Match Night Live

Good afternoon Hockey fans. Join Me (Russky) from 6:30pm for the usual pre game build up and MNL shenanigans.

If you wish to contribute to the proceedings please feel free to email your predictions and/or comments to matchnightlive@gmail.com and the most broadcastable and non libellous ones will be included.

Lets hope that the Storm wont make 'April fools' of the Devils tonight.

Until then I wish you all an enjoyable afternoon.

Welcome back all to our coverage of tonights 1st leg play off quarter final

its going to be exciting and tense in equal measure for sure.

we are being spoilt and there are two refs tonight. Twp of the Devils fanbase's favourite officials are in charge tonight: Messrs Hicks and Hogarth (tongue firmly in cheek)

Linos tonight are Lee young and Ben Connoly

So far we have had two texts in to our email box at matchnighlive@gmail.com

first one in was from a very confidemt David Rees who predicts a 4-0 Devils victory

The second prediction is from Pat who says any score will do as long as the Devils are winning.

Our lone texter on duty tonight is Phil Egan who will also be sending his end of period summaries.

There are 3 other quarter final first legs taking place tonight Fife@Belfast; Steelers@Panthers; Braehead@Dundee

Storm's key go to players to look out for as far as the Devils D are concerned are Matt Bissonette and Darian Dziurzynski .

Hazel has safely returned to Southend after her thoroughly enjoyable visit to the IAW last weekend. She reckons on a Devils 5-2 win.

Lights go down at the IAW.

No obvious scratches from the official team sheet submitted by A Lord.

Usual pre game intro video being played

Strom running a shorter bench than the Devils

Devils are introduced onto the ice

Manchester Storm fans in evidence at the IAW

Omar Pacha on the Bench not playing

No Omar Pacha for Storm

Denny Kearney is a healthy scratch for the Devils

Denny Kearney the scratch for Devils

on ice pre anthem rituals underway

Anthem time. sing loud and proud

anthem done

Bowns back in the Devils net tonight

Hogarth to drop the puck and get this game underway

bit of chat in centre ice

Devils on attack immediately

Storm clear

offside call against Devils

its going to be a physical game

Face off in the Storm zone

Storm hustling and closing down Devils quicly

Haddad shot blocked

Devils goal waived off allegedly off skate

no goal

storm clear; looking to play on breakaway

another offside call against Devils

usual line combinations out on ice on rotation

save by bowns

Devils pen

Richardson 2 minutes for hooking @ 2:51

Devil penned back on PK

No goals in any of the play off games so far

Devils clear puck down into Storm D

Face off in the Devils zone

Storm get possession but cant make most of it

Panthers score

Culligan breakaway and shot saved by clemente

Face off in the Storm zone

its end to end says our texter

Devils FS

Ulmer shoots but denied by Clemente

Nikiforuk after 4.55 gives Panthers 1-0 lead

Icing call against Storm

Face off in the Storm zone

OJ there chipping in with latest scores from other games

Devils trying to create something

but It comes to nothing

Patience is the order of the day for the Devils

Devils still causing turnovers

Devils are pressing the Storm

Storm shot goes wide of Bowns

Face off in the Devils zone

Haddad working so hard to create something but yet another turnover from the Devils

Clemente saves from Martin on breakaway

Hotham shoots high and wide

Face off in the Storm zone

Stars take 1-0 lead against Clan

Devils win face off just

but they have to go back into neutral zone and set up again

Devils building some pressure now

Harding shoots and Bowns saves with his pads

Clemente saves again.

