Match Night Live

Hello!

We'll be live tonight from about 19:00 for the 2nd leg of the Challenge Cup Quarter Final game between the Cardiff Devils and Dundee Stars :)

Until then, if you have any predictions or just want to shout at us about something send it over to matchnightlive@gmail.com

And yes, we'll be starting the score at Devils 4-1 Stars tonight because that was the 1st leg result :)

Good evening!

Chris here, hosting MNL for tonights 2nd leg of the Challenge Cup quarterfinal between the Devils and Stars :)

As always for home games, we're relying on one solitary texter who has found/bribed their way into getting some phone signal in IAW, so we'll have the main bits and pieces but it may take a while for specifics to come through

Anyway... warmup underway at the BBT! We're still not entirely certain who's missing for either team yet...

Obviously the Devils won the 1st leg of this game in Dundee 1-4 so we're carrying a 3 goal lead into tonight!

If anyone out there has any predictions for tonight. or just wants to shout at me for something i've missed then fire them over to matchnightlive@gmail.com :)

We think it might be Lord sitting out again tonight for the Devils...

And the Stars are missing #14 Tanaka, #19 Sides and #32 Cescon...

A few predictions in, Kim is going for a Devils 6-2 win :)

Russky is going for a 4-2 win \o/

And Pat is also going for the 4-2 Devils victory :D

Warmup complete in IAW as well, still no proper confirmation on the lineups..

So, it's a confirmed that the Devils are missing Lord, the Stars are missing Tanaka, Sides and Cescon... But Culligan is back in the lineup for the Devils! :D

Intro time! Almost go time :D

Stars on the ice, and here come the Devils!

Devils lineup being announced :)

Anthem time in IAW!

So despite Murdy being announced as the Devils SOHB tonight, it's Bowns that starts in nets...

Hicks is the man in charge tonight...

Puck dropped and we're off :D

Devils called for icing @ 01:05

Not the most exciting starts, we can't work out how the Devils are going to approach this game...

Big save from Fallon!

Big shot from Batch is saved @ 01:30(ish)

2mins played and it's the Devils creating the chances at the moment

Fallon isn't really making any clean saves, he's spilling lots and gifting us more opportunities!

4mins played, Stars created their first chance through Faryna but the puck was eventually cleared

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #1

Culligan scores :D

Goal #1! Culligan from Ulmer and Scott Hotham @ 04:33 :D

And we're now up to 6mins played, strange atmosphere in IAW...

Ohh, big save Bowns!

Stars are finally starting to create some chances!

Devils powerplay! Faryna gets 2mins for something... :E

Faryna gets 2mins for tripping @ 06:56

Big save from Fallon with about 07:30 played

Stars called for offside @ 07:53

Stars are creating a few shorthanded chances...

And now Fallon makes another save @ 08:08 played

Stars score! Shorthanded goal :(

So we think it was Vinny Scarsella who scored at 08:29 with a shorthanded goal :(

We're coming up to 10mins played, both teams creating chances but Fallon is making some huge saves!

Devils called for icing @ 10:54

Stars are getting a few breakaways tonight...

Confirmation of the Stars goal... Scored by Scarsella @ 08:27 SHG

Devils camped in the Stars zone...

And another good save from Fallon @ 11:56

12:30 played and the Stars are doing a good job on defence, but the Devils are creating chance after chance!

Big save from Bowns with 13mins just gone!

Not too many checks being thrown by either team at the moment

Considering the Stars are missing 3 key players they're not looking too bad at all!

15mins played...

It's a really strange game, we're getting bursts of speed from either team, and then after the netminders make a save both teams seem to be sitting back a bit

Another great save from Fallon @ 16:05

And now the Stars are called for icing @ 16:15 after a loose pass

Good chance for Doucet but he just can't find the angle :(

17mins played... It feels like the Devils have the majority of possession, but e Stars are creating quality chances and forcing some great saves out of Bowns

And it's another save from Fallon @ 17:53

Oooooooooooooooooh Bentivoglio goes so so close! Another Fallon save though @ 18:10

Another save from Fallon @ 18:30 following a shot from Bentivoglio...

Stars penalty coming...

Stars penalty @ 18:47 - Hart gets 2mins for hooking

Stars look so so dangerous on the PK!

Fallon save @ 19:32

Gah! Puck goes across the crease but no Devils player can get their stick to it

And that's it, end of the 1st period :)

Well, not a bad period I suppose in that we continue to carry the 3 goal lead, but I don't know what to make of that haha

Devils aren't playing bad by any stretch, but Stars are going to have to up their game to turn this into an actual competition!

Well, the shots on goal are sort of revealing... Devils 15-4 Stars!

2mins to go until the 2nd period!

Both teams back on the ice

A more exciting period would be most welcome...

Puck dropped and we're away!

Devils start the 2nd with 47seconds of PP time

Stars back to full strength

Bowns makes a save @ 21:43

Blimey, Stars score!

Seems like the Stars took a shot and it took a huge deflection off Myers stick and completely wrongfooted Bowns...

