Match Night Live

Good evening!

We'll be live here from about 6:30 with coverage of tonights CC SF 2nd leg game between the Belfast Giants and the Cardiff Devils!

In the meantime, if you have a score prediction or just want to shout at us about something, then fire it over to matchnightlive@gmail.com :D

Good evening again! Chris here as the host for tonight :D

We've set the score as 5-4 and will be updating it as the game progresses tonight, hopefully in Devils favour as it's only the aggregate score that counts!

Obviously Cardiff are missing Morissette through injury and Andrew Hotham through a 2 game ban for tonight, but hopefully that's the only guys missing...

Bit of a lost cause at the moment as there's not much news coming from Belfast...

Russky going for a Devils 3-1 tonight :D Let's hope that is the case!

Think you might be right there Andy, if there's no news then DOPS can't just invent more penalties against the team :P

Sam going for a Devils 3-1 victory as well, Joey Martin with the 1st goal! That's not a bad shout... :D

Pat going for a Devils 3-1 victory as well... Have I missed something, are PaddyPower offering amazing odds on a 3-1 win tonight or something? :P

About 15mins to go until this game kicks off, just a little bit excited!

This is only the 3rd game we've played in Belfast this season... And it's one win for each team with both games ending 3-2!

We thought last weekend was going to affect each teams run for the league title, but maybe tonight will be the more important decider? Although even if we lose maybe that will spur us on!

Phil going for a Devils 4-2 victory :D Woop woop!

Just incase anyone is counting, this is the 56th game of the season for the Devils, including the exhibition games...

'Cornwall Taffy' all the way in France going for a Devils 3-4 victory and then taking the win in overtime!

We're rapidly approaching the 80,000 unique MNL visitors for this season! We think, or maybe that should be hope, that we'll be breaking the 100,000 barrier again this season :D

Intro time in the Odyssey!

Ah yes, thanks Mark! Just pointed out that it's Dean Smith as ref for tonights game... Bleugh :/

Giants being announced on to the ice...

I guess the Devils are already on the ice, but we haven't been told that so... :P

Drew in Warrington going for a Devils win in overtime!

Puck dropped and we're off! Gooooooooooooooo Devils!

1min played, not much action in the opening minute

Blair Riley absolutely nails Scott Hotham who has gone straight for the bench

Amazing save Bowns! Timed @ 1:27

And now it's a save for Whistle @ 1:40! Not a patch on the save by Bowns though!

2mins played! Chris Jones getting ice time already and playing well, really creating some pressure on the Giants

Scott Hotham is back on the ice, maybe just need a breather after that hit by Riley

3mins played, Giants creating some good chances

And now a Whistle save @ 3:10, that was a good push by the Devils

Ulmer so so close :(

Puck hit the post, texter thought we had scored but alas no :(

4mins played, real end to end stuff at the moment!

Batch had a good chance but his stick broke :(

Great chance for Ulmer again but Whistle makes the save @ 5:08

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #1

We're still waiting for goal details, but goal was scored @ 5:13

Couple of big saves from Whistle again...

So Devils opening goal timed at 5:13! Bordeleau from Richardson :D

7mins played, it's been all action since the goal but Devils looking good at the moment

Blimey, Giants were very very close there!

Great tip infront of the net by Bordeleau to get the opening goal :D

Giants called for icing @ 7:59

Devils close again, we're really creating some good pressure, but the Giants look very dangerous

Penalty coming for the Devils...

Dean Smith with another bogus call against the Devils, what a surprise :/

Ah yes, thanks for the reminder about the score, sorry guys :E Got a little excited about the goal :E

Devils penalty against Mark Louis who gets 2mins for ??? @ ???

The Devils PK looks pretty good so far, although we still have no idea what the pena;llty was for

Bowns save @ 11:07

2 minutes for cross-checking @ 8:29 was the call

Okay, so the Mark Louis penalty was timed @ 8:29 and was 2mins for cross checking

Big save by Bowns through traffic with about 11:30 played!

12mins played, Giants camped in our zone at the moment...

Batch and Scott Hotham playing well together...

Higgins gets nailed by Bordeleau... FIGHT!

Keefe goes for Bordeleau after the hit!

