Match Night Live

Good Evening!
So that's the 'friendlies' out of the way, the players are all in (I hope!) and the real action starts tonight.

The rest of the MNL crew have gone on a jollie to Newcastle for the weekend and in their wisdom have left Finny in charge for the weekend.

It's my first time in charge of MNL so please be gentle with me! Game is due to start in just over an hour at 6.30pm. Yes I know it says 7pm at the top of the screen but the guys did that before they left and I can't work out how to change it.

71 minutes and counting......

So with my first message working fine and my MNL virginity gone forever, is anywhere else out there to keep my company?

Email me at matchnightlive@the-inferno.co.uk if anyone else is out there and wants to give predictions on the game, the season, the football or suggestions and what to watch on TV on saturday night.

From the Sky Sports website:
Good News: Sky Sports will be continuing their weekly showing of an EIHL game from the previous weekend.
Bad News: It looks like Simmsy will still be fronting the programme.

There are of course two other games tonight:
Sheffield Steelers v Coventry Blaze
Nottingham Panthers v Belfast Giants
Both of those games though start at 7pm. Will a Devil get the first goal of the EIHL 09-10 season? Or will we be the first to concede..........

Hmmmm.....it appears the email address is currently not working.
Am looking at what can be done to fix it (i.e. texting Chris the message "HELP???")

Right, the normal email address isn't working yet. And the only people who can fix it are drinking beer in Newcastle.
However, matchnightlive@gmail.com is working - so we can use that for the rest of tonight at least.

The teams on the ice for the warm-up. Crisp is backup once again but..... ALL THE PLAYERS ARE THERE !!!
Hoorah
I assume though that doesn't include Jason Stone who has had an operation?

Shout out to Jed!
He reckons a 4-2 win for the Devils tonight. I would definately take that!

Warm up is over. Romfo wears #45 and Michel #16
Seems to be a good number of Devils fans there.

Shout out to Geraint!
He predicts a 3-1 win for the Devils. Goals from Towe(2) and Miller
I think if we are to challenge for titles this season we need a breakout season from Towe.

For those who are interested, England are leading Slovenia/Slovakia/Slo-someone 1-0 at half time. Fat Frank penalty. Scotland earlier beat Macedonia 2-0.
For those who aren't interested....ummm... ignore this message.

Predictions are coming thick and fast now...

Rhodri reckons it'll be a good tough game to start the season, and he hopes we avoid injuries. He reckons its a 4-2 win for the Devils, the fourth will be an ENG.

Block 3 Devil wants to wish the guys the best of luck for the weekend. He will be happy with a 2 point weekend...and tbh I think I too will be happy with that.

Derek seems to be thinking along the same lines. A 2-1 win for the Devils tonight but a 3-1 loss tomorrow.

Gareth reckons we need to get off to a good start if we are serious about competing for the title. A 2-0 win for the Devils tonight

Not many Vipers fans there. Those who are seem to be worried about their lack of size

There are about 70 Devils fans up there though. Good work guys! Let's hear you chanting loud and proud!

Oh yeh, should have told you beforehand that Hanson is referee.
"Hands up for Hanson....."

Moray Hanson obviously...not the band Hanson.
Whatever happened to them? All those hit singles like MmmBop and er......

Lights are out. Here come the Vipers........

Petricko gets a big cheer from the travelling Devils fans. A bigger cheer than from the Vipers fans apparently!

#2 Ryan Mahrle is not icing for Newcastle. Big loss for the Vipers - he sounded pretty good.

Derek asks if Latulippe is there too.
I believe he is.

Matt thinks that Romfo and Michel should fit in nicely as long as Michel is as good as our past #16s (lets hope so) and Romfo is better than our previous #45 (that one has got me stumped..)

New season. Same old problems of the Vipers DJ playing music whilst our fans sing the Welsh National Anthem.
Here we goooooooooooooo...............

First line is:
Birbraer - Smith - Miller
Jarvis - Richardson

1.07 gone. Vipers ice the puck.

Good hit by Richardson on Griffith.

Devils turn to ice the puck at 02:49

Shout out to Russky who reckons Moray Hanson has 3 brothers, Steve, Jeff and Dave! :)

4 minutes in and its end to end hockey.
Yet the Vipers fans are sitting down quietly still.

Robinson save @ 4:31

Penalty to........ the Vipers.
Petricko 2 mins for Tripping @ 5:18

Mahrle is of course missing tonights game for the Vipers as he is getting married! Will be missing the first week or so of action.

Hill gets knocked to the ice by Berry. Ouch.

Robinson save @ 6:43.

Viper back to full strength.
Not the best Devils PP.

Vipers are counting attacking with quite a bit of pace.

Oooohhhh - it's handbags time!

