Match Night Live

All set up for the first installment of what could be a title deciding weekend

Tonight we welcome our step brothers the Sheffield Steelers to Cardiff Bay

With a sell out crowd at the Tent, if you haven't got a ticket or live further away why not join me OJ at MNL

Score predictions plus any other comments to me at matchnightlive@gmail.com

Predictions before face off please

Texters all briefed and ready for the action

Keith in Hull predicts that the Devils will win 4-2 but thinks Giants will get that league title

Rob calls it 4-1 Devils

Very quiet on the e--mail front but not unexpected with a sell out crowd at the Tent

Mark B says 5-2 Devils and a hat-tick for Jon Pelle

Tent getting full already

Amazingly MNL is close to a 1005 growth in viewing figures over last season, ie doubling our total number of viewers

Maybe MNL should be enamed Heineken MNL that reaches fans that other update blogs don't

5 minutes of warmup remains

The excitement is growing/brewing etc

Can those of you out there e-mail me at matchnighlive@gmail.com to stop me rabbiting on

I have a feeling that this is going to be our weekend my luck is in

FOUR winners at Ffos Las on Thursday place multiple winning tickets for the Placepot and Quadpot

A good days racing for a change

Warmup done & dusted

Zamboni doing its bit

I have my A team of texters on duty this evening - Sharlene, JohnWildthing, Andy, Paul (PJ) and Ger-Devils so I will not be editing anything they say as they always call the game as they see it

Parking is a nightmare apparently - well fans could have expected that tonight, sell out and a Saturday night

Well I didn't have any trouble parking myself in front of this screen - did you?

Where are my Rhode Island, North Bay viewers tonight also the Birbraer clan where are you.

With in excess of 200 Steekers fans in the Tent we will have to shout louder for the boys tonight

Keith in Aber, Carl in Llanpumpsaint where are you?- maybe made the trip to Cardiff Bay

Come on u Devils we want 4 points this weekend

Welcome onto the ice your very owen CARDIFF DEVILS

People not impressed with the new light show

Seeking confirmation that Darnell is the referee

Intros done, 2 full blocks of Steelers

With a bit of luck the leak in the area gets bigger and they rust

It wouls appear that there are empty seats in the sponsors area when fans were desperate for tickets

Maybe they are late arriving

Anthem done

Sponsors/corporate guests now taking their seats

WE are underway

Voth on 3rd line

Penalty Steelers - Domish - boarding

@ 0:26

STEELERS Goal SHG by Simon

Devils D man fell over, Simon backhanded past Lyle @0:52 assist Globke

Devils goal disallowed

Man in the crease

Steelers have anoth SH chance save Lyle

Steelers back to full strength

Steelers icing @ 2:42

Atmosphere is electric

Devils penalty - Richardson @ 3:07 - delay of game

Steelers go close

Devils pp is poor

Apologies Steelers pp was poor as Devils return to full strength

Devils icing @ 5:38

Glove save off Weller @ 5:46

D clear a spill from Lyle

Devils penalty @ 6:30 - Symmonds - hooking

Steelers offside @ 7:50

Steelers penalty @ 7:56 - Tait - interference

Devils will go on pp shortly

Devils icing at 8:14

Devils now on PP

Get that pp into overdrive and give us a goal u Devils

Devils penalty @ 9:08 - Weller - interference

Steelers now go on pp

Devils kill penalty

Devils offside @ 11:26

Sam Smith has chane Moose saves

Voth hits Moose

Nothing called

Devils now have penalty @ 12:05 - Voth - slashing

Devils PK in good order

Voth penalty was basically for being Voth

Finnerty all over Simon behind the play

Will kick off soon says Paul

Penalties @ 13:59

Talbot (Steelers) - Charging:

Finnerty - roughing at sametime 13:59

Hill had chance but hooked

Weller having words with Campbell

Steelers penalty @ 15:25 - Munn - hooking

Pelle gets sticked in face by Matzka

Pelle goes to the bench

Steelers penalty @ 16:49 - Tait - high sticks

Pelle back on ice

Devils on pp

One minute of pp gone

Voth was punched he stood there but got penalty

Penalties coming @ 18:12

Steeler punched Voth - Steeler penalty - Talbot - roughing

Voth was sent to sinbin but no penalty against him so he came out - habit I assume

DEVILS GOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

ppg scored by Matzka

The powerplay goal was scored after the Tait penaltry had finished

Devils goal scored by Matzka, assists Macrae & WEller @ 18:15

Finnertry breaks away, pulled down no call

Devils penalty @ 19:19 - Finnerty - hooking

End of 1st period DEVILS 1 Steelers 1

Both teams mystified by Darnell's calls

That last penalty was a fine example, ref blows all skaters look around to see who has been called

Jon Darnell has the whistle and a right mess he is making of it

As one texter remarked all Darnell has done is light the fuse wire

This game could blow up any minute as so much is happenning off the puck and not called whilst the penalties that are called are nonsense

Nonsense and minor

But not deserving of minor penalties

I wonder if the referees have had their expenses yet

For those who don't know, officials match fees are paid on the night but the home team, expenses are paid by the EIHL