Face off in the Storm zone

Devils win face off

Faryna @ 8:33 the Stars scorer

neutral zone face off

Panthers make it 2-0

Devils trying to set up again

Batch shoots high into the backnetting

Farmer @ 8:44

Face off in the Storm zone

Devils all over storm

Lord shoots from distance but it goes wide

Culligan forces turnover

Clemente covers puck

Face off in the Storm zone

Now Panthers 3 Steelers 0

Storm pen 2 minutes for Valcak for tripping

Lets go Devils!!! Give us a PPG

Moran scores 3rd Panrghers goal @11:04

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL

Asselin scores assist Fournier

a PPG

Devils back on PP

Storm pen #44 2 minutes for hooking

Tirrico shoots saved by Bowns

additional assist to Haddad on Asselins goal

Hotham fires a hotshot

padded away

Puck goes out of play

Face off in the Storm zone

Martin shot saved

McGrattan makes it 4-0 to Panthers

Devils keeping the pressure on Storm D

Panthers 4th goal @ 11:42

Storm clear puck all the way to Bowns

Devils still on PP

but not creating much

according to our texter

Devils D given space and time to start another attack

gametime last 2 mins of period

Face off in the Storm zone

Storm FS

Face off in the Storm zone

Clemente pads a long shot away

Devils clear their D

Brine trying to set up somethimg

yet another Devils Turnover

and that's it for the 1st period. boy that went quick

Shocks continue Flyers now leading 1-0 in Belfast

Thinel scored Flyers goal @ 15:49

thanks to Phil Thomas for the effort of mailing us with a score update!!

but its still 1-0 to Devils

SOGs Devils 10 Storm 7

after 1 period Panthers 4 Steelers 0

Stars 1 Clan 0 after 1 period

Giants 0 Plyers 1 after 1 period

Phil Egan says: a solid first period from the Devils. Storm don't seem to have an answer to our attack. I can see the Storm tiring very quickly. They are missing Pacha. We (Devils) just need to keep peppering Clemente then more goals will come.

A late prediction has just come in from Cornwall Taffy, who predictis a 4-1 Devils win.

I agree with Phil, the Devils need to keep plugging away and they will reap their rewards in the third as the Storm tire more and more.

thanks to OJ keeping us updated with the latest scores elsewhere. I guess it will be my turn to return the compliment tomorrow.

OJ will be in the hosting seat tomorrow as we cover the game in Altrincham.

Back to tonights matter in hand

Both teams back on the ice.

we are underway

Devils on attack immediately

Storm break away

Shot wide of Bowns

both sides change their on ice lines

Haddad shot blocked

end to end to feel to this game

Devils attack loses impetus

Face off in the Storm zone

icing call against Storm

Face off in the Storm zone

S Hotham shoots but wide

Face off in the Storm zone

Doucet shoots clemente glove save

Face off in the Storm zone

game intensity has dropped a bit

Storm Pen Prince 2 minutes for holding @22:25

Come on u Devils

Storm clear puck

Devils regroup and attack

Asselin shot deflected wide

Face off in the Storm zone

Clemente covers puck

Face off in the Storm zone

Scott Hotham shoots, clemente saves

Asselin shot gets blocked

Ulmer shoots wide

Storm FS

game gone scrappy

storm pen Carter 2 minutes for cross-checking

@25:30

Martin shoots but saved

Storm clear puck

Storm clear puck

Bowns with a massive save from Tribbuco

Face off in the Devils zone

Fournier shoots but Devils cant get to rebound

Storm score

sucker punch goal

Nelson scores for Steelers to make it 4-1

Varley scores it

@ 24:45

Storm FS

Hotham shoots Clemente saves

Giants tie up game at 1-1 through Saviano @ 30:15

sorry score went a bit awry then

Storm have their tails up now

that Varley goal has given them some lift

Clan equalise as well through Leavitt

Devils seem to have dropped their intensity

Lord shot blocked

Haddad shot goes over the goal

Asselin with a shot but its pushed wide by Clemente

Haddad shot goes wide

Storm fans in fine voice

Devils home crowd a bit subdued

Face off in the Devils zone

Storm have won a lot of face offs tonight

neutral zone face off

Storm denying Devils set up opportunities

they have really upped their game this period

Lord and then Martin shoot the latter saved by clemente

Face off in the Storm zone

Hotham spills the puck and the storm score from it

Giants now winning 2-1

this is not supposed to happen

scored by Mark Heatley

Higgins gives Giants the lead @ 31:03

Derrek Walsher makes it 3-1 for Giants

Devils pen Ulmer 2 minutes for illegal equipment ???

Devils having to work hard on PK

45 secs left on PK

Storm working to find the scoring opportunity

Bowns saves

Bordy with a big hit

Devils clear

Devils FS

Ulmer goes to thei ice accidently tripped by lino

Devils have seemingly lost their rhythm

Bowns blocker pads away the puck

Bowns saves.

Lord needs to calm them down.

Haddad shoots clemente saves

Devils seem abit rattled.