Sounds like Towe has ended up in the bin after it. Vipers on PP.

Towe: 2 minutes Tripping and 2 minutes Roughing.
Griffith: 2 minutes Roughing
Vipers go on the Powerplay at 8:27

Apparently Towe tripped Longstaff. Petricko then hit Towe and handbags followed. Hanson not doing great at the moment. Why does that sound so familiar?

Devils kill off the 2 minutes penalty.

Griffith has returned to the game after a break in play. Towe still in the bin but we are playing 5-on-5.

11:06 - Robinson makes a good save, but Voth carries on and nails him.
Robinson loses his helmet....no penalty called.....

Just as Derek asks is Voth there as he has been quiet.
I think that answers your question!

12:36 and Robinson makes another good save.
Devils are starting to play good hockey.

BIG HIT!
Michel floors an unknown Viper. We want to see more of that!

Seems to be a problem with the plexi and boards. Lots of odd bounces and deflections off them already.

Ahh, big thanks to Phil who has pointed out our last #45 was the one and only Todd Gillingham
Let's hope he is better than him!

15:15 - Voth shoots and.................the puck goes over the plexi and out of play.

Derek is trying to continue to predict the future by suggesting Towe will come out of the box and score on his very next shift....

16:18 - Vipers ice the puck. Again.

Devils are pushing forward well and making some nice plays.

17:14 - Vipers offside.

Penalty to the Devils

Michel gets 2 mins for Elbows at 18:21
"Hanson is useless" so I am told.

18:30 - Vipers shoot on the PP, but Lyle makes the save.

Into the final minute of the period.

End of Period.
Vipers 0-0 Devils

Devils have played well in the first period. Created several good chances and unlucky not to have opened the scoring.
Hanson is letting the Vipers get away with some dirty stuff and not calling it.

Shout out to Ashipp!
He asks who is playing on the 3rd line with Towe and Michel. Is G alongside them or playing on D in place of Stoney?
I shall try and find out and get back to you.

Whilst its the first period break I'm gonna have a couple of minutes rest and complete my games of Flags. Current 18-6 ahead !!!!!

Confirmation that Adams is playing on defence, and Hayes is playing on the 3rd line.

Not quite sure how but I lost my game of Flags. Lucky bomb by my opponent. Grrr....
Surely there can't be long left of the break?

And with that the teams return to the ice.
Devils still have 20 seconds of penalty kill to see through.

And the Devils return to full strength.

21:37 - Devils offside.
Still pretty quiet there.

21:57 - Lyle makes the save.

Jarvis is playing well.

There is absolutely no atmosphere in the MRA.

Devils have gifted the Vipers several breakaway chances.
We need to cut out these sloppy mistakes before the make us pay!

Lyle is having to make save after save as play goes on with no stoppages so far.

And with that Lyle makes the save and holds onto the puck.
25:26 gone.

Derek asks if there any other scores
Last time I checked it was still 0-0 in both other EIHL games.
England won 2-1 in the footy though.

25:54 - Devils offside.

Devils passing has got erratic.
One moment its good, then its poor, then its brilliant, then its aweful.

Latulippe shoots...........but its hit the post and bounced back out!!!

27:15 - Linesman makes an odd call which no one can quite understand. Face off goes outside the vipers zone

27:39 - Vipers offside.

Devils must score.....but Robinson dives and makes the midair save with his foot!!!

It's currently Panthers 2-0 Giants in the first period in Nottingham.

Devils Penalty

Jarvis gets 2 mins for Tripping @29.37

Sounds like a Vipers players falls over and the nearest Devils player gets the blame.
Not that MNL is in anyway biased, but Hanson is *naughty-word-that-i-best-not-repeat-but-I-think-you-get-the-idea*

Vipers Goal

Vipers 1-0 Devils
Petricko @ 29:49 PP

30:19 - Vipers icing.

30:48 - Vipers offside.

Devils fans not happy with the standard of officiating tonight.

Vipers Penalty
Krajl 2 mins for High Sticks

31:18 Robinson makes another save.

Russky is worried about our D. Thinks Lyle is being put under too much pressure.

32:27 - Yet another save by Robinson.

32:49 - Devils shoot and...yes you guessed it...Robinson saves ago.

Shall I try and jinx him by saying "Shut Out"?

Devils GOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL

Looks like my jinx took about 10 seconds to kick in lol!

Vipers 1-1 Devils Romfo (Adams, Latulippe) PP @ 32:55

Romfo's goal was a slapshot from the blueline which went straight through Robinsons 5-hole.

"Hanson is a Viper"
Hmmm.... me thinks the beer is goign down well amongst the Devils fans.

35:14 - Vipers icing.

35:55 - Robinsons save. Again.
Don't think the shutout jinx works twice in a game. Any other suggestions on how to jinx him?