This is the least number of e-mails I have ever had on game night

Both teams return to the ice

We are off for 2nd period

Steelers go on pp

1:07 pp for Steelers

Devils return to full strength

Ref missed a push by Hill as he was chatting to lino

Big save by Moose

Its end to end at the moment

Devils icing @ 24:59

Munn has a go at Weller

Another Devils icing @ 25:52

Gametime 26:05

It is getting tense out there

Devils offside @ 27:18

Weller goes close

Lyle save @ 27:57

Followed by handbags

Between Clark & Hill

As Clark goes off Voth says something to him and he goes for Voth

Penalties @ 27:57 Clark - roughing. Hill - cross checking

4 on 4

DEVILS GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Scored by Weller

He was all alone in front, wrists puck past Moose

Assists M Smith & @ 28:32

Steelers slap shot goes wide

Devils penalty @ 28:58 - Adams - hooking

KILL

Now 5 on 4 for Steelers

Devils back to full strength

Devils icing @ 31:57

Steelers icing

That was 32:45 as Steelers lift the pressure on them

Lyle tripped behind net - no call

Legue it was who tripped Lyle - Weller has words

Steelers tip goes wide

Steelers icing

Gametime 34:59

Steelers penalty

Hooking is the call against Steelers, called as tripping - Munn @ 35:38

Another Steelers penalty

Bench minor - too many men

Ref over rules lino

What a farce

Team work my a***

Voth collides with Steeler then slashes him - no call

DEVILS GGGOOAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL

Slap shot from point

Bolibruck having a go at ref

Matzka unassisted @ 37:56

Bolibruck and referee still talking - what about delay of game

Steeelers goaL @ 38:13

sCORED BY dOWD

Handbags

Penalties to both teams coming

Penalties @ 38:25

Dowd - roughing

K Smith roughing

Steelers 2nd goal scored by Dowd asist Bolibruck

Last minute of 2nd period

Devils go close

Devils penalty @ 39:55 - Weller - slashing

End of 2nd period DEVILS 3 Steelers 2

Campbell at onetime was chasing Voth around the ice trying to get him to fight

Once the points have been decided this weekend I can see all hell breaking out

Weller penalty was a rediculous call, Weller hit the stick of his oppoinent and was called for slashing, no wonder he went mad

There are times when I feel that the sport in the UK would be better off if it went to semi-pro. An import quota of 3-5 of which 2 must qualify to play for GB

It worked before when we had formed imports who qualfied for GB such as Shannon Hope, Rick Brbant, Doug McEwen, Steve Moris, Brian Mason, Gary Stefan etc

At least they got GB to Pool A of the World Championships and there were British players playing alongside them such as the Coopers, Johnsons, Hands, Nicky Chinn,

I have finished my Bruce Boudreau autobiography, its a good read with quite a few characters that we have seen in the UK mentioned including Gary Unger, Rocky Saganuik.

That son of Penath, well the son of a Penarth man Tiger Williams is also mentioned

Teams back on the ice

I remember John Lawless and a few of yes having a chat on whether Tiger would play in Cardiff for a season now that he was retiring from the NHL

Off for the 3rd period

Devils on PK

KILL,KILL,KIll

More penalties coming

Correction that was a late text

Save by Lyle

Devils clear zone

30secs of PK left

Devils return to full strength

Weller fllors Steeler on blue line

Devils penalty @ 43:48 - Voth - holding

KILL

STEEELERS GOAL - Sarich @ 43:51

PPG

Steelers have upped their game this period

Lyle save 45:55

Lyle saves from Talbot

Steelers icing @ 47:12

Devils penned in their zone

Devils look very tired

Attack after attack from the Steelers at the moment

Devils finally breakout

They have pressure on Steelers at last

Great gave by Lyle

Devils offside @ 51:39

Steelers icing @ 52:06

Interesting discussion in break between Simms & Ragan hosted by Pope when they agreed that what we need is 4 line hockey

Gametime 52:06

Macrae only centre capable of winning face off

Steelers icing @ 53:23

Lots of pressure from Devils now

Tent is full to bursting I am told

Moose save @ 53::49

Steelers goal

Scored by Legue

@ 54:09

Assist Clarke

Steelers now intent on defending their lead

Big save by Moose

Steelers are keeping one man high

Steelers bench minor - too many men @ 56:43

Time ourt - Devils

WE WANT A GOAL U DEVILS WE WANT IT NOW

What idiots

Devils penalty

Finnerty - hooking @ 56:50

Steelers penalty

@ 57:37 - Munn - tripping

4 on 3

Time out Steelers

1:06 of 4 on 3

Last 2 mins

DEVILS GOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Hattrick fot Matzka a ppg

Assist Pelle Devils 4th goal @ 58:50

End of regulation DEVILS 4 Steelers 4

O/T underway

Early pressure from Devils in O/T

Adams goes down hurt

Struggles to bench

Gametime 61:03

Steelers goal

Final score DEVILS 4 Steelers 5

Winning goal @ 61:41

No announcement of who scored winner

Steelers MoM - Clarke

Devils will have to rest up well tonight as this game took a lot out of them

Devils MoM - SCOTT MATZKA

Goal details remain a mystery

Our thanks to our texters - Sharlene, Andt, Paul, JohnWildthing and Ger-Devils

Steelers winning goal scored by Thomas assist Sarich @ 61:41

Devils will have to win in rgulation tomorrow night to have anyu chance of bagging that league title

Thats all from me OJ - join me tomorrow night as we bring you the return game at Sg=heffiels (Face Off 5pm)