The Beauty of the Playoffs

The playoffs are a special time of the season. The edge of your seat drama associated with win or your out hockey is like nothing else. Now with teams across the globe heading down the stretch looking to secure that last spot or home advantage every hockey fan has thoughts of the playoffs.

Last week however an article on from Mark Denholm (Slough Jets, EPL) on his personal blog suggested that British ice hockey and the English Premier League should return to the mini league system for its playoff format. This would involve the qualifying teams to be split into two groups who then play against each other home and away with the two teams with the best records going on to the finals weekend. This system was widely used in the UK until quite recently when a change to the knockout system was introduced first by the EIHL then by the EPL.

Denholm suggests that the mini league format would add credibility to the playoffs, as teams would have to win more than 3 games and prolong the post season past a weekend. However Denholm ignores the reasons for the change and the reasons why the playoffs in the knockout format are so exciting.

Firstly the knockout format allows the underdog to have its day. A team from the bottom half of the league can take a scalp much more easily if a tie is played over 2 games instead of over 6. This gives the fans something to cheer on whether they are at the top or the bottom of the regular season.

The knockout format is also much less complicated for everyone. Whether you are a fan, a player or an official you know if you beat the opposition you win the tie and progress. There is no missing half the game because you are busy checking the result in the other game and trying to work out how many goals your team needs. It also avoids the mess that is the head to head method of splitting teams on equal points.

A major reason for the change to the knockout system was one of logistics. The mini league possessed many headaches and pitfalls for the teams that made the playoffs both in terms of arranging the fixtures and in getting to the rink to play the games. The rushed nature of getting the fixtures organised and the short time in which teams have to play them often led to games being played in midweek, which in turn had an adverse effect on attendances as teams struggled to criss-cross the country to make games.

With the change to the knockout system there has been an increase in playoff attendances as home and away fans come along to see their team for possibly the last time. Fans are also more willing to attend, as the costs for playoff tickets are lower and they are more willing to travel, as there is a chance of an upset. Whilst the playoffs are also a focus point for fans to arrange their travel around.

In terms of competition the playoffs in a knockout format provide another challenge. In UK ice hockey the league standings decide the league champion and there is a cup competition in which the semi finalists qualify via a mini league. Therefore there is an absence of a knockout competition to challenge teams.

Ultimately which playoff system is used in the UK should come down to which is the most popular with the fans and with good attendances and a simple method why chance with a magical time of the year.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

The Get Real Guide to the Coventry Blaze: Building Success from the Ground Up

Founded: 2000

Colours: Black, White, Navy, Sky Blue

Home: Skydome Arena, Coventry

The Coventry Blaze are a team that has built its self up from the very bottom to become one of the most successful teams in British ice hockey over the last 10 years. And now features many of the Great Britain team as well as being coached by national team coach Paul Thompson.

The Blaze story though begins a short distance up the road with the Solihull Barons. The Barons were themselves a famous name in the 1980's and early 1990's but the race to professionalism and lack of a larger arena combined with some money issues left the Barons behind their counterparts in Sheffield and Nottingham. And so in 1996 the Barons where bought out and became the Solihull Blaze before in the year 2000 making the short move south to the new Skydome Arena in Coventry to become the Coventry Blaze.

Their move to the Skydome also saw the club maintain their place in the British National League and in 2003 with the formation of the new Elite League the Blaze made the jump to the top flight. In that first season in the top flight the side laid out their stall early beating eventual winners Sheffield 6-1 and the Manchester Phoenix 11-0 before finishing third in the league.

The following season the Blaze had there most successful season ever winning not only the Challenge Cup for their first ever piece of silverware but added the league title and the playoff trophy for grand slam.

The Blaze went on to win 3 more titles in the next 4 seasons adding a Challenge Cup victory in 2007 as well as a Knockout Cup win in 2008.

In all the Blaze are the most successful club in the Elite League but have so far this season hit some finaincial problems. As of now the future of the Blaze is unclear beyond this season but their raise to become a powerhouse of the game in Great Britain can only benefit the club going forward.

Honours

British National League Champions

ñ2002–03

British National League Play Off Champions

ñ2002–03

Elite Ice Hockey League Champions

ñ2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10

Elite Ice Hockey League Play Off Champions

ñ2004–05

Elite Ice Hockey League Challenge Cup Champions

ñ2004–05, 2006–07

Elite Ice Hockey League British Knockout Cup Champions

ñ2007–08

Elite Ice Hockey League Charity Shield Champions

ñ2008–09

Links

Official Website

http://www.coventryblaze.co.uk/

Fans Forum

http://www.fireandiceforum.co.uk/index.php

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

GetRealHockey is looking for hockey bloggers in Germany, Sweden, Italy and Finland

The team at GetRealHockey keeps growing.  We have been at it for over a year now and our readership is booming around the globe.Our coverage of ice hockey is worldwide.   

Although our focus is on the NHL; we do cover all the action in British Ice Hockey through Neil Tucker. Neil owns his own blog which you can visit @ www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com .

