November 13, 2011

UK Ice Hockey Round Up - (Who won the key games this week ?)

Elite League

Nottingham Panthers 8 Fife Flyers 1
The Panthers headed into the Kirkcaldy Ice Rink knowing that in the previous meeting Flyers goalie Garrert Zemlak had stopped over 70 shots. Tonight through the Panthers were on unbelievable form.

Lee and Wilson gave the Panthers a two goal lead with goals at either end of the first period. Then it was the turn of Lachowicz, Fox and Beauregard to leave the Panthers 5 up after two periods. Danny Meyers then opened the scoring in the third period and his goal was followed by Heerema and Levers for the Nottingham 8. The Panthers really showed their team effort as all 8 goals were scored by 8 different scorers.

If Fife could take any positives from the game it was that again they managed to score this time it was through Siddall in the third period. 3 games in 3 days was always going to be tough ask and it doesn’t let up for the Flyers who play Hull Stingrays on Tuesday.

Belfast Giants 8 Edinburgh Capitals 2
Over the water from Nottingham’s 8 goal scorers the Belfast Giants were showcasing their British players.

A hat trick from Brit Craig Peacock was backed up with 2 from Robert Dowd and another goal from Mark Garside.   A goal apiece from Dignard and Doucet also helped Belfast put up the 8 in a dominating display. 

Goals from Zembergs and Menton made sure Edinburgh got board. But Edinburgh went 0 for 5 on the powerplay and only managed 20 shots in the entire game as Belfast took 4 points from 6 games over the week and stay top.

Dundee Stars 3 Coventry Blaze 4
The Blaze went into the game looking to build on last weekend’s overtime win against Belfast. Despite having the better of the chances Coventry could only manage a one goal lead through Greg Owen after the first period.

That goal was then cancelled out by Dolan early on the in second. By Coventry’s new signing Woo-Sang Park restored the lead just over a minute later only for Brent Hughes to ensure the scores were level through 2 periods. Luke Fulgham then found the net only for Dan Ceman to equalise again for the Stars but Mclean found the net again for the Blaze on 10 minutes to give them win.

The win though should have been a lot more comfortable for the Blaze who had 49 shots and were 3 for 10 on the powerplay. But after tonight’s performance Paul Thompson will be once again reassessing his powerplay who went into the game after conceding 2 shorthanded goals in last weekend’s overtime win against the Giants.

Braehead Clan 4 Cardiff Devils 3 (AOT)
Braehead’s hat trick hero from Saturday night Michael Bayrack was again on top form. First cancelling Pierce’s and then Birbraer’s goals in the second period and then less than a minute into the third completing his hat trick to give the Clan the lead.

Davies then tied the game up with 6 minutes to go to keep the Devils in the game before Wedderburn capped a 4 point weekend for the Clan with 30 seconds left in the overtime period. That win moved the Clan to within 3 points of the Devils with 2 games in hand.

Hull Stingrays 1 Sheffield Steelers 2
Hull headed into the Motorpoint Arena looking to keep in touch with the midfield in the league table. That didn’t go to plan as Colt King got the home side on the board in the first then Flath doubled the lead at the start of the second period. Mckinney pulled the Stingrays back to within one goal of the Steelers with 3 minutes to go in the second but an equaliser was not forth coming.

The win for the Steelers kept them within 2 points of the Panthers ahead of their meeting next Sunday whilst Hull drop to 2 points behind Braehead in the mid table battle.

English Premier League

Sheffield Steeldogs 2 Peterborough Phantoms 5
Sheffield travelled down the A1 to Peterborough knowing that a win against the bottom side could put them on top of the league table.

It was not to be however as Peterborough picked up their first win since October 29th.  The Phantoms are now just 1 point of Telford and moving of the foot of the table.

Bracknell Bees 4 Slough Jets 5 (APS)
The Berkshire derby took place Sunday at the Hangar with Bracknell looking to stay in contact with the pack in the EPL whilst Slough looked to consolidate their lead at the top.

With the scores level after 65 minutes it was down to penalties and Davies duly scored his penalty to give the Jets a 4 point weekend and move 3 points ahead at the top of the EPL.

Manchester Phoenix 4 Guildford Flames 9
Manchester’s up and down season continued as after knocking Telford for 9 in the previous night’s game it was their turn to be on the receiving end. The Phoenix were sporting various injuries including player coach Tony Hand on crutches and were no match for the power of the Flames whose clinical finishing proved to be the difference.

Swindon Wildcats 3 Milton Keynes Lightning 2
Milton Keynes had taken the spoils in this home and home match up the previous night and looked to be on their way again as Nick Poole scored 40 seconds in. That lead was then doubled before the end of night by Leigh Jamieson. The Wildcats then fought back this time Watt and then after the break through Hoog. A third second period goal for Swindon came through new signing, former Coventry Blaze forward Aaron Nell. The Wildcats then hung on to keep themselves firmly in the mix.

Basingstoke Bison 3 Telford Tigers 2
The Bison round of the weekend’s action by taking a much needed 4 point weekend. Their victory at Telford kept themselves in the hunt. Despite being in seventh place in the standings Basingstoke are now only 7 points of top spot and only 4 points of second. It is looking like the EPL is still too close to call.

Neil Tucker


No comments:

Post a Comment