Still Panthers 4 Steelers 1 @ 37:22

play whistled down for injury to storm player Erhardt

Face off in the Storm zone

Clemente saves at end of period

and that's it for the second period. a Much better period for the Storm.

Pacha having words with Hicks re Bordy hit

I guess!!!!!

2nd period SOGs Devils 15 Storm 10

Phil Egan says ' that was quite a strange period for Devils. We seem to be attacking loads but we cant get the puck past Clemente. We need somebody to step up to give the Devills and the home fans a lift.

Stars 2 Clan 1 after 2 periods

that's a relief I thought OJ had fallen asleep

only joking OJ!!!

Zamboni chasing its tail

we need to find a way past the brick wall called Clemente

Teams back on the ice.

Lets hope that the Devils have regained their composure and have belief in their collective ability

seems a slight delay to start

Devils starting period with ulmer asselin haddad

3rd now in play

Devils pressing

Hotham turnsover puck

Culligan gets his pocket picked but Devils regain possesion

Gleason Fournier tries something but it doesn't come off

Storm being far more physical

Hotham gets turned over again

Clemente saves from Haddad.

neutral zone

face off

Asselin under pressure in possession

GGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL

JOEY HADDAD

individual goal

just what the Devils needed

Mark Louis with a big hit on Erhardt

Face off in the Devils zone

Batch and Myers combine but Myers cant get the shot away

Strong Storm forechecking

Bowns saves

Tribbuco and Benti have the handbags

Hotham and Erhardt have roughing pens

Trabbuco also sits out for 2 mins

and Lordo is in the Bin too

4 on 4 hockey

neutral zone face off

Asselin gets a hit from Carter

it is 5 on 5 hockey

all 4 in the bin get 2 for roughing

Bowns takes a stick in the face

2 mins for high sticks pen for storm by Mark heatley

Scott hotham with a shot is blocked

Devils on PP

Bowns saves shot from Prince

Face off in the Devils zone

Cannot bring you updates of Giants v Flyers game as there have not seem any updates since 36:14

Martin with chance but no gaps for shot

Panthers 4 Steelers 1 @ 48:17

its getting a bit niggly and feisty now

Face off in the Storm zone

game getting a bit niggly now

30 seconds left on PP

another melee in Storm goal area

after clememte save

Face off in the Storm zone

Storm FS

Brine and Bordy combine to try and create a chance

Devils force turnover from Storm

GGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL

scott Hotham scores

@51:36

Todd Kellman playing a role as cheer leader

but no pom poms in evidence

Clemente is really earning his corn tonight

Devils really pressing now.

under 8 mins remain in game

ideally Devils need another goal

Stars 3 Clan 1 at 52 minutes

Bordy making his presence felt.

icing called against Devils

Face off in the Devils zone

Scarsella scores 3rd

Storm shot goes wide of Bowns

Bowns saves with pads

Steelers make it 4-2 to Panthers with a goal from Valdix @ 54:45

Hotham and Haddad trying to create an opening

some more handbags

Johnstone and Hotham chipping

Face off in the Devils zone

Bowns down in net.

after Storm crashing the net

Bowns is ok

neutral zone face off now

Come on u Devils lets get another goal

Martin with a chance. Clemente saves

Scott Hotham and Eric Neilson have a tussle

Storm pen Neilson 2 minutes for cross-checking

Devils PP

Face off in the Storm zone

inside last two mins of game

Devils haven't created anything yet

Storm effectively killing this pen

Clemente saves from A Hotham

Face off in the Storm zone

sorry my bad error still two mins of game

Storm FS

Panthers 5 Steelers 2 - Final Score

Fournier shuts down Dzysinksi before he can get a shot away

last 30 seconds left

Ulmer with a chance

saved

game over clemente saves on the buzzer

well that was too close for comfort.

Stars 3 Clan 1 - Final Score

Its going to be a hell of a game tomorrow. Be sure to join OJ for coverage of that game

Thanks to Phil Egan for his texts and end of period summary

Storm MOM Mike Clemente

Devils MOM is Joey Haddad

Thanks to OJ for the score updates.

That's it from me, be sure to Join OJ tomorrow for what is sure to be a tense nail biting game.

Goodnight all, Nos Da Pawb