steeldogs in the third minute, and while the Jets were back in the lead a minute later the home side then blasted in three goals in six minutes through Ravis Kurnigins, Edgars Bebris and Ashley Calvert. But the Jets were not down and out and although they pulled one back Janis Ozolins popped one in the empty net to call it a day. Whew! So at the end of an interesting weekend the Phoenix went a clear two points into second place, now four behind the Flames, while the Lightning jumped the Bison. At the foot of the table it got a bit more complicated with goal difference and head-to-head considerations and likely to become more so after viewing the fixture list for the Wildcats in the coming weeks.
Nice to see scraps at both ends of the table with still lots to play for.
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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