Match Night Live

Welcome to MNL for coverage of tonights game against the Belfast Giants.

I know it is often said but this is a crucial weekend if the Devils are to win the league title

A 4 point weekend will vastly improve the Devils position

Score predictions as always welcomed along with printable comments to matchnightlive@gmail.com

Join me (OJ) from around 6;30 for what is cerain to be another intense noisy night at the BBT

Texters have been allocated their duties

Tonights game is a sell out

Adeline predicts a 4-2 win for Devils

Josh has spotted Brent Pope at BBT

Just visiting I assume

Maybe he planned his visit thinking the game would have been at ICW

Texter Jon calls it 5-3 to Devils

Tickets for tomorrows key game against Steelers are available but I am sure will sell out quickly

Mark G says Devils by 2 goals in regulation

Russky also says Devils by 2 goals

Devils by 2 goals is a poipular prediction also given by Brian Parker who thinks the RED ARMY will set the tone with another awesome Anthem rendition

The Batch family also predict a Devils win by 4-2 to mark Josh's birthday today

Hazel has gone for a 5-3 scoreline in favour of thge lads

Ryan Russell makes his debut wearing #25

Rob Batch says 4-0 to Devils

Capitals are imploding as Giants sign David Rutherford

He is not icing tonight

The Gaming Hazzard goes for a 6-2 win for Devils

With 13 skaters Capitals are losing 6-3 to the Storm in Murrayfield

Warmup long finished at BBT

Josh says "What an atmosphere at BBT"

Lights are dimmed

Latest Capitals 3 Storm 7

Apologies take to take a call

Players out Anthem done

Dean Smith is referee

Puck dropped

FIGHT

Matt Nickerson v Trevor Hendrikx

Both down

Matt Nickerson fell awkwardly

Leaves ice in a lot of pain - left knee

He took a beating from Trevor Hendrikx

Both get 5 minutes for fighting @ 0:04

Giants icing

not much of a fight really

Matt Nickerson gone to dressingroom

Tomas Kurka has shot blocked by Guillaume Doucet

Huge hit by Andrew Lord on Jeff Mason

Stephen Murphy covers @ 1:29

Now big hit by Joey Haddad on Craig Peacock

Giants icing

Great start by Devils, high tempo

Devils icing @ 2:33

No Colin Shields for Giants

Ben Bowns glove save from Mitch Ganzak

Giants Goal @ 2:59

Chris Higgins the sxcorer

Assist given - checking

Number announced not matching anyone on the ice - a mystery

Good cances for both Jake Morissette & Zach Hervato

Assists were Benedict & Forney

Giants penalty Mike Wilson 2 minutes for cross-checking @ 5:12

Adam Keefe on breakaway hits post

GGGGOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

RYAN RUSSELL scores

Assists for Joey Martin & Carl Hudson

A PPG @ 5:40

Stephen Murphy saves from Gleason Fournier

Giants penalty Kris Beech

2 minutes for cross-checking @ 9:05

GGOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Another PPG

Carl Hudson his 9th of the season

Assists Andrew Hotham & Ryan Russell

Gerald exact words werre "WHAT A GOAL"

Great chance for Joey Martin - just wide

Devils playing very well says Josh

Devils all over them, Adam Keefe getting chippy

Stephen Murphy save from Joey Martin

Devils penalty Trevor Hendrikx 2 minutes for charging

KILL DEVILS KILL

@ 12:34

Devils doing well on PK

Devils Full strength

Giants penalty Adam Keefe 2 minutes for holding

@ 14:16

Just to update you Matt Nickerson has returned to the game

GGOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Joey Martin his 20th and DEVILS 3rd PPG

Assist Jake Morissette @ 14:51

Giants mess up a 2 on 1 breakaway

Andrew Lord destroyed by Darryl Lloyd along boards - GOOD HIT

Trevor Hendrikx & Josh Batch have words with Darryl Lloyd

Adam Keefe has a winge and Trevor Hendrikx has 2 minutes for roughing

KILL DEVILS KILL

Come on U DEVILS KILL KILL

Ben Bowns holds onto puck

Devils Full Strength

Trevor Hendrikx comes out of sinbin fed puck, shoots, Stephen Murphy blocker save

Giants throwing some big hits

Trevor Hendrikx last visit to naughty boys room was @ 15:41

Jon says Giants PP & PK units look as effective as his Nan in a pub brawl

End of 1st period DEVILS 3 Giants 1

I don't know what is happening in Murrayfield as it is now Capitals 6 Storm 7 with 2 minutes left

Graham in Barry thinks Devils will win 5-2

SoG for 1st period DEVILS 14 Giants 8

Ice is ready

Jon's period report - Crowd very noisy, Clappers handed out, Devils giving fans plenty to get excited about. Devils attacking with pace and power, hitting hard. The odd stray pass putting them under pressure now and again

Teams back

Now told that Nickerson did not reappear

2nd period starts

Stephen Murphy saves from Gleason Fournier

Gametime 23:00

Chris Culligan leaves the ice gingerly after collision with Jake Morissette we think

