Surprises in UK Hockey (20th – 22nd January)

It was a weekend where results did not always go as they were expected. Teams chasing a playoff birth picked up points against title challengers whilst mid table sides showed they were not out of the title hunt just yet.

Elite League

The Belfast Giants warmed up for their top of the table clash with the Nottingham Panthers on Saturday by beating the Edinburgh Capitals in comfortable style. However despite outshooting the Caps 42 – 11 Jarolin’s equaliser sent the teams in all square at the break.

After the first intermission however the Giants responded as they so often have this season. 3 goals from Garside, Lloyd and Clark in just over 3 minutes put the home team in control as they dominated the Capitals. A Robert Dowd brace in the third period either side of Ian Bowie’s consolation goal for the Capitals sealed the 6 – 2 win and an 8^th defeat in 10 for the Capitals.

The inspired Belfast performance from Friday night could not carry over to Saturday however. The Panthers produced a fine first period display to take the lead including a first goal for Finnish forward Sami Ryhanen. It was a lead the Panthers did not relinquish despite facing a barrage of shots in the third period. Final score Nottingham 3 Belfast 2 and an import win for the Panthers that keeps them in the title race.

There were 2 important wins at the bottom of the table too as Dundee hit the slumping Hull Stingrays for 5 to crawl ever close to that last playoff place whilst fellow strugglers Fife had a night to remember in Kirkcaldy. The Flyers fell behind twice to the Coventry Blaze before equalising twice and forcing the game to penalties. It was new Flyers signing Denis Kadic who netted the only penalty shot to take a valuable 2 points that edges the Flyers closer to Hull and keeps them level with the Stars at the bottom of the league.

Saturdays other game was in Braehead. It was an evenly fought game between the Clan and the nearest league rivals the Cardiff Devils. In the third period though it was Phil Hill for the Devils who netted the decider just 30 seconds after Krestanovich had equalised for the home side.

There were 4 more games on Sunday night as Nottingham headed into the NIC to face an inform Flyers side. The Panthers though showed no weariness from their journey from Northern Ireland as they controlled the game through goals from Ryhanen, Beauregard and Fox before a consolation goal from Bakrilk gave the visitors something to cheer. A final goal from Benedict sealed the Panthers victory and ensured that they stayed in second place in the league table 5 points behind the Giants.

Hull finally ended their winless run as they travelled to the Murrayfield Ice Rink. It was a tight first two periods in which Osman had given the Stingrays the lead before a hectic last 8 minutes. That was all it took for 5 goals to be scored but the Capitals could not get back on terms as the Stingrays finally picked up a first win of the year.

After defeat to the Flyers the Blaze were back home to face the Clan. It was a game that was even on the shot count but it was Blaze that took their chances to take the win. Braces from Robert Farmer, Matej Kralj and Dustin Wood saw the Blaze put 6 on their Scottish rivals.

Meanwhile back up in Scotland the Sheffield Steelers were looking to make the most of one of their games in hand as they faced the Dundee Stars. The Stars though were confident following their win in Hull and took the lead three times only to be pegged back. After a lengthy delay for the plexi glass to be repaired to was the Steelers who nipped it on penalty shots.

EPL

In the EPL Saturday was a big night at the top as 4 out of the top 5 were in action against each other and with Slough being forced to postpone their home game due to an ice issue it was all to play for.

Manchester hosted the league leaders on the back of 8 wins in row and they made it 9 as they moved 2 points behind their opponents. The Steeldogs too made big in roads as they took the win at Milton Keynes.

At the foot of the EPL there was an important win for the Peterborough Phantoms who beat Telford and moved to within 4 points of the playoffs whilst Basingstoke fended of Swindon in the mid table clash.

On Sunday night there was another big game between the Phoenix and the Flames but this time in the Spectrum. The Phoenix could have taken the top spot with their tenth successive victory but it wasn’t to be as a third period rally lifted the Flames. Thanks to wins for Slough over Bracknell and Milton Keynes over Basingstoke the Phoenix fell from second overnight to fourth. But now there is only 6 points between the top 5.

That would have been 4 points between the top 5 but Telford showed some true grit to pick a vital two points at home to the Steeldogs.

