Big Night of Wins and Upsets in the EIHL and EPL (UK Round Up 25th February)

It was a big night in the title races as wins, upsets and almost caused a shake up in the league titles of both the EIHL and EPL.

Sheffield Steelers 1 Braehead Clan 2

It was a Friday night start for the weekends EIHL fixtures as the Steelers played another of their games in hand in Braehead. It was all going to plan when Colt King put the Steelers ahead at he end of the first period but Adam Walker tied the game after the first intermission. It was a tight game thereafter but it was Drew Bannister that broke the deadlock and the spoils for the home side.

Saturday 25^th February

Braehead Clan 5 Edinburgh Capitals 4 (APS)

Hot on the heels of their win over Sheffield the Clan headed to Murrayfield for their second of 3 games this weekend.

It was a first period full of action with the Capitals taking a 2-goal lead before the Clan equalised and fell behind by a 2-goals again by the mid point in the middle period. But the Clan weren’t done as they equalised through Wirill and Campbell.

No winner could be found in the extra period but Galbraith and Krestanovich hit the winners in the shootout.

Belfast Giants 8 Hull Stingrays 0

With the Steelers loss the night before the Giants knew this was their chance to take full control of the title race.

After a slow start the Giants got into their strand without a let up. A brace from Dowd and Mason was backed up by goals from Pelle, Peacock and Keefe in a game where nothing went the Stingrays who including mussing a penalty shot.

Sheffield Steelers 5 Fife Flyers 3

The Steelers knew that they couldn’t afford to slip up again but the Kirkcaldy ice rink has not been the kindest on the Steelers. The second period was that slip up for the Steelers as they found themselves goal behind by the end of it.

Hard work and a bit of luck in the third period were just what the Steelers needed and what they got. Firstly De Caro saved a penalty shot before Fulgham and King gave the Steelers the lead. Fife then thought they had saved the game through Todd Dutiaume only for Mick Hicks to rule it out.

A frantic last few minutes from the Flyers did not produce the equaliser but a Steelers insurance marker through Jeff Legue

That win leaves the Steelers and Giants head to head in the title race.

Cardiff Devils 3 Nottingham Panthers 6

It was a run and gun game in Nottingham as both sides racked up the chances. But it was Nottingham took theirs. The Panthers out scored the Devils in each period with a brace from GB international David Clarke.

English Premier League

The Guildford Flames showed the rest of the EPL why they are in the hot seat for the title as they brushed aside their cup final rivals the Sheffield Steelers. Manchester however did keep up the pressure on the Flames with a win in Bracknell. But it is now looking like a two horse race as the Jets went down 4 – 0 to the up and down Milton Keynes Lightning.

Peterborough’s win in Basingstoke was a big step towards their playoff push as Swindon’s at home to Telford also boosts their chances of making the end of season party.

Results

Friday 24^th February

EIHL

Sheffield Steelers 1 Braehead Clan 2

Saturday 25^th February

EIHL

Sheffield Steelers 5 Fife Flyers 3

Cardiff Devils 3 Nottingham Panthers 6

Belfast Giants 8 Hull Stingrays 0

Braehead Clan 5 Edinburgh Capitals 4 (APS)

EPL

Telford Tigers 2 Swindon Wildcats 7

Manchester Phoenix 5 Bracknell Bees 3

Sheffield Steeldogs 1 Guildford Flames 4

Peterborough Phantoms 8 Basingstoke Bison 5

Slough Jets 0 Milton Keynes Lightning 4

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

UK Round Up 14th February – Tendler Suspended and No Valentines Love Between the Steelers and the Panthers

It was an important day for the Elite League and British hockey as there were two big news stories in the EIHL today both coming out of Yorkshire.

Firstly in Hull the Stingrays have announced they will be without top scorer Jerome Tendler for some time as the forward has failed a drugs test.

Tendler has been missing from the Stingrays line up for 4 games since being informed of the news that he had tested positive after a game against the Coventry Blaze on January 15^th. The actual substance the Canadian was found to have taken has not been released yet but was described by the organisation as a ‘specified substance,’ which according to the World Anti Doping Authority, WADA, is one that is ‘more susceptible to a credible, non-doping explanation.’

