Match Night Live

Good evening!

Chris with you tonight and as always I can be reached before/during this game at matchnightlive@gmail.com

Seems face off has been delayed by about 15mins due to the zamboni packing up again :(

Both teams came out for warmup about 6:30, so I guess the delay is happening to face off :(

Richardson warming up for the Devils, but no sign of Symonds again :(

First prediction of the night from Gareth says Devils to win 4-2 :)

10mins to go until we start

But the officials are out on the ice...

Dean Smith is ref for tonights game

Flags come out to James Bond music apparently...

Texters reporting it's older inside the rink than outside, just like Murrayfield then :P

Replacement Zamboni has come from Gosport for tonights game...

Back row of block 15 is soaking, seems the plastic roof is letting water in again...

Both teams have emerged :D

Noticable that the texters for MNL seem to dislike the intro video more and more each game...

It's very very quiet on the emails tonight, is there anyone actually alive out there?

Anthem time

And we're off (I think)

That's almost 7:15 on the dot, good timing on the 15min delay

We have indeed started, Capitals have started the stronger though

2 good, early chances for the Capitals already

Devils penalty at 2:09, Finnerty 2mins for slashing :(

Devils were creating some chances, then Finnerty took a penalty...

Apparently the Devils started with the 3rd line tonight, Adams and M Smith in defense...

Pelle comes very close, but Reid denies him :(

Pelle shot was saved at 4:02, good shorthanded opportunity though

Texters report the Caps are playing very well so far, about 5mins in i guess now

About 15 Caps fans have made the journey down to the extremely cold and wet big blue tent tonight...

We need Pelle to get 8pts or so over this weekend to take him upto 2pts per game :P

Not sure what happened, but the whistle has been blown at 5:41 for something :)

Well, on the plus side, at least we killed the Finnerty penalty

It's gone very very quiet...

"Weller thinks he's a forward - Getting caught up the ice all the time"

Funnily enough a lot of people were saying that after last weeks game against the Vipers

Against the Panthers he seemed to stick in defense, but against the Vipers he kept wandering forwards

I guess it's not an entirely bad thing

Capitals looking the better team at the moment and threatening more than the Devils...

And once again it's gone very very quiet

I can only assume that means the game is end to end and there's just nothing really happening

And as I say that...

Great save from Reid denies Weller, spilt the puck on the first save but managed to save it the second time

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL

Despite the texts, the Devils open the scoring!

Devils 1st goal timed at 12:20, K Smith from Macrae and S Smith

Macrae took the puck around the back of Reids nets after a good pass from S Smith and then passed the puck out infront where K Smith buried it :D

Devils penalty at 13:49, Richardson 2mins for tripping :(

Another point for S Smith there on that goal, he really has been a good signing for us

Weller skates through the entire Capitals team, but Reid makes another fantastic save to deny the Devils a 2nd!

Macrae sets Weller up, but the pipework denies him this time :(

Matzka gets the rebound, but the shot is saved by Reid, Devils looking sharp on this PK

Richardsons penalty killed

Sounds like Devils had more chances than Caps during those 2mins...

Up here in Nottingham, Panthers 0-0 Blaze...

I only say that because the result tonight can/will/could affect our own CC challenge...

It's gone very quiet again...

It's far too quiet :(

Nothing appears to be happening though!

Usually when I type that, I get a shedload of texts about something, nothing tonight :(

I'm not even sure how far into the 1st we are now as no ones saying anything!

An update!

Devils called for icing at 19:21

Devils bench goes insane, our player clearly touched the puck first but the linesman decides he didn't see that...

End of the first, Devils lead 1-0

Sorry for the lack of actual game comments everyone, but not a lot I can do when there's nothing happening in the game :(

Apparently there was another suspect call after that icing

Devils iced the puck, a Capitals player touched it first but the linesman waves the icing off...

First time i've had this reported, but Pelle having a terrible game so far tonight!

Everyone else playing quite well, game just not all that exciting :(

Apparently saying the game isn't very exciting is a rubbishly bad understatement on my part...

Shots on goal for the 1st, 11 on Reid and 8 on Lyle

Other scores tonight at the end of the 1st...

Vipers 1-0 Stingrays - Texts from that game suggest it's absolutely dire viewing

Panthers 0-0 Blaze - If the Blaze only take 1pt from this game I think that's them out of the CC, meaning we need to beat the Panthers to ensure our progression!

Clan 1-0 Giants - I don't know anything from this game, but gooo Clan :P

Just noticed, in 3 of the 4 games taking place tonight, the home teams are winning 1-0...

Rubbish crowd according to reports from the game, no atmosphere and it's absolutely freezing

No wonder everyone is so quiet on the texts :P

Capitals unlucky not to be on the scoreboard though

We must be nearing the 2nd period, but everyones gone silent again :(

And there we go, officials return for the 2nd period...