Results

Friday 20^th January

Elite League

Edinburgh 2 Belfast 6

Saturday 21^st January

Elite League

Nottingham 3 Belfast 2

Coventry 2 Fife 3 (aps)

Dundee 5 Hull 2

Cardiff 3 Braehead 2

English Premier League

Guildford 1 Manchester 4

Basingstoke 5 Swindon 3

Telford 5 Peterborough 9

Sheffield Steeldogs 2 Milton Keynes 0

Sunday 22^nd January

Elite League

Fife 1 Nottingham 4

Hull 4 Edinburgh 2

Braehead 2 Coventry 6

Sheffield 4 Dundee 3(aps)

English Premier League

Manchester 2 Guildford 5

Sheffield Steeldogs 1 Telford 3

Slough 4 Bracknell 3

Milton Keynes 2 Basingstoke 0

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Habs Struggle as the City Watches

Montreal is in the unusual position of trying to rally around an NHL club which continues to flounder near the bottom of the league.  The saga of the 2011-2012 Habs is well known throughout the NHL.

The team has battled internally as some players riled the media with comments illustrating the intensity of the internal conflict.  The biggest prima donna for the Habs now toils in Cow Town  and it seems that the rebuilding process is starting to take hold.

Rene Bourque has added size and grit to the Habs.  Subban is back on track and Price seems to have regained some optimism.  The likely hood of playoff contention is still remote but true Habs diehards have not given up.  Water cooler talk in La Belle Province is all about late a season pushes and a potential miracle ice.

We don't share their blind belief but we do respect the fact that Canadiens management has recognized the issues and we expect that fans will see many changes come the 2013-2014 edition of the club.  Montreal is a temple of hockey and once the Habs get some true hockey people in the front office; the cream will rise to the top once again.

Price, Subban, Georges and others will form the nucleus of a new club which will turn around faster than most people expect.  In a funny twist of fate; the roles were reversed last night as Montreal went into Toronto and beat the Leafs who seem playoff bound.  This kind of role reversal will probably be a one year phenomena.  Toronto might have been ok with their recent playoff skid but that won't be the case in Montreal. Management will recognize this fact and do what needs to be done.  Habs fans may not be smiling come year end but the future looks bright to us after this near death  season for hockey's most storied franchise.  

Malkin's Natural Hat Trick (Pens-Lightning 1.15.12)

The Get Real Guide to the Nottingham Panthers

Home: NIC (National Ice Center) Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Founded: 1946

Colours: Gold, Black, White

The Nottingham Panthers are probably the most famous name in English ice hockey. They have completed at the top level English and British Leagues since their inception in 1946 however it has not always been a straightforward affair.

Even going back to the very beginning of ice hockey in Nottingham it almost did not start. The original Ice Stadium in Nottingham was finished in 1939 just in time for a team to be formed in time for the 1939 season only for it to be cancelled due to World War 2. The Panthers though did finally make their debut on 22^nd November 1946 beating the Wembley Monarchs.

The Panthers first success came in 1951 when they won the English League title before repeating that in 1954. Following the merger of the English and Scottish leagues in 1954 the Panthers became members of the new British league and went from strength to strength and in the 1955 – 56 season won the Autumn Cup and the league title.

However that league title has so far proven to be the Panthers last league title. This was in part due to the collapse of the British League in 1960 that put the team in hiatus until 1980.

In 1980 the team did return after the relocation of the Sheffield Lancers and took their place in the English League. Then in 1983 the Nottingham Panthers took their place as a major player by being a founder member of the new British League and in 1986 won their first trophy in 30 years by beating the Fife Flyers to lift the Norwich Union Trophy.

Over the next 10 years the Panthers remained a force in the British League and prominent name of it. In 1996 once again the Panthers were at the fore again off the ice by being a founder member of the Superleague. The Superleague removed all wage and import caps and saw massive spending in the sport. However the Panthers could not keep up and in 1997 the team was sold to Neil Black whose tight fiscal policies saved the Panthers but that did not lead to much success. However in 2000 the Panthers moved the short distance from the Ice Stadium to the new National Ice Center.

When the Superleague collapsed in 2003 the Panthers became a founder member of the EIHL. The Elite League era has seen an upsurge in their fortunes winning the Challenge Cup in 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011 as well as the playoff title in 2007 and 2011. However the elusive league title is still missing from the trophy cabinet.

This season has again seen the Nottingham Panthers be a front-runner in the EIHL league table and have made the Challenge Cup Final. However there is little doubt that the title they and their fans really want is the league title. As one fan put it recently for the Nottingham Panthers winning the league title will be like the New York Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in 1994.