Tendler will remain suspended from playing duties until his case is heard by the UK Anti Doping Agency however if found guilty Tendler could face a punishment of anything from a warning to a 2 year ban. The EIHL has not announced whether or not it plans to take its own disciplinary measures against the player or not.

It is a huge blow for the Stingrays who currently lie 7^th in the table and are looking to secure their playoff spot.

On the other side of Yorkshire there was no Valentines Day love to be shown at the Motorpoint Arena as the Sheffield Steelers faced their biggest rivals the Nottingham Panthers. Eleven years after a mass brawl on the ice in the NIC between the two sides there has been little love ever since.

Tonight’s meeting was important for both sides, as both need a win to keep the pressure up on Belfast at the top of the table. The tone was set early as David Clarke put the Panthers ahead after just over a minute only for Colt King to reply for home side less than a minute later.

The second period followed a similar pattern as Birnstill this time put the Steeler’s in front before Robert Lachowicz replied for the Panthers. The deadlock was finally broken in the third period as the Panthers penalty troubles caught up with them with Steelers player coach Ryan Finnerty notching the gaming-winning goal after fighting with Brock Wilson earlier in the game.

Jonathan Philips netted with just over a minute remain to seal the victory, move the Steelers 3 points clear of the Panthers in second place and 2 points closer to the Giants but also seals a first win in 5 attempts so far this season against their arch rivals.

Results

Elite League

Tuesday 14^th February

Nottingham Panthers 2 Sheffield Steelers 4

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Neil Tucker and Blueliner are the UK Hockey Connection for GetRealHockey

Neil Tucker is a British hockey fan based just outside of England’s third largest city, Manchester. A fan of all sports including Rugby League, Speedway and archery but it is ice hockey that has been his first love since first watching the Manchester Storm play the Ayr Scottish Eagles in 1996 at the age of 9.

A graduate of the Manchester Metropolitan University Neil started writing about ice hockey in 2010 following a trip to see the Winter Classic for the Manchester Phoenix newsletter. Shortly afterwards the Blueliner Hockey Blog was started with the goal to highlight British ice hockey and hockey travel.

Today the Blueliner Hockey Tour has taken in places from Blackpool to Prague to Stockholm and Toronto and promotes hockey travel in association with online agent Nickes.com. In the coming months the Blueliner Hockey Blog is looking to complete its transition to Blueliner Hockey with its own domain which will continue to provide all hockey fans taking in games in new cities or countries with all the information they will need such as how to get tickets, how to get the rink, where to eat, drink and stay. As well as this Blueliner Hockey will continue to offer information and opinions on British ice hockey.

Away from his own site Neil Tucker writes regularly for Get Real Hockey where he covers British ice hockey and as a guest writer for other hockey sites as well as product describer for online golf store Scottsdalegolf.co.uk.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

The Get Real Guide to the Hull Stingrays

Home: Hull Arena, Kingston-Upon-Hull, Yorkshire

Colours: White, Yellow, Blue

Founded: 2003

The Hull Stingrays may not be regarded as the most glamorous club in the EIHL but they are side that has come through against adversity to survive at the top level.

Like their Scottish counterparts in Edinburgh and Dundee the Stingrays represent the latest incarnation of ice hockey in the city of Hull. The Stingrays predecessors date back to 1988 when the Humberside Seahawks became members of the British league. Since then until 2003 though there were many changes including the name and the ownership.

In 2003 the Hull Thunder were bought out by the Peck family and became the Hull Stingrays replacing the Thunder in the British National League. Following the collapse of the BNL 2005 the Stingrays moved to the English Premier League. It was not a popular move with the increased travel involved and lower standard of hockey. After one season the forward looking Peck family applied for membership of the Elite League in 2006. The Stingrays took to the ice in the EIHL that September and became the first British team to play in 3 senior levels of the sport.

It was a difficult first two seasons for the Stingrays who missed the playoffs both years finishing 9^th and 10^th but in 2010 the Stingrays finished 8^th and made the playoffs for the first time. It was short-lived success however.