The response from UK fans has been amazing.  We are now looking to expand our coverage to other countries in Europe.  We have readers in Germany, Sweden, Italy, and Finland.  We would like to run stories about local and national teams and stars in those countries.

If you are a hockey fans with something to say about your favourite team  and league ; please email us @ getrealhockey@gmail.com.

Derby Day Thriller in Sheffield - Steelers Win over Panthers

UK Round Up Sunday 20^th November

Elite League

Nottingham Panthers 2 Sheffield Steelers 3 (AOT)

There was no doubt what the most anticipated game in the UK was this weekend. Nottingham headed up the M1 motorway to face Sheffield in front of over 6,000 fans at the Motorpoint Arena and they were not disappointed by the game.

The Steelers got off to a perfect start as Ashley Tait hit home the Steelers 1,000^th Elite League goal. It was Tait again who doubled the advantage in the tenth minute. That was the way it stayed until the second period. It was Lee and Stephenson who kicked off the second period with a fight and as they were cooling off the Panthers got back in the game. First of all through Fox then Danny Meyers levelled the scores just over a minute later. There was just time for another fight, this time Francis and Hewitt, before the mid way point of the second.

The third ended in stalemate and the sides headed to overtime. It was a ripper from Great Britain defenseman Mark Thomas that lit the light for the home team. However the overtime point for the Panthers means that they stay above the Steelers in the standings.

There was bad news however for the Steelers who will be without Rod Sarich for the trip to Herning, Denmark for the Continental Cup. Sarich left the ice immediately following the game and was taken to hospital for test where he remained over night. The Steelers did not comment on the type of injury but did say that it was picked up in Saturday’s win of Braehead.

Fife Flyers 2 Hull Stingrays 3

Across Yorkshire in Hull the Stingrays were out for revenge as they faced the Flyers at the Hull Arena. Hull went about it the right way dominating the game for large periods but found themselves tied at one with 10 minutes to go.

Silverthorn finally got the go head goal followed by a third from Tendler just over a minute later. Danny Stewart’s goal with 2 minutes to goal brought the Flyers back to within 1 but Hull hung on for the victory despite having 57 shots on target.

Braehead Clan 2 Edinburgh Capitals 4

Many had questioned the Capitals signing of Nathan Craze preseason but Edinburgh had him to thank for delivering them a 4 point weekend.

Craze stopped 41 shots as Edinburgh took advantage of another slow start by the Clan; Jarolin with the opener in the fourth minute. The second period saw the Clan mount a challenge only to be matched by Craze and beaten by Jarolin and Valecko.

The third period saw the Clan’s efforts finally rewarded as Galbraith and Haywood brought the visitors back into the game but Jarolin completed his hat trick with an empty netter and the win went to the Caps.

Belfast Giants 4 Dundee Stars 3 (APS)

Belfast completed their weekend road trip against a Dundee side that is getting an unwanted reputation for being the nearly club against those at the top.

Fans knew they were in for treat when Dan Ceman and Daryl Lloyd exchanged goals inside the first two minutes but it was Belfast who then took control scoring through Crane and Rebek. The stars would only go in down by one as AJ Maclean got the home side’s second.

Things tightened up in the second as Ross McIntosh got the only goal of the period to tie things up. That goal turned out to be key as the game to overtime and penalties where Craig Peacock broke the home town fans hearts by netting the winning penalty.

Cardiff Devils 5 Coventry Blaze 4

Cardiff and Coventry completed their home and home series in dramatic fashion. The Devils started how they did night before and raced into a 4 goal lead by the 30 minute marker. However two goals just eight seconds apart from Fussey and Wood sparked a comeback. The Blaze would only go in at the second break down by one goal as Guthrie netted.

The break seemed to suit Cardiff the better though and Brad Voth’s goal made it two goal lead that would prove to be the difference despite Greg Owen’s last minute goal for the Blaze.

The Blaze will go back to the drawing board after a pointless weekend that saw their powerplay 0 for 10 whilst Cardiff headed back to south Wales looking to keep in touch with leaders.

English Premier League

The big game of the night was the top of the table clash between the Slough Jets and the Guildford Flames. It was the Flames who came out on top to the delight of the home fans in the Spectrum as they leapfrogged the Jets to top spot.

Manchester completed their home and home series against Peterborough with a much improved performance. The Phoenix had hoped to have Tony Hand and Jarek Spelda back but both failed a fitness test. Nonetheless the Phoenix pulled through with standout performances from walking wounded Martin Cingel and Ladislav 

Harabin as well as key stops from Stephen Fone.

Elsewhere Basingstoke hit another seven this time Swindon whilst Bracknell completed a four point weekend by beating high flying Sheffield to keep themselves in touch with bunch.  With only 8 points separating the top 8 and ninth placed Peterborough still having 2 games in hand 10 points could separate nine out of the ten clubs in the EPL a third of the way through the season.

