Elite League
Nottingham 1 Cardiff 3
It was a full round of games in the Elite League on Saturday Night with every team in action. The game of the night was expected to be in Cardiff where the Devils took on the Nottingham Panthers. It was the Devils who opened the scoring in the first period though Cardiff stalwart Max Birbraer but both sides failed to convert any more chances until the third period. A double from Cardiff through Birbraer and Smith sealed the win for the Welshmen but Nottingham did spoil come away with a last minute consolation goal through David Alexandre Beauregarde.
Belfast 1 Braehead 4
The upset of the night was to come up in Glasgow on Saturday night. The league leaders were the favourites at the Braehead Arena but a first period triple by the home side from Bruce, Bayrack and Galbraith put the Clan in a commanding position. The Giants however did continue to press; finishing the night with 37 shots, but could only pull the one goal back in the second period. Bannister’s goal with 2 minutes to go sealed the victory for the Braehead Clan.
Sheffield 3 Hull 2
With both Nottingham and Belfast dropping points the Steelers ensured they kept the pressure on
by taking the 2 points at Hull. It was not an easy task however and the Sheffield side were pushed all the way by a resurgent Hull team. Hull opened the scoring in the first through Watkins but goals from Clark and King gave Sheffield a lead into third. But when Hull levelled through player coach Sylvain Cloutier it looked as through OT was looming but Clark again found the twine with 10 seconds left to send the Sheffield Steelers home with the points.
Dundee 3 Fife 2
The Elite League new boys Fife entertained their Scottish Rivals in Kirkcaldy but things were not going the way of the Flyers. Dundee took control of game and held a 3 goal lead till late in the third when a Cohen and Hamilton brace pulled the home side to with touching distance of a third. But the Stars held on to take the spoils back up the road to Dundee.
Coventry 8 Edinburgh 3
Over the Forth in Murrayfield the inconsistent Blaze looked to bounce back from a poor showing last weekend. That was exactly what they did. Fussey, Neil and Farmer combined to send the Blaze in 3 -1 ahead at the first intermission. A second from Neil and Kralj secured that position in the second as the Blaze lead 5-2 going into the third. Fussey then got his second and a brace from Guthrie ensured Coventry heading back to skydome with the points.
English Premier League
Manchester 3 Sheffield 2
The Manchester Phoenix headed over the Pennines to face their Yorkshire rivals in the unfamiliar situation of being below them in the standings. Goals from Hand and Cingel gave the away team the lead before hotshot Janis Ozlins pulled one back before the break. Harabin on his return from injury put the visitors 3 -1 ahead before former Phoenix center Greg Wood pulled the Steeldogs within 1. There was plenty of aggression from both sides who meet again on Thursday Night in Altrincham.
Elsewhere in the EPL there wins for Slough Jets who remained at the top, Telford and Milton Keynes.
EPL Results
Manchester Phoenix 3 Sheffield Steeldogs 2
Telford Tigers 6 Bracknell Bees 5
Peterborough Phantoms 3 Basingstoke Bison 4
Guildford Flames 4 Milton Keynes Lightning 6
UK Round Up 6th November
Fife 2 Nottingham 3 (APS)
The Fife Flyers and the Nottingham Panthers met in Nottingham for the first time in the National Ice Centre despite the two sides being two of the oldest in the British game. The contrasting fortunes of the two teams so far this season were not apparent here. Nottingham took the first period lead through Champagne and Francis but goals in the second and third from Fife ensured the Flyers headed home with a point. The extra point being decided by the Panthers on penalties. Nottingham will however be kicking themselves that they did not wrap up the game earlier as they racked up 77 shots on their opponents. Fife incidentally had 11.
Belfast 3 Coventry 4 (APS)
Belfast’s road trip continued as they headed to the Skydome Arena to play a Coventry side that had shut out the Giants in their own barn 2 weeks earlier. After a loss in Dundee the previous Belfast looked to get their title challenge back on track but found themselves 2 down as Kralj bagged a brace in the first 5 minutes. Doucet had made it 2-1 but Robert Farmer gave the Blaze a 3-1 lead at the end of the first. Goals from Lloyd and Garside either side of the second intermission evened the scores and sent the game to penalties with Coventry picking up the extra point for a 4 point hall on the weekend.
Edinburgh 1 Sheffield 6
Edinburgh returned to the steel city following from their disastrous trip their last season. Things looked bad for a Capitals side that shipped 18 goals in one game in Sheffield last season when Legue and Esders scored but Jarolin made sure that Edinburgh travelled by one at the break. It was not however to stay that way as Squires, Legue and Sarich made it 5 -1 and Clark’s goal in the third gave the Steelers a 4 point weekend to move them within 4 points of the Giants with 4 games in hand.
Elite League Challenge Cup
Cardiff 2 Hull 2
There were two games in the Challenge Cup on Sunday both of which ended in a tie. Cardiff had Gerard Adams to thank as he levelled up the scores in the last minute of time. There were unsavoury scenes after the final hooter as Brad Voth became embroiled with the Hull players and was escorted from the ice by the officials.
Braehead 2 Dundee 2
The Clan travelled to Stars on the back of their victory over the league leaders the night before. Tonight however they could night repeat that magic as Ceman and Mitchell put the home team ahead only for McPherson’s third period goal to mark a comeback for the visitors.
English Premier League
Milton Keynes 3 Guildford 4 (OT)
The Guildford Flames avenged their defeat the night before with a tight victory over the Lightning. The sides had met 24 hours previously in Milton Keynes with Lightning taking the points but Dixon’s goal at 1.13 into the extra period ensured it was the Flames who got the victory.
Swindon 3 Slough 0
Slough’s seven game winning run ended with a shut out at the hands of the Wildcats. The Cats continued their promising start by ending the league leaders run but Slough stay top.
EPL Results
Milton Keynes 3 Guildford Flames 4 (OT)
Swindon Wildcats 3 Slough Jets 0
Bracknell Bees 8 Peterborough Phantoms 5
Sheffield Steeldogs 7 Telford Tigers 5
- Neil Tucker
www.bluelinehockeyblog.
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