Honours

League Championships 1950–51, 1953–54, 1955–56

Playoff Championships 1988–89, 2006–07, 2010–11

Autumn Cups 1955–56, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1998–99

Challenge Cups 2003–04, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11

Website

http://www.panthers.co.uk/ - Nottingham Panthers website

http://tcwfanzine.wordpress.com/ - The Cats Whiskers Fans Fanzine

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

British Ice Hockey League Season Could Be in Jeopardy

The end of the British league season could be thrown into doubt at all levels as Planet Ice was served with a winding up order by HMRC over unpaid taxes. Planet Ice and its parent company the Arena Group are fighting the decision but the action by Revenue and Customs could close the rinks the company operations. This could leave clubs at all levels of British ice hockey homeless before the end of the season.

Planet Ice is the operator for 7 rinks and arenas that currently house hockey clubs at one level or another in British ice hockey. The rinks in Isle of Wight, Basingstoke, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Gosport, Coventry and Peterborough could all be closed down following a court hearing in February.

It could be a massive blow to British ice hockey and one that would cause chaos to the league season as there would be little hope of housing all the clubs in other rinks to allow them to at least finish the season.

The Arena Group who owners the Planet Ice brand has said however that it is confident that the issue will be cleared up before the case goes to court and that in the meantime all rinks will remain open as normal. However the news is yet another hit for British hockey clubs trying to attract sponsors, investment and new fans as the negative story will hit confidence at an already low time.

Even if the issue is cleared up the negativity around the story will reflect badly on all clubs even those who do not operate out of those rinks under the Planet Ice banner. This because of the stigma these kinds of stories create and will pass on around all rinks in country making it that much harder for any hockey club to win new sponsors and invest at time when it is much need and also when clubs are looking to next season.

Elsewhere it was business as usual for the Cardiff Devils in their Planet Ice ran rink as they hosted the Sheffield Steelers. The Steelers were icing new signing Nick Duff after the defenseman arrived in time to be on the coach to Cardiff. However it was the Devils who took the lead in the first period before a Colt King double sent the game into overtime. It was then left to Jeff Legue with just 11 seconds left in the extra period to send the Steelers home to Sheffield with 2 points. It is also a win that moves Sheffield level on points with Nottingham in second place in the table.

At the Braehead Arena there was another come from behind victory as the Fife Flyers moved level on points with Dundee at the foot of the EIHL table. A brace from Hartmanis backed up with goals from Maxwell and a first goal for new signing Kadic were enough despite Jade Galbraith’s late goal.

Results

Wednesday 18^th January

Sheffield Steelers 3 Cardiff Devils 2 (AOT)

Fife Flyers 4 Braehead Clan 3

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

Follow Up: Bristol Ice Rink (EIHL & EPL)

A few weeks ago it was announced that Bristol Ice Rink will close its doors and be redeveloped into student accommodation and that it still unsure whether a replacement rink will go ahead. There has been started an online petition to Bristol Council and to the central government to show that there is support for a rink.

Bristol is an important rink for ice hockey in the UK houses a successful English National League South side as well development teams of all ages. If this rink was to close it be a round trip of 160 miles in order for the youngsters in those teams to play the sport.

The petition can be signed here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-ice-rink/

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

The GetRealHockey.Com community is almost ready for launch

We are working hard on updating our image.  The new site www.getrealhockey.com will bring you all the latest NHL, KHL, EIHL, and EPL news. 

The team of bloggers will be the best in the business and we think you will enjoy their takes on all the plays and their profiles of the best players in the business. 

If you think you have what it takes to be part of the team and you can blog, take pictures, or do video interviews; we want to hear from you @ getrealhockey@gmail.com.  We have entered into some very interesting partnerships that provide our bloggers with strong visibility.  HuffingtonPost.ca, Sponvo.com, and Hockey_Community.com are all linked into our site.  Being part of the GetRealHockey team is a natural fit for anyone who wants a career in sports and hockey.

The site will also be the best in the business to offer real NHL VIP experiences.  Fans will be able to log into GetRealHockey.com and find events that are upscale and exclusive involving their favorite on ice heroes. If you are a vendor of NHL experiences like golf tournaments, alumni cruises, or fundraising dinners; please contact us @ getrealhockey@gmail.com.