36:13 - Puck goes out of play.

Hmmm... how about "Robinson is playing brilliantly and I can't see us beating him again"

37:05 - Lyle's turn to make a big save.

XFactor auditions @ Cardiff tonight. Let's see if we can spot anyone we know.....

37:36 - Another linesman call that bemuses everyone. Hanson has a word with him.

Final minute of second period

Hartwick shoots..........and its hits the pipe again!!!

39:50:04 - Lyle makes a save.

Ashipp says: "Sounds like this is going to go to the wire. Action is one end, then the other. Goalies sound as if they're playing their pads off. Petricko will be dangerous for the Devils defence - from when he played for the Devils we know how good a scorer he is. He and Griffiths are the Vipers snipers!"

End of Second Period: Vipers 1-1 Devils

Devils are still misfiring and could be playing better, but overall it was a good period.

It seems that other online updates sites are not as accurate as MNL.
One site had Hill down as the goalscorer initially, whilst IH Update is making mistake after mistake.
FAO of anyone at IH-Update - Prpich no longer plays for us.

Right - we're back but it's all gone badly wrong...

While the server was down, the game has slipped away from us.

Vipers Goal @ 44:01
Griffith (Tejchma, Dormish)

Vipers Goal @ 45:05
Tejchma (Longstaff, Petricko)
Goal was 5-on-3 PP

49:03 - Lyle makes a save

And we're back up to date. Devils are getting pushed around and outplayed at the moment. It doesn't sound good does it!

Vipers Penalty @ 50:23

Devils GOOOAAALLLLLLL

Vipers Penalty was Kralj at 50:23 for Holding The Stick.
Goal Details to follow....

Vipers 3-2 Devils
Birbraer (Smith) PP @ 51:02

Devils shoot, Robinson makes the save......but it falls to Voth........ who shoots wide !!!

53:02 - Another Robinson save.

53:58 - Devils go offside.

54:03 - Devils called offside again. Devils fans disagree with the linesman.

54:46 - Puck goes out of play

Hmmm....time seems to be against us. Is there enough time for us to get an equaliser?

55:35 - Robinson saves another Devils shot.

IH Update is now confusing Mark Smith with Rod Hinks
I don't think Smithy would be too pleased about that!

56:17 - Devils offside. Again.

56:25 - Vipers ice the puck. Again.

Can you say GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL

Viper call Timeout at 56:43
Goal details to follow.

Vipers 3-3 Devils
Hill @ 56:43

Into the final 2 minutes of the 3rd period.

59:13 - Robinson makes yet another save.

Less than 30 seconds remaining...

59:41 - Vipers offside.

End of 3rd period
Vipers 3-3 Devils
Into OT we go......

Overtime is 5 minutes of 4-on-4. Unless we have a winning goal before that of course......

Latulippe, Voth, Jarvis and Richardson get OT underway

63:03 - Handbags between Jarvis and Berry. No penalties called.

63:30 - Robinson makes his 340,000th save of the game. Or at least it seems that many.

Sounds like it's getting rough...

63:33 - Robinson makes another save. I make that save 340,001 of the night.

63:33 - Robinson .......yes you guesssed it - yet another save.

Into the final minute of overtime

64:60 - Robinsons saves again.
I think for tomorrows game I'll just copy and paste those words.

64:47 - And another save. Last one should have been 64:40 sorry

64:51 - Puck goes out of play.

And thats the end of overtime. Penalties it is.

Block 3 Devil asks if I know the SOG.
At the moment I don't have the game stats - but it sounds like we have outshot them by quite a bit.

I'm afraid MNL is playing up and we're going to have restricted updates during penalties.

Devils - Goal Vipers - Goals Devils - Saved Vipers - Saved

Devils - Goal

Tejchma - SAVEDDDDDDDD

DEVILS WIN DEVILS WIN DEVILS WIN

Final Score:
Vipers 3-4 Devils After Penalties

Those penalties again were:

Smith (Devils) - Goal Griffith (Vipers) - Goal Miller (Devils) - Saved Longstaff (Vipers) - Saved Birbraer (Devils) - Goal Tejchma - (Vipers) - Saved

Devils MOTM - Jay Latulippe Vipers MOTM - Matus Petricko

Right folks, I don't know about you but I've only just got my breath back after all that excitement. I think the Devils fans will be enjoying themselves in Newcastle tonight.

Final Score:
Sheffield Steelers 1-3 Coventry Blaze

Final Score:
Nottingham Panthers 4-1 Belfast Giants

Thanks to everyone who joined us tonight and kept me company. Once again apologies for the break in service that was beyond my control.
Any further information I get I'll post on the main Inferno forum.
See you all again tomorrrow.
Finny signing off.