Match Night Live

Welcome to MNL as we welcome the Newcastle Vipers to the Tent

More importantly we welcome CRAIG WELLER to Cardiff Bay

OJ here in the MNL box - yes before anyone says it - it is a very big box

Score predictions to matchnightlive@gmail.com

If you can't get to the Tent make sure you join me here at MNL

Greetings from Carl

Where have you been, missed you last nite

Less than 300 tickets left for walk up

Lets gave Mr Weller a good fashion Devils welcome

No score predictions so far, you can't all be going to the Tent

Game delayed 15 minutes

Zamboni has a puncture

Well that a new one

In a way it might be a blessing if we are going to get as big a crowd as some anticipate

Gives me a problem though - the Rioja is going down sweetly

Hopefully I have missplaced the corkscrew

Gareth J calls it 3-0 to the Devils

He also tells me to lay off the wine

Well I have a confession to make - during the last few weeks I have realised how much I miss not living in Tenerife - sun everyday, cheap (although not as cheap as it was) drink, fat cigars, what a life

Stephen calls it 4-1 to the Devils

Personally I think its going to be a cricket score tonite

Warm up finally underway

Midway through warm up

A brave soul calls it 6-4 to the Vipers who they say are much improved after a stern warning about their performance to date

No Stephen I don't think it will be 154 for 2

11-2 maybe

Talking about improved teams the Clan have justy made it 1-1 in Belfast

Devils missing Mark Richardson and Alex Symmonds but welcoming Craig Weller to the fold

Warm up completed

Lets hope there are no more punctures

e-mails very quiet, where are you Keith, Ruth, etc

At the game I assume

Very quiet from the Tent - no texts

Big queues at the Tent causing problems

My texters have finally gained entry

Looks like a bumper crowd

A round of appause at the Tent for those fans who travelled to Nottingham and made their presence felt

Vipers take to the ice

Devils music has started

Fans filling their lungs

Michael Hicks has the whistle

Rendition of boos welcomed him onto the ice

Devils onto the ice to a tremendous cheer

Its a big big crowd

Standing ovation for Craig Weller

Chelsea losing 3-0 to Sunderland

Thats anough glory for the North East don't give them more Devils

Welcome to the Birbraer clan worldwide

Great to hasve you with us

Very respectful minute silence on Rememberence Day

No Schwarz for Vipers

MNL this season viewing figures 60% up on last season

Here we go for 1st period

Weller creams Forsbacka after just 10 secs

Pelle flattens Sample

Lyle save @ 1:28

There are Devils throwing hits which they don't normally - Matzka just threw one

Vipers offside @ 1:52

Weller threw 3 hits in his 1st shift

I suspect that we will suffer network problem's tonite

Cardiff Bay is getting well known for it

Birbraer goes close @ 4:03

Vipers got puck in net but got washed out - high stick

Viper fired in from the wing Kyle saved, puck went high and Viper swung his stick at it

Its end to end but Vipers playing a defensive game in the main

Watch them Devils they are dangerous on the break

DEVILS GOAL

Scored by Finnerty assist Voth @ 6:52

2nd assist K Smith

Apparently Vipers netminder was forced back into his goal, puck and all

They are count once given

Gametime 8:43

Crowd around 2,000

Macrae dekes a player but puts it high

Devils penalty @ 11:55 - Finnerty - holding

Hooking not holding

KILL

40 secs left on PK

Great save from Ehhinger from Voth

Devils return to full strength

Three big saves by Lyle

Devils having trouble clearing their zone

Gametime 15:18

Birbrarer hits Stewart

Pelle misses open goal

Not like him

Effinger is giving up juicy rebounds

DEVILS GOAL -- DAVIES

Assists Hill and Weller @@ 16:25

Forsbacka taunting Finnerty

Ben Davies took Voth's place on 2nd line

Don't know whether Voth is injured

Vipers penalty @ 17:39 - Sibley - interference

Devils pp not out of 1st gear yet

Devils offside @ 18:34

Last minute

Voth is back on the ice

Vipers kill penalty

End of 1st period DEVILS 2 Vipers 0

Devils pp needs a service

Vipers don't look like scoring and Effinger is very shakey

Checks are currently being undertaken to find out if there is a pea in referee Hick's whistle

Finished my wine, sticking to coffee now

Come on the Clan - now 2-2 in Belfast

Ice ready for 2nd period

More of the same u DEVILS

Its 1-1 between the Blaze and Stinrays in the CC

Stephen - her indoors said no more Rioja as I had to pace myself as my son & heir gets wed next Saturday

Both teams return to the ice

SoG 11 on Lyle: 10 on Effinger

We are underway

Vipers penalty @ 20:19 - Zajac - hooking

Give us a goal u Devils, MAX are you listerning your family want a goal from you so do we