In August of that year just weeks before the start of the season the Peck family closed the club down stating the club was not financially viable and it took a rescue package from the Coventry Blaze to resurrect the club in time for the new season. Despite playing 10 games in 20 days to finish the season in order to make up for missing the start the Stingrays recorded their best ever season. They finished the season in 7^th place and made the playoffs.

That good form carried over into the preseason for the 2011 – 2012 season as the side picked up the P&O Ferries Cup for a tournament victory against the Coventry Blaze and Dutch sides the Tilburg Trappers and the Geleen Eaters. That promise did not quite show through into the season as the Stingrays endured a torrid start to the season before picking some points to currently occupy the last playoff spot.

The Hull Stingrays are a club that has persevered through difficult financial situations to produce a team on the ice every season that has at least been competitive. They are proof that whilst not a high-flying glamour side or a traditional hockey town that ice hockey has a following in the UK. In many ways the Hull Stingrays show why there is a need for reform in the EIHL in order to help them and other teams on a tiny budget to compete a little bit easier.

The future perhaps is not clear with the money problems in Coventry but the Stingrays have been in the same situation before and come through it.

Links

www.hullstingrays.com

www.fblockblog.co.uk

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Record Breaking Night In East Yorkshire - Panthers win Again

It was a record-breaking night in Hull for the EIHL as the Stingrays and the Panthers carried on the festive week of hockey action. For the Hull Stingrays it was their third game in 3 days as they hosted the Nottingham Panthers playing their third in 4 days.

The home side started brightly opening the scoring through Jason Silverthorn only for the Panthers to reply a minute later. The second period saw the Panthers take control of the game. A double from the Beauregard and Hereema put the Panthers two up only for the Stingrays to get back in the game before the end of the second period. Hull scoring first through Osman and then 16-year-old Bobby Chamberlain with 50 seconds left on the clock; Chamberlain becoming the EIHL’s youngest ever scorer in the process.

The record breaking did not stop there as the Panthers began their third period rout. David Clarke was eventually given the Panthers forth goal marking the GB international becoming the EIHL’s leading goal scorer outright with 230. That goal was added to by a brace from Lachowicz and singles from Lee, Levers and Fox as the Panthers hit 6 scores in the third period.

That win puts the Panthers just one point behind the Belfast Giants at the top of the table and extends their regulation unbeaten run to 12-0-1-1.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Hull Douses the Blaze

Coventry Blaze 2 Hull Stingrays 3

There was just one game in the Elite League as the Stingrays and the Blaze swapped favours and headed to Hull for the return leg from last night. Tonight that it was the home side Stingrays that held on for the win.

Goals from Silverthorn and a brace from Tendler put the Stingrays in charge after Coventry had gotten the scoring underway. A late onslaught on the Hull net by Coventry though only produced the one goal and the home side went home the happier.

It is a vital win for the Stingrays as the 2 points raised them above the Stars into the last playoff spot.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

The Edinburgh Capitals and the Guildford Flames Rack up Wins

UK Round Up 11^th December

It was a quiet day in the EIHL with only 2 games on the Sunday night schedule and one in the Challenge Cup. In the EPL however there were some significant results in the race for the title.

Elite League

Hull Stingrays 6 Edinburgh Capitals 7 (AOS)

It was a critical game for both clubs as they both chase a higher playoff rank especially as neither side could be said to comfortably in the playoffs either.

It was the home side that got caught napping early on as Hull raced into a two goal lead inside the first 5 minutes but Zemburgs strike kept the Capitals in touch at the break.

After the break however all signs of defence went missing as Campbell’s second of the night restored the visitors 2 goal lead after 10 seconds before 3 goals in less than 10 minutes put the home side in the lead for the first time. The scoring was not done there however as Jerome Tendler grabbed a brace to give the Stingrays the lead at the second break.

That was not the end of the scoring as the Capitals regained the advantage at the start of the final period with Hartmann and Hanzal getting the goals but Tendler’s hat trick sent the game to overtime and penalties only for the Caps to take the win.

The penalty shootout loss will give the Stingrays a six point lead in the race for the final playoff spot but two points for the Caps lifts them back to within striking distance of the Clan in their bid to be number in Scotland.

Braehead Clan 3 Sheffield Steelers 4 (AOT)

Sheffield went into their third game in 3 nights with 2 wins already under their belt. But the Clan were looking to take advantage of any fatigue to secure a 4 point all for themselves.

