Match Night Live

Welcome to MNL for the eagerly awaited semi-final between our beloved Devils and Coventry Blaze

OJ here in the MNL studio waiting for the show to begin

If you have any score predictions or pre-game comments send them to me at the usual e-mail sddress matchnightlive@gmail.com

Please send them nice and early as I expect to be very busy later on.

It will be great to hear from players families in North America, that is if they are up as its a bit early for them

Rest assured I have the Fire Brigade on standby to put out the blaze

The Devils are seeking their first Championship since 1999

Devils have four previous Championship - 1990, 1993, 1994 and 1999

And I was honoured to have been on the bench for each of those epic wins so bring on the 5th

The one thing to say about the Devils Championship victories - they did do them in style. Who will ever forget the 1990 Final at Wembley or the 9-0 shut out of Murrayfield in the 1993 Semi-final or the 12-1 drubbing handed out to Sheffield in the 1994 Final. The 1999 championship will be remembered by the shut out of Manchester in the semi and net minder Derek Herlofsky getting to 59 minutes in the final before he is finally beaten.

Ruth calls it 2-1 for the Devils

Good luck to the team from PAK2305

Richie Jones predicts a 4-2 Devils win with a eng to finish

Lizzie, Lee and Bailee at home dressed in their Devils sweaters staring at the MNL screen

Its a big day for us in Cardiff - Devils v Blaze follwed by Bluebirds v Swans

I think the Swans might have an advantage as it is pouring down in Cardiff. If this carries on I doubt whether the game will be on

Hello to Kirstie, Amy and Sophie who are nervously supporting the Devils but they they would as Kirstie is Ben's sister

Russky calls a 3-1 win for the Devils

I wonder how many Devils fans have made it to Nottingham

It will also be interesting how many viewers we will have on MNL this afternoon, last Sunday night we had 1,283

With so many travelling to Nottingham we might not have so many, we hope we do as we are closing in on 40,000 viewers for the season, an amazing number

Daniel calls it 5-3 Devils with a brace of goals for Brad Voth

Carl & Zoe in Carmarthen predict a 3-1 win for Devils

I am having a problem getting my texters out of the pub/bed

Awaiting confirmation that Owen, Watkins & Robinson not icing for Blaze

Other than Jason Stone Devils all present and correct - Adams on the bench

Warm-up drawing to a close at NIC

There seems to be confusion on whetherJason Robinson is icing for Blaze

Keith wants a 4-2 win for Devils

As does Marc

Told internet radio coverage has hit problems

Jason sees an early goal for Devils leading to a 3-2 win

Any of you up yet in Canada & USA

Andy Carson as expected is the referee

Welcome onto the ice YOUR CARDIFF DEVILS

Chris says there are too many Devils fans to count - hundreds of them

Blaze on the ice

Blaze are home team as expected

Paul Sullivan sings the Welsh National Anthem

Anthems done

Devils start with Latulippe, Smith & Birbraer: Romfo & Hartwick

Puck dropped

Devils go close in opening seconds

Hill floors a Blaze

Good start by Devils

2 minutes gone

Romfo ends up in Devils net @ 2:32

Good save by Hirsch @ 2:51

Smith & Birbraer cobining well

Blaze shot deflected out of play @ 3:20

Game very open - end to end

5 minutes gone

Devils D being tested

Blaze offside @ 5:21

6 minutes gone

WElcome to Geoege & Kim Michel in North Bay, Ontario

Hirsch save @ 8:04

Devils exerting pressure on Blaze

Turn on the hydrants to put out the blaze

Blaze penalty @ 8:39 - Cowley - tripping

Get that pp into overdrive Devils

Puck out of play @ 8:58

1 minute of pp gone

DEVILS GOAL

Thats my boys

Devils 1st goal scored by Phil Hill @ 10:03 assists Latulippe and Jarvis

Blaze penalty @ 10:03 - Calder - elbows

Devils offside @ 10:40

DEVILS GOAL

Devils 2nd Goal a ppg @ 10:56 scored by Miller assist Latulippe

Puck out of play @ 11:35

That was TWO ppg in 53 seconds

Watch it now Devils as ref Carson will try and even it up by calling penalties on Devils, every referee does it

Blaze goal @ 11:53 scored by Fuldhum assists Campbell & Carlsson

Hirsch save @ 12:32

13 minutes gone

Gametime 14:12

Blaze offside @ 14:15

Devils penalty @ 14:51 - Jarvis - interference

Lets kill this penalty

Smith almost scored a shg

1 minute of penalty killed

Lyle save @ 16:20

Handbags between Miller & Campbell

Devils return to full strength

Devils icing @ 16:56

Gametime 17:03

18 minutes gone

Blaze dangerous going forward

Devils penalty @ 18:04 - Finnerty - slashing

That was a stupid penalty as Devils were off on a clear breakaway

Devils penalty @ 18:35 - Hartwick - tripping

What did I tell you earlier

Final minute

Blaze have 5 on 3

Lyle save @ 19:05

Blaze hit pipes

Fantastic save by Lyle @ 19:49

Gone very quiet from NIC wonder why?