Bordeleau absolutely smashed Higgins and then went skating towards Keefe who immediately stepped up! All timed @ 12:46

Lots of discussion between the officials... No call was made on the initial hit...

We should start a Dean Smith penalty call bingo... Bordeleau has just left the ice...

It looks like Bordeleau has been thrown out and the Giants are about to get a 5min powerplay...

Smith didn't even make a call after the hit! Neither did the linesmen!

So Keefe and Bordeleau both have 5mins for fighting @ 12:46... Giants have a 5min powerplay...

That's been announced, although we're not sure what else Bordeleau might have got!

So... Bordeleagu gets 5mins for fighting and 5+game for check to the head! Timed @ 12:46

Giants powerplay looking very very dangerous, they're camped in our zone creating chance after chance

Devils clear the zone with about 5mins left to play

Good clearance by Myers from behind Bowns net!

15:18 played and puck out of play...

16mins played!

Bordeleau has been spotted sitting outside the dressing room, but the game sheet shows a game penalty, hopefully Dean Smith doesn't invent another penalty for this...

Blimey! Forney misses a chance right infront of the nets, far far too close!

30seconds of the pk left!

Gah! Haddad shorthanded breakaway is saved by Whistle! And now the penalty is killed, play ongoing...

18mins played, that was a fantastic PK by the Devils after another pretend penalty by Dean Smith

I guess with the Devils being back to full strength that Keefe is back on the ice as well! 19mins played...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #2

Mark Louis with an amazing wraparound goal! Timed at 19:50!

Amazing goal :D

That's the end of the period though, Giants 0-2 Devils or 5-6 aggregate :D

We're still waiting on goal details for the second :)

So to sum up that period, we lead 0-2 and 5-6 on aggregate, Dean Smith is an absolute shambles of a ref, Bordeleau won the fight against Keefe... Oh and Mark Louis goal was amazing

So the 2nd goal was timed at 19:50 and is showing as Mark Louis unassisted... :D

That's a good one there Andy! DOPS = Department of Political Suspensions, not too far removed from the truth I think...

Also apologies, we're not getting any information on the line combos, so we can't confirm exactly what is going on, and it's likely to change again now Dean Smith the pretend referee has come up with a pretend penalty

Right, 8mins left till the 2nd (ish), i'm off to get a drink! Oh, shots on goal read Giants 10-13 Devils

2mins to go until the 2nd period!

Both teams back on the ice

Puck dropped and we're off! Come on Devils!

Devils called for icing @ 20:55

Giants created some decent pressure in the opening minute...

Giants penalty coming...

Higgins gets 2mins for illegal equipment @ 21:38

Asselin goes close!

Giants PK creating some pressure at the moment...

Couple of mistakes from Asselin gift the Giants some time on the PK, no matter here we go again!

Devils called for offside @ 23:20

18seconds of PP left...

Handbags @ 23:44 but Smith doesn't invent a penalty this time...

Louis hits the pipes!

Giants go close!

Giants killed the penalty and now are setup in the Devils zone

25mins played, Devils defence looking particularly good at the moment!

Devils penalty coming...

Bentivoglio gets 2mins for cross checking @ 26:07

That was an easy penalty for Smith to call, so he didn't even have to pretend this time!

1min of PK done, Devils looking good

Bowns made a cracking save as the clock ticked down to 27:27 and 1min of PK remaining...

30 seconds of PK left!

Oh, and now the penalty is killed! Another great PK by the Devils!

We need to stop gifting the Giants penalties though, not sure we'll be able to maintain this pressure with all the penalties being called!

Giants penalty! 28:32 Brandon Benedict gets 2mins for tripping

Martin goes close, great save by Whistle!

Devils PP doing well so far, although Giants PK is dangerous!

Lord goes close!

Giants kill the penalty and get a breakaway, but Bowns makes another great save! :D

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #3

Mark Louis with his 2nd goal of the night! Timed @ 31:14

Waiting on goal details, but another great goal by our massive D man sniper haha :D

Devils still creating chances after that 3rd goal, we're playing really bloody well so far!

34mins played!

CJ Scores

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #4

Jones with the Devils 4th goal and Giants call a timeout! Timed @ 34:21

Murphy takes over in net

Looks like Whistle is being pulled and Murphy is coming on for the Giants...