It was the Steelers that started the brighter and did not show any sign of fatigue. The Sheffield team scoring with Ramsay and Legue with 5 minutes on the clock but then the Clan got into the game more. However it took until the second period before Jorgensen got the Clan up on the board. Although the Braehead outfit still pressed Jonathan Phillips managed to restore the Steelers’ 2 goal advantage.

That advantage wouldn’t last long into the third as Krestanovich and Jorgensen hit the net as the Clan went on to outshoot their opponents 41 to 26. A win however was not to come and the Steelers took the game to overtime for the second time in 3 nights. This time however was less controversial as new boy Francis Trudel scored his first for the club and gave the Steelers 2 more points in the pursuit of the Belfast Giants.

The Clan will be pleased to have come out of Sheffield with a point however after outshooting their opponents so convincingly they will surely be disappointed that they couldn’t take both points back to Glasgow. Sheffield however will see it differently. They will be delighted to have come away with 3 wins from 3 games in 3 nights and will be flowing with confidence as they hunt down the Belfast Giants.

Challenge Cup

Fife Flyers 1 Dundee Stars 7

With both teams unable to make the semi finals this game was a dead rubber but did give new Stars coach Brent Hughes a good opportunity to stretch his coaching legs at home.

Goals from Maclean, Dolan and Zarb gave the Stars a 3 goal lead at the first intermission and they never looked back. Turner and Macintosh  added to that in the second to end the game as a contest and 2 more goals from Maclean and Hutchins completed the rout. Fife did get on the board in the third period through Mike Hamilton but it was all too late.

Although it was a dead rubber it was an important win for Dundee who will pleased to have gotten their first win at home in five attempts but they and new coach Brent Hughes know more wins like this will be needed if they are to reach the playoffs.

EPL

It was a decisive night in the EPL as the Guildford Flames claimed sole occupancy of the number one spot. A come back victory in Sheffield on penalties and the Slough Jets losing to the Milton Keynes Lightning meant that the Flames take a 2 point lead over the Jets at the top. But they know they cannot be complacent as those results mean that 3 points now separate the top three in the league.

Elsewhere the Phantoms failed to make it a 4 point weekend as they lost at home to the ever inconsistent Manchester Phoenix. Peterborough however do remain 2 points clear of the bottom as Telford went down to the Bracknell Bees who bounced back from their heavy defeat the night before.

Results

Slough Jets 3 Milton Keynes 4

Guildford Flames 5 Sheffield Steeldogs 4 (APS)

Bracknell Bees 3 Telford Tigers 1

Manchester Phoenix 4 Peterborough Phantoms 3

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Comings and Goings in the EIHL - Dundee Stars and Sheffield Steelers in the News

It was a busy day in British ice hockey today as one player arrived and one left. The big news was that Dan Ceman, the player coach of the Dundee Stars, has been fired from his post. The club press release stated that the action was taken based on the Stars recent poor run of form and that they thought action was needed to get the team back into contention for a playoff spot.

Currently the Stars sit in ninth place in the Elite League one place below the last playoff spot but after a pointless three games over the weekend they are now 5 points adrift of eighth place Hull Stingrays.

Ceman who had previously iced for Sheffield Steelers in the Superleague arrived in Dundee for the start of the 2010 – 2011 season and took Dundee to the playoffs that year; their first in the Elite League. Personally Ceman added 72 points last season and is now being tipped to join an other Elite League team.

Assistant coach Brent Hughes will take charge of the team for the weekends trip to Cardiff.

Elsewhere the Sheffield Steelers unveiled their new d-man. Francis Trudel arrived at the Motorpoint Arena today ahead of their clash with Belfast on Friday night. Trudel from Drummondville, Quebec spent last season in Italy and has been brought in as a replacement for the long term absentee Rod Sarich.

In further news former Durham Wasps, Nottingham Panthers and Humberside Hawks netminder Frank Killen today launched Legends Ice Hockey which will organise games between legendary players of the sport in the UK. Killen's vision for Legends Ice Hockey is too host one of games and ultimately an annual tournament to showcase the stars of yesterday and will be releasing fixtures soon.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com