Stars second goal timed @ 21:48... Brannon from Poulin and White

Stars have upped their game a bit since the 2nd went in... Maybe they can sense blood only trailing by 2?

Another big save from Fallon @ 23:53

Fairly end to end at the moment, certainly seems to be a bit quicker than the 1st period

25mins played...

Ooooh, big chance from Andrew Hotham!

Stars called for icing @ 25:57

Seems like every time the Devils press forwards, the Stars get the breakaway chance and really create some trouble..

Another save, this time for Bowns @ 26:45

It's a strange old game this, obviously we're leading but there's no great atmosphere and at times it's almost like walking pace out there :S

Puck out of play @ 27:21 behind Fallons net

Oh and a shout out to Franny and his dad checking in from Lapland(!!) - I thought it was fairly exotic running MNL from Central London but that definitely pips it :)

Stars turn to set up camp in the Devils zone... Creating some good chances here

Scarsella skates around the Devils net twice! Bowns finally makes a save @ 29:05 but the Stars are looking good!

30mins played and now the Devils are camped, but...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #2

We think it was Haddad with that goal just as 30mins was played :D

Devils 2nd goal timed at 30:07! Haddad from Andrew Hotham & Richardson :D

It's been end to end since the Devils 2nd goal and finally some hits are being thrown by both teams!

Good link up from Ulmer and Bentivoglio!

Oooooooooo Culligan goes close! He had all the space in the world!

And finally Fallon makes the save @ 34:15

The pace has definitely upped a bit now!

30mins played... End to end

35mins played even!

Devils called for offside @ 35:34

Stars camped in the Devils zone again...

Creating chance after chance! Faryna and Scarsella looking particularly dangerous

Bordeleau gets floored by a shove from Moore!

Big save from Fallon @ 37:06 following a shot from Brine

Ack! Pigott and Bordeleau can't find each other, Switzer collects the puck and almost scores :S 38mins played!

Penalty for the Stars coming

Faryna gets 2mins for tripping @ 38:30

The trip was on Culligan who was so so close :(

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #3

Bentivoglio (we think) with a powerplay goal :D

30 seconds left! Still waiting on goal details

Asselin goes close!

And that's it, end of the 2nd period

Devils 3rd goal - Bentivoglio from Haddad & Ulmer @ 39:00 PPG :D

So we're upto a 4 goal lead, not too bad :)

Certainly a more exciting period than the 1st!

Shots on goal for the 2nd period were... Devils 13-7 Stars!

90seconds to go till the 3rd period

Stars back on the ice

And here come the Devils!

Puck dropped and we're off!

The pizza giveaway has created more atmopshere than the on ice action... Hmmm

Andrew Hotham and Bentivoglio go close! 40:55 played

Wow! Faryna misses after a Stars 2on1 breakaway!

42mins played, with 5 goals needed to take the lead it doesn't look like stars are going to win at the moment...

Fuurnier goes close! 43:30 played... Devils creating more chances

Devils creating allsorts of chances, but Fallon standing tall so far

Faryna seems to be the primary threat for the Stars

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #4

Ulmer scores! (Finally! as the texter says :E)

And the Devils have finally given Murdry a chance to get some more game time :)

Looks like it might have been Ulmer unassisted? Timed @ 44:51

Not entirely convinced that goal was unassisted, but it's now Devils 4-2 Stars on the night, 8-3 aggregate!

Stars called for offside @ 47:05

You'd think that might be game over for the Stars now...

48mins played... Devils are pressing for a 5th goal!

Ulmer and then Scott Hotham go close!

50mins played! It's almost like the Stars are starting to give up :(

Stars called for offside @ 50:34

Haddad goes very close!

Devils called for offside now @ 51:25

Jones and Piggott are getting a lot more ice time after that 4th goal... And obviously Murdry is in nets so it looks like the Devils are giving some more icetime to the extended bench :)

52mins played and Murdry makes his first stop of the game @ 52:06

End to end, but it's almost being played at half pace again by both teams... There's the odd breakaway but that's about it

53:30 and it's the Stars creating lots of pressure!

56mins played, Hotham may have cleared a puck off the line there...

Finally Devils regain possession for a meaningful amount of time!

Bordeleau just absolutely nailed Mikael Lidhammar! Biggest/only hit of the game!

Murdy save @ 55mins gone

Huge save for Murdy! Brilliant!

Ulmer goes close!

Devils have been camped in the Stars zone for the last 90 seconds!

Devils called for icing @ 57:17

Into the final 2mins! Looks like everyone will be happy for this game to end...

Stars seem to be trying to push forwards for 1 last goal chance...

And now we're into the final minute

Fournier running the clock down behind Murdrys net...

Puck out of play @ 59:51 - Myers with the shot

Victory!

Bit of a muted ending really, but it's been a funny old game

Stars man of the match goes to Vinny Scarsella

And the Devils man of the match goes to Culligan!

Well that's all from me, another Devils victory and we're through to the semi-final :)

Chris out!