End of 1st Period Blaze 1 DEVILS 2

Blaze will start 2nd period with 4 secs of 5 on 3 followed by 31 seconds of 5 on 4

Told that Blaze scored anither goal that nobody saw other than Devils fans and they wern't telling

I am down to my last TWO texters after mobile malfunction and battery problems, so if you know if there are fans at NIC willing to help if I need them, e-mail me

"nd period underway

Finnerty returnsa

Hartwick returns

Puck out of play @ 21:49

Thanks Ruth

Blaze offside @ 22:30

Hirsch save @ 22:53

Lee if that is trash I hope it doesn't happen to the Devils, is it trash then

Devils not really in the game at the moment

24 minutes gone

Hirsch save @ 24:39 - rare Devils strike

Blaze penalty @ 25:24 - Stewart - slashing

Lets have another ppg

DEVILS GOAL another ppg

Devils 3rd goal @ 26:04 scored by Miller, assists Hill & Jarvis ppg

Smith goes close

Birbraer takes an elbow from Campbell @ 27:42 - no penalty

Lee threw the elbow not Campbell. Max goes off

Towe playing well

Blaze stilllook dangerous

Gametime 29:12

Good Hirsch save from Smith breakaway @ 29:56

Voth floors Lee

Pay back time

Blaze icing @ 30:31

Michel playing his usual good game forces a save out of Hirsch @ 30:55

Devils now pressurising Blaze, Finnerty goes close

Blaze penalty @ 31:45 - Calder - hooking

Lets have a 4th ppg

That will do nicely

That last penalty could easily have been a penalty shot

Hirsch save @ 32:48

Blaze penalty @ 32:48 - Soderstrom - inteference

5 on 3 for Devils

Calder back

I have one texter telling me last penalty was against Campbell not Sodersrom

Blaze back to full strength

Devils offside @ 34:49

Blaze offside @ 35:15

DEVILS GOAL

Hold it on that 4th goal it might be a late text coming thru

No it is Devils 4th goal @ 3536 scored by Hill, assist Romfo

An awesome goal says Chris

texts gone mad coming out of sequence and delayed

37 minutes gone

Blaze penalty @ 37:38 - Carlsson - slashing

Game time 38:03

Devils offside @ 38:27

Final minute of 2nd period

Latulippe shot deflected out of play @ 39:20

Blaze return to full strength

End of 2nd periiod Blaze 1 DEVILS 4

What is Dave Simms saying now?

Devils fans are doing the club proud at NIC

4 minutes until final period

Both teams back on ice

SoG - Blaze 13 + 5, Devils 14 + 24

3rd period underway

Devils penalty @ 40:28- Smith - hooking

I wonder what Simms says about 2nd period SoG 24 against 5

Blaze Goal scored by Fulghum @ 41:16 ppg

Assists Weaver & Calder

Blaze penalty @ 41:50 - Campbell - hi sticks

1 minute of pp left

Hirsch net off @ 43:10

40 sec of pp left

Blaze killpenalty

45 minutes gone

Devils need to pick up their game

Blaze Goal @ 45:11 scored by Cruickshank, assists Carlson and Campbell

Handbags @ 46:03

Come on you DEVILS

Everyone very nervous including team

49 minutes gone

Gametime 50;04

Hirsch save @ 50:44

DEVILS GOAL

Devils 5th Goal @ 50:55 scored by Latulippe, asists Birbraer & Smith

Blaze offside @ 51:10

Awesome save by Hirsch @ 51:48 to deny Miller

52 minutes gone

Come on U DEVILS

Gametime 53:05

Ruth don't bite your toes

Hirsch save from Voth @ 54:15

Gametime 55:01

Towe goes close

Blaze icing @ 55:49

Gametime 56:02

Hirsch save @ 56:22

Gametime 57:03

Final 2 minutes

Hirsch pulled

Lyle save @ 58:38

Blaze timeout

That was a wonder save by Stevie Lyle

Face off in Devils end zone

Gametime 58:46

Lyle save @ 58:58

Final minute

DEVILS GOAL

Devils 6th Goal @ 59:34 scored by Birbraer assist Smith

Lyle save @ 59:46

Blaze penalty @ 59:53 - Lee

Hirsch save @ 59:58

Devils 6th goal was an empty net goal

Blaze penalty - Stewart - 10 minute misconduct @ 59:58

Final score Blaze 3 DEVILS 6

Final here we come

What is Simms saying now?

He has had a bad year, Estate Agent and Steelers poor fellow

To complete those penalties Lee had a roughing minor @ 59:39 and Stewart 10 min misconduct @ 59:53

Blaze MoM - Fulghum

Devils MoM - PHIL HILL

Well deserved MoM for Phil Hill

Out thanks to Chris S, Devils2001 and Gerr for texting, we lost Paul as he managed to break his mobile

SoG totals - Blaze 28: Devils 50

Devils outshot the Blaze in every period, well done

Told my texters to keep off the beer and have an early night as we all have a big game tomorrow

Thats all from me OJ , join me tommorrow for the Final face off I believe is 4:15 as we bring you the final MNL of the season

It would amiss of me not to thank all of those who e-mailed throughout the game and heped me keep relaxed.