EPL Results

Peterborough Phantoms 1 Manchester Phoenix 4

Sheffield Steeldogs 1 Bracknell Bees 2

Telford Tigers 1 Milton Keynes Lightning 6

Slough Jets 1 Guildford Flames 4

Swindon Wildcats 2 Basingstoke Bison 7

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Get Real Hockey Guide to the Belfast Giants

Home Rink: The Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Colours: Teal, White, Red

The Belfast Giants have been one the success stories of the last 10 years not just in ice hockey terms but culturally as well. Formed for the start of the 2000 Superleague season the team has become part of the fabric of British ice hockey managing to be competitive every season and bringing in some of the biggest names the UK has seen. All this has been done whilst succeeding where no other sport has by representing an entire community that has all too often been divided by politics, economics and religion. The result is that with its city center bars, restaurants, hotels, arena and the Giants, Belfast is now one of the premier locations in Europe to watch a game.

Formed for the start of the 2000 Superleague season the Giants have been well backed from the start including playing in the Odyssey Arena that opened the same year. The team quickly established itself has a front runner winning their first title the next season. The following year the team were runners up in the league but won the play off title.

The change to the Elite League however has led to somewhat leaner times given their start in hockey life. The team did however win the Elite League title in 2006 and the won the knock out and Challenge Cup in 2009 as well as 2010 play offs. It is though the league title that the side is desperate for and currently sits at the top the EIHL table.

There have been three other notable points of Belfast history. In 2003 the Belfast Giants represent the UK at the Continental Cup Finals (Europe’s premier club competition at that time). Then for the 2005-2006 season they pulled off the biggest coup in British ice hockey history by signing former Calgary Flames legend Theo Fleury. If that was not big enough then to mark their tenth anniversary the Belfast Giants formed a select all star team to face the touring Boston Bruins.

The Bruins were on their preseason European tour before opening the season in Prague and headed to Belfast to celebrate with the team in a place dear to Bostonians hearts. The Bruins won the game 5-1 but the Giants and UK national team goalie Stephen Murphy kept a shutout in his period.

The prospects look good for Belfast and the continuing rumours of an EIHL team in Dublin may lead to a derby in the Odyssey. In the meantime however their hunt for the elusive league title goes on.

Belfast Stats

League Titles: 2

Playoff Titles: 2

Challenge Cup Titles: 1

Website http://www.belfastgiants.com/home/

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Fife Flyers Win One over the Hull Stingrays

The Fife Flyers finally ended their torturous weekend of 4 games in 5 nights and ended it in some style. After 15 games to start the season without a victory and only one in the Challenge Cup the Elite League’s smallest and newest team finally got their first win.

With 3 games in 3 nights over the weekend seeming to have taken their toll as 2 players including player coach Todd Dutiaume faced late fitness test all the odds were stacked in Hull Stingrays favour. However this is a Fife team that got a point in Nottingham last weekend when the odds were not with them.

Fife opened the scoring inside two minutes through Siddall then doubled it through Hartmanis before the period was over. But when Cohen scored Fife’s third goal it sparked Hull into life; first with Tendler then Campbell to send the Flyers in at the second intermission only 1 goal up.  After the break Rodin then Dulle gave the visitors the lead and seemed to have ruined the night for the Kirkcaldy men. However Siddall hit a second with 90 seconds to go and send the game in OT.

Fife were still not out of the woods as a Siddall penalty in OT put Hull on the powerplay but the Flyers held on killing the penalty and sending the game to penalties. With no scorers on the board it came to Cohen who put the result in the book. Britain’s oldest club finally got their first win on their return to the top flight and roar in the Kirkcaldy ice rink could be heard across the land.

Fife remains bottom of the league but are now a point behind Dundee and 4 behind Edinburgh and the playoffs. Whilst Hull jump above the Capitals into seventh.

In other news. British forward Andrew Sharp has signed with the Guildford Flames of the EPL. The agitator played most of last season with the Manchester Phoenix winning the EPL title. Sharp has also iced in the EIHL with Sheffield Steelers and comes with a reputation for dropping the gloves and being physical.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

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If you have a project, product or website that might be appropriate for our readers; we are looking to speak to you.  In the past, GetRealHockey has run stories on trips with Vancouver Canucks (Alumni) and a fundraising for victims of the KHL tragedy (run by Ilya Kovalchuk of the NJDevils). If you have something that is copy ready and mentions your relationship with GetRealHockey; we will run it on the site for weeks if the response is good.  Please email us @ getrealhockey@gmail.com with any questions.

Belfast Giants Knock Off Fife Flyers

Fife Flyers 3 – 6 Belfast Giants

The Fife Flyers made the trip to Belfast to face the Giants with both teams facing the prospect of 3 games in 3 nights. Following last weekend’s heroics in Nottingham the Flyers however had hopes of moving up the table in the home of league leaders.

Those hopes were not to come to fruition however as after a tight first period that finished 1 – 1 the Giants took control. Goals from Awada, Doucet and Dignard established gave the league leaders a commanding 4 – 1 lead going into the third. Daryl Lloyd’s sixth goal of season two minutes into the third ended the game as a contest. Hamilton and Cohen did pick up a second and third for Fife when Belfast ran into penalty trouble including Keefe being ejected but Doucet’s second settled any nervous for the home team. At the end of 60 minutes though it was a comfortable win in the end for the Belfast Giants who extend their lead to 6 points.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com