Now told Giants elbowed him

Stephen Murphy covers @ 24:01

No sign of Matt Nickerson

Giants down to 4 D

Storm win 7-6

Giants goal

Ben Bowns rebound punished @ 26:36

Scored by Chris Higgins

Jake Morissette should have done better with a glorious chance

Puck out of play @ 27:06

Devils Offside @ 27;30

Come on U DEVILS we want the next goal

Assists for Craig Peacock & Derrick Walser on Giants 2nd goal

Kick save by Ben Bowns puts puck out of play @ 28:50

Stephen Murphy covers

Giants look better this period

Andrew Hotham dumps Adam Keefe on his backside

Big hit Zach Hervato

On Mitch Ganzak who leaves the ice

Ryan Russell 2 minutes for delay of game @ 31:48

KILL DEVILS KILL

Giants score PPG

Mike Wilson assists Craig Peacock & James Desmarais

Come on U DEVILS have you gone to sleep

Devils penalty Joey Haddad 2 minutes for hooking @ 30:32

KILL DEVILS KILL

Andrew Hotham clears

Darryl Lloyd taken out by team mate

Darryl Lloyd elbows Trevor Hendrikx twice - NO CALL

Devils Full strength

GGOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Chris Culligan his 4th assist Chris Jones

@ 32:50

Giants Offside @ 33:40

Giants icing

LETS GO DEVILS LETS GO

I know I am greedy but I want another goal - PLEASE

Mad scramble in front of Giants goal - Stephen Murphy finally covers

Andrew Lord shoots wide

Giants icing

Slap shot from Carl Hudson saved

Its now Chris Higgins turn to be taken out by team mate

Gametime 38:02

Devils penalty Joey Haddad 2 minutes for tripping

@ 37:47

Apologies texts coming out of sequence

KILL DEVILS KILL

Zach Hervato clears

Giants penalty Darryl Lloyd slashing @ 38:38

Devils Full strength

End of 2nd period DEVILS 4 Giants 3

Devils will have a 38 secs PP at start of 3rd

Jon's report - devils not as intense in 2nd while Giants stepped it up a gear - mostly illegally but up a gear nevertheless

2nd assist for Carl Hudson on Devils 4th goal

SoG for 2nd period Devils 8 Giants 13 a total reversal of 1st period making it 22-21 after 2 periods

The old problem of texts arriving out of sequence which we used to have a couple of years ago has reared its head tonight

Come on U DEVILS one big effort, good nights rest and then do it all again tomorrow night - SIMPLE

Ice ready

Teams back

Puck dropped for 3rd

Lets have another PPG U DEVILS

Bugle player in Block 4

Giants Full strength

Stephen Murphy glove save

Lets have that next goal U DEVILS

Mitch Ganzak punches Chris Culligan - NO CALL

Giants penalty Chris Higgins 2 minutes for tripping @ 41:51

Referee Dean Smith leaves the ice

Injured apparently

Kisil & Rose the linos

Lengthy holdup

Dean Smith has either got ankle problem or skate problem

Game restrarts with linos

Its a lottery now

Jeff Mason clears zone

Giants Full strength

Gleason Fournier looks impressive, calm on puck good decision making

Ref has returned

Ben Bowns glove save

Must have been a problem with his skates

Mike Forney shoots wide

Come on U DEVILS

Giants Offside

To say I am confused is an understatement, one texter says Smith is back another says no sign of him

THere is no referee

2 linos running game

Gametime 48:32

Tomas Kurka has shot saved

Lino Rose now injured

Lino Rose returns with ref jersey on

Play restarts

Giants Offside @ 49:01

Mottom comes on as linesman

We now have 3 zebras

Stephen Murphy covers

Devils icing

Derrick Walser shot blocked

LETS GO DEVILS LETS GO

Peter C where is Nickerson now!!!

Andrew Hotham onetimner saved @ 51:03

Puck out of play

Jon didn't win SOHB or 50/50

Devils Mark Richardson 2 minutes for hooking @ 51:34

KILL DEVILS KILL

Devils clear zone

Josh Batch shoots wide

Giants too many men missed

Devils clear

Devils Full strength

50?50 tonight was £1,320

Glove save Ben Bowns

Puck out of play

5mins left

Crowd has picked up the noise again

Babies being kept wake in Weston

Giants penalty Craig Peacock 2 minutes for hooking @ 55:37

Steelers winning 5-4

Clan winning 1-0 after 46 mins

Giants clear zone

Giants Full strength

Final 2 minutes

Giants time out

Our texter Josh, Jon, JohnWilding & Gerald working well

Stephen Murphy pulled

GGOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

ENGCardiff

Guillaume Doucet with his 25th of the season

Joey Haddad hits post

Devils icing with 10 secs left

Final score DEVILS 5 Giants 3

Yes texter Jon got it right as did all of you who predicted Devils would win by 2 goals

2 good points now lets get those 2 on offer tomorrow

Time of the ENG was 58:46

Unassisted

Giants MoM - Chris Higgins

Devils MoM - RYAN RUSSELL

Our thanks to Jon, JohnWildthing, Gerald & Josh for excellent coverage as usual. THANKS GUYS

Russ hopefully will be hosting tomorrow night when the Steelers came to the BBT to be fleeched of 2 points

Thats all from me (OJ) GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE - NOS DA PAWB