Devils aren't playing badly, but the Capitals are playing a lot better than expected. Neutral zone was quite scrappy for a few mins, but majority of the game has been end to end

Teams back out for the 2nd

Everyone is out for the 2nd, but there's so many puddles/so much standing water on the ice that we haven't started yet...

And as I type that, the game seems to have started :)

Practically no hits during that 1st period from either team, and the 2nd has started the same way...

Capitals very close to scoring after Pelle takes the puck from Matzka and then loses possession...

Devils have a chance infront of Reid, but overskate it

I don't even know what that means, but that's what the text says...

Capitals score :(

Capitals 1st goal timed at 22:06, Kim from Hutchins and Cingel

According to the texters, it was either a dodgy shot that looped over Lyle, or a slapshot that went through him...

Capitals score a 2nd...

Capitals 2nd goal timed at 23:23, Fanto from St Jacques

Lyle saved the puck, but rebound fell straight to Fanto who scored with ease...

For the 2 goals, Lyle has come storming out of the net and then missed the shot...

Texters think the team talk in the period break was obviously to the dressing room wall...

Devils look lost at the moment, good individual skills from Weller and K Smith but just not playing as a team at the moment :(

Caps defending very well, breaking up the Devils play and then taking their chances...

But as I type that...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL

Devils 2nd goal timed at 28:31, Davies from K Smith and Macrae

Davies backhanded it over Reids legs :)

Capitals penalty at 30:30, Kim 2mins for tripping

That's the Capitals 1st penalty of the night and only the 3rd of the game!

Caps turn to have chances when shorthanded

Devils keep losing possession in the neutral zone and Capitals putting pressure on us despite missing a player

Caps kill the penalty, but...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL

Devils 3rd goal timed at 32:30, M Smith from Adams :)

Reid was on the floor, but Smith says Shafer was to blame for that and so the goal stands

Capitals players not happy at all

Oooooooooooooh

Richardson and Voth breakaway, but Voth hits the pipes at 35:10 :(

Replay shows that it was actually Matzka that floored Reid, no wonder the Capitals players aren't happy

Also slightly oddly, texters now saying M Smith or Pelle deserve man of match on their game so far...

Funny how different people see things :)

36:24 gone, and it's back to end to end play...

And it's also gone very very quiet again

Capitals penalty at 37:56, Cingel 2mins for slashing

As i'm not allowed to post on the Caps forum, in answer to the post about Dean Smith letting our 3rd goal stand, i'm not sure how my texters worked out what Dean Smith was saying, so i wouldn't write Smith off just yet :P

Still, end of the 2nd and the Devils lead 3-2 \o/

Capials must have killed the Cingel penalty without too many problems as no one said anything :)

That should of course have said Capitals :)

Capitals playing a very good defensive game so far

Attendance for tonights game is 1361 according to the gamesheet...

Must be almost time for the 3rd period

Officials back out for the 3rd

And here we go with the 3rd!

Sorry for the delay, it went very very quiet again!

Play has stopped 3 times in the opening minute...

There's absolutely nothing happening!

Weller really after a goal according to texts

43:31 gone...

text from the game - "I'm bored, can we go home?"

I actually have nothing else to report, every single person has gone deathly silent!

No penalties, no goals, no calls of anything :(

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL

Another debatable goal...

Devils 4th goal timed at 46:19, Hill from Voth and K Smith

Caps not happy with that goal at all, Smith went over to talk to goal judge, Reid gives him a stare of doom when the goal is given!

Linesman goes to get the puck, Reid hits it away from him then Hutchins hit's it further away...

Capitals penalty at 46:19, Hutchins 10min misconduct

Devils penalty at 48:08, Pelle 2mins for interference

My texts are all arriving out of order :(

Ok, so it's currently Devils 4-2 Capitals, Hutchins had a 10min misconduct for having a tantrum

Pelle then got 2mins for being pushed into Reid...

Finnerty misses when 1on1 with Reid :(

Apparently Voths assist was his 200th point for the Devils!

Announcement that the car park rear gate is open gets the biggest cheer of the evening...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL

Hopefully the Caps won't be disputing that one :P

Capitals penalty at 52:23, Cingel 2mins for interference

Devils 5th goal timed at 54:23, Pelle from Weller

So another goal exactly as a penalty finished

Hutchins finishes his 10min misconduct...

Devils penalty timed at 58:53, Matzka 2mins for interference

Capitals penalty at 59:43, Hutchins 2mins for tripping

I'm guessing that must be the end of the game now, unless something else has blown up

Indeed it is the end of the game...

Capitals man of the match goes to Reid

Devils man of the match goes to K smith

Well, it's another victory for us!

Hopefully we can manage it again tomorrow :)

But that's all from me

Chris out.