Vipers SHG scored by Hartmanis @ 21:51

I told you they were dangerous

Assist for Stewart

Vipers have another shorthanded chance foiled by Lyle

Vipers kill penalty

DEVILS GOAL - HILL

Top corner from Phil Hill

Devils 3rd goal @ 23:26 - Hill, assist Finnerty

Vipers icing

Gametime 24:26

Effinger coughed up a big rebound forcing Vipers icing

Shaky start to 2nd period from Devils but they now seem to have recovered their composure

Drive the net lands Charlie Effinger will see you alright with rebounds

He's good like that

Gametime 26:30

Devils penalty @ 26:45 - S Smith - slashing

Lyle saves a onetimer from point

Pelle breaks away, Viper pulls him down

Penalty shot

at 27:13

Pelle misses

Vipers penalty - Forsbacka - tripping

At 27:13

The trip was before Pelle was pulled down

Another SHG for Vipers @ 28:51

Lyle save but coughed up puck

Scored by Mahovsky, assissts Sibley & Speer

Vipers return to full strength

Conceeding 2 shg against Vipers is unbelieveable

Crowd is quiet despite being numerous

Effinger saves from Weller @ 30:57

Vipers penalty - Holland - illegal equipment

@ 31:30

His helmet fell off and he carried on playing

DEVILS GOAL _ BIRBRAER

PPG

DEVILS GOAL _ BIRBRAER

Forsbacka and Voth exchange slashes

No more shg and no more silly penalties just pocket the 2 points and round off a good weekend

Devils penalty @ 34:59 - Weller - hooking

Assists on 4th Deviuls goal went to K Smith & Matzka

Gametime 35:13

Devils kill penalty

Time of Birbraer ppg was 31:38

Weller running the show, oozing class

I can't understand why some updates don't seem to register

Will keep an eye on it

Devils winning 4-2 that what counts

DEVILS GOAALLLLLLLLL - SAM SMITH

Devils 5th goal @ 37:46

Assist to Weller on 5th Devils Goal

Vipers penalty - Stewart - hooking @ 38:22

1 minute killed by Vipers

Devils penalty @ 40:00 - Matzka - x-check

End of 2nd period DEVILS 5 Vipers 2

For the Sam Smith goal the Vipers seemed to stand and watch as Smith and Weller played through them

Stephen wants to know if Weller is going to be the best player ever for the Devils

For me he has a long way to go to beat some of the greats of the past

If people say that Moria, McEwen, Matulik etc didn't play in the NHL then Weller has less than 100 games

For me it has to be Doug Smail 887 games in the NHL

Blaze are losing 2-1 to Hull

SoG 10 on Lyle; 25 on Effinger

Thats what I am told

Travis Brigley is also worth a shout especially as he played for the Avalanche after playing for the Devils

SoG confirmed

I suppose with that level of pressure you will concede SHG

Teams return for 3rd period

Vipers start 3rd period on pp

So Kill Devils Kill

we are off for 3rd period

PP after 22 secs of course

Vipers go on pp

VIPERS GOAL a ppg

@ 41:45

Lyle's 5 hole I am sorry to say

Scored by Hartmanis assists Langdon & Rzeszulto

Blaze now losing 3-1 to Hull

Voth misses a hit and goes flying

Gametime 43:50

Gone quiet all of a sudden

Devils offside @ 45:39

Hull now winning 4-1 in CC

Does that help us?

Birbraer hits pipes

Effinger seems to have recovered his game

Is there anyone outy there who knows whether a Coventry lkoss helps the Devils in CC qualifying

Matzka desparate to score but to do that he must shoot

Vipers icing @ 48:01

Now 5-1 to Hull at Coventry

Devils are top of their CC group with Nottingham to come at home

Effinger sits on puck @ 50:48

Devils offside @ 51:23

Vipers Goal - Sample

@ 52:19

Come on u Devils

Assists Carroll & Stewart

DEVILS GOAL - VOTH

Voth was not even facing the goal swung around and scored

Assists to Davies & K Smith @ 52:47

Puck travels across empty Vipers net no Devils can get to it

Vipers time out @ 54:52

Change on Devils 6th goal assist goes to Finnerty instead of K Smith

Gametime 55:28

Effinger foils Pelle

Vipers Goal @ 56:30

Scored by Speer

Change on Vipers 5th goal now scored by Mahovsky, assists Speer and Hartmanis

DEVILS GOAL - BIRBRAER

Assists Pelle & Matzka

Timed at 57:40

Vipers lift netminder

Gametime 58:38

DEVILS GOAL - SAM SMITH

Scored @ 58:56 assist Michel eng

Effinger back in net

That was Sam Smith's 2nd goal of the night

Final score DEVILS 8 Vipers 5

Waiting for news of MoM

Whilst we are waiting - big thanks to our texters Sharlene, Paul, JohnWildthing, Andy Blaze and Ger-Devils

Viper MoM - Charlie Effinger

Devils MoM - Sam Smith

Will not be with you for next weekends back to back games against the Capitals but if you can't get to the games join Chris on MNL

Thats all frm me OJ as the Devils carry on their march towards the higher reaches of the league table