Good save by Bowns @ 34:33

Louis unassisted for the Devils 3rd @ 31:14

Jones from Haddad for the Devils 4th timed @ 34:21

35mins played, Vandermeer absolutely nails Fournier

Murphy save @ 35:57

Giants score :(

Timed at 36:15, detials coming shortly...

Giants have upped their game since Murphy appeared

Devils penalty - Bentivoglio 2mins for tripping @ 36:52

57mins played, i'm a little bit scared about this Giants PP :S

Giants go close

1min of penalty killed, Bowns made a good save shortly before

Devils kill the penalty! Phew!

And now 39mins played, unfortunately we couldn't capitalise on Bentivoglio coming back

Devils play whistled down for a hand pass @ 39:22

Culligan playing well tonight, although no idea if he's a D or forward!

Bowns makes a save just as the period ends!

End of the 2nd period and it's 1-4 (6-8) :D

Well, we still have a 2 goal lead on aggregate so that's something, but the Giants did look far more dangerous with Murphy in nets...

Shots on goal for the 2nd period read... Giants 18-11 Devils

About 5mins to go until the 3rd period!

All you have tyo do U DEVILS is not to lose the next period - OJ

We clearly need to get the 'missed major penalty super bingo card' sorted for games where Dean Smith shows up...

2mins to go until the 3rd period, hopefully we can score a couple more goals this period and close this game out!

Both teams back on the ice

Right! Here we go with the 3rd period, puck dropped and we're off!

Devils with a couple of chances in the opening minute

Bowns save @ 41:05

End to end stuff, both teams creating chances!

Giants look very dangerous crossing the Devils blue line

Giants with all the pressure...

43mins played, Piggott playing well and creating some hassle for the Giants in their zone

Wow, Giants were so so close then!

44mins played and Giants called for icing @ 44:05

Devils changing their lines as quickly as possible it seems...

Devils called for icing @ 44:35

Good puck steal by Martin but he can't convert, we've still got possession though!

45mins played, Louis playing so so well!

Giants were so so close at about the 45min mark, looked like they had scored but Smith waved it all off and play kept going

And now a Bowns save @ 46:21

Haddad goes close after a great pass from Brine!

Giants look so so quick skating into the Devils zone

48mins played, Devils playing well despite how dangerous the Giants look!

Puck out of play in the Devils zone @ 48:35

Devils called for icing @ 48:42

And Devils called for icing again! This one timed @ 48:56, minor handbags between Haddad and Nickerson...

Forney goes close, but puck ends up behind Bowns net

Giants turn to be called for icing @ 49:35

50mins played and puck goes out of play @ 50:01

And now it's a Bowns save @ 50:05

Giants creating chance after chance!

Devils penalty @ 50:32 - Brine 2mins for interference

Come on Devils, please please please kill this!

Big save by Bowns, play continues!

1min of penalty killed, play ongoing!

Wow, that was a hell of a shot from Walser!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #5

Joey Martin from David Brine @ 52:39

Goal #5 @ 52:39! Martin from Brine & Richardson :D Full strength goal!

That was some great play to get the Devils 5th goal just as Brine came out of the box :D

55mins played! COME ON DEVILS :D

Asselin skates singlehandedly into the Giants zone, Martin collects but we can''t get a 6th... yet :E

56mins played! End to end again at the moment

57mins played! Giants creating chances but they look a bit rattled! Bowns save @ 57:06

Handbags between Batch and Higgins after that Bowns save

No penalty called though, so at least Smith didn't have to pretend he knew what was going on

Mark Louis loses his footing behind Bowns net and it looks like he might have bumped his head... Play whistled down @ 57:40

Final 2mins!

Final minute!

COME ON DEVILS! WHAT A GAME!

Richardson takes a puck to the hand and goes down hurt and the Giants fans are booing...

DEVILS WIN DEVILS WIN DEVILS WIN

Still no idea why the Giants fans were booing! Hopefully Richardson is okay!

Mark Louis wins man of the match for the Devils and gets booed again!

The Giants fans should maybe worry more about their own team than booing ours when they get hurt or win man of the match!

Well anyway... DEVILS WIN! YES! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA :D

Chris out :D