

Good Afternoon on this very exciting Challenge CUP Final Day.
Join me (Russky) from 5:30pm for all the build up excitement and live unrivalled text commentary once the puck drops.
If you want to be part of this coverage please email your prediction and or comments to matchnightlive@gmail.com and will do our best to post them during our coverage provided they are broadcastable and not libellous.
Until then I hope you enjoy your afternoon.
Croeso - Welcome to our coverage the 2018 Challenge Cup Final.
Russky here in the hosting hot seat.
I am eagerly looking forward to this game. We also have our texter Phil Egan keeping tabs on the game for us. His job made alot easier now with the WIFI now installed and operating at the IAW.
Warm up late to get started So maybe a delayed face off on the game proper.
Mike Hicks and Pavel Halas are the scheduled refs tonight.Danny Beresford and Ilia Kisil are the Linos.
The first prediction has come in and its Dai Rees who reckons on a Devils 5-3 win, after a nervy start for the Devils.
Devils have Mark Louis and Luke Piggott as scratches today.
There are three other games being played tonight so I will bring you the latest scores in those during the period breaks.
Neither Sheffield or Manchester playing tonight so nothing to worry about with them.
Belfast are in green shirts black shorts, the Devils are in Black shirts with red shorts
Hazel has been in touch with her prediction, a close game with the Devils winning 4-3
Yes the thaw is well in progress here in the Valleys and the roads are now driveable.
Joey Martin will be looking to be adding to his 74 points haul this season with 25 goals and 49 assists
Devils have an advantage of having a multi challenge cup winner in Matt Myers
The Warm up has now finished.
Layne Ulmer is also one to watch and has a big game temperament.
Belfast players to look out for are Darcy Murphy Brendan Connolly and Blair Riley on offence, Jim Vandermeer, Sebastian Sylvestre and Spiro Goulakos on defence.
Personally I think the Devils will win by two goals.
Lights Down at the IAW
Congrats to Josh Elliot who got married yesterday in Las Vegas. He is gutted to be missing the game but he does have a pretty good excuse! He is going for a Devils 5-4 OT win.
pre game video in progress, Paul Sullivan has been busy again, putting it together.
Giants introduced onto the ice.
Pat also goes for a Devils win at 3-1
Before tonights game, Andrew Lord appealed to the Devils fans to voice their support and make some noise and become the teams 7th man on the ice.
Devils now take to the ice.
Anthem time
texter says an impeccable rendition of the National Anthem around the Arena.
The crowd in fine voice for both teams.
we are underway
Giants start well
Devils still finding their skates in this game
Devils yet to pose a real threat to Whistle in the Giants goal
Fournier shoots wide
Giants offside
neutral zone face off
GGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL # 1
Layne Ulmer scores
goal review
in progress
it was scored @ 2:46
goal stands
game restarts
Martineli shot deflected wide.
Benti and Asselin on a 2 on 1
chance goes begging
Devils working hard on Defence
Faryna and Morrisette working hard
nothing comes of it
Face off in the Giants zone
Bowns makes a pad save
Giants having better of exchanges despite the scoreline
Benti has a shot blocked
Batch has a shot blocked now
game time 5:54 mins
Martinelli with a a big hit
Strachan robs the puck from a giants player
2 devils player collide mid ice
Devils offside
Bowns save from Devils turnover
game time 8:10
Martinelli making a nuisance of himself
Seviano loses his balance and falls on the ice, Devils clear up ice pad but called for icing
Face off in the Devils zone
Devils passing game misfiring a little
Faryna fires wide after a solo foray into giants D zone
very fast pace to this game
Fournier shoots straight at Whistle
Benti and Ulmer have 2 on 1
but cant make most of chance
Bows saves and rebound cleared
Faryna with a shot then handbags
Faryna and Martinelli exchanging shoves
Both Martinelli and Faryna get 2 minutes for roughing @ 13:49
Fournier and rutherford tusseling, Fournier gets the puck
Sylvestre and Reddick clash
Reddick gets 2 minutes for interference
giants offside
correction Fournier hooking @ 15:00
Devils lets kill this pen
Devils PK working ok
Belfast pass goes astray
Devils FS
Belfast getting away with alot of holding
Martin denied by a late poke check
Belfast delayed pen
Hotham shoots over whistles goal
Jeff Mason gets 2 minutes for tripping @19:12
Devils shot comes of the post
Devils thought they had scored but no they hadnt
buzzer goes to end 1st period
it sure is feisty
Latest scores: MKL 3 Fife 1; Edinburgh 1 Dundee 1; Guildford 0 Coventry 0.
Phil Egan says Devils creating most good plays. Seviano seems to be only Giant making an effort.Somebody needs to 'batter' Martinelli, who is acting a goat as per usual!
waiting on 1st period SOGs
Devils will start 2nd still on PP for 1 minute 48 seconds
SOGs Devils 10 Giants 9
CORRECTION:1:12 remaining on PP into 2nd
teams coming back to the ice.
getting ready to start 2nd.
and we are off and running.
early Devils pressure
is cleared by Giants
Morrisette fires at Whistle
Giants FS
Devils fail to clear effectively
giants fire over Bowns' goal
Whistle fails to gather under pressure from Martin
Face off in the Giants zone
Paris shot gets padded away
Benedict scores for Giants
Come on you Devils
Giamts Pen 2 minutes for hooking for Goulakos @24:52
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL #2 Fournier assist Martin PPG
Whistle prevents a third then
Face off in the Devils zone
Bowns saves
Handbags
Connolly sits a pen for GIants 2 minutes for slashing
Devils still on PP
Connolly pen at 25:54
Fournier goal assist Martin at25:03
Faryna not called for interferance
he collided with Goulakos
Connolly shoots wide
Whistle saves his team again
Rutherford scored it assist Seviano and Towe @29:57
Giants pen 2 minutes for hooking Rutherford at 30:20
Goulakos and Hotham exchanging words
Devils havent got their PP in full flow yet
Fournier shot blocked in front of Whistle
25 secs left on PP
Giants FS
Devils pen Crowder 2 minutes for tripping
puck cleared by Strachan
crower pen at 32:37
Devils having to defend on PK
Shot block by Morrisette
Devils FS
Connolly shot blocked
rebound cleared
Giants score
goal to be reviewed
scored by Ferland goal stands
@ 35:34
Come on you Devils!!!!!
Paris shoots straight into Whistle's pads
handbags in front of whistle
Myers and Connolly
Face off in the Giants zone
Giants have momentum at moment
Bowns saves
Giants player collides with Bowns
by Riley
Bowns seems ok
2:15 remains in 2nd
texter says giants getting bounce of puck
in final minute of period
Devils offside
Devils need to re-focus and re-group
Giants had a chance but Devils just clear in time
buzzer goes to end period
lots of verbals at end of period
Devils need to regain their composure
getting riled by Rutherford and Martinelli.
Benti will sit a pen at start of 3rd period 2 minutes for roughing @40:00
SOGs Devils 12 Giants 10 22:19 overall
RESULT: MKL 5 Fife 2
Latest scores: Edinburgh 2; Dundee 6; Guildford 2 Coventry 1
Phil Egan says a feisty 2nd period after the Giants with two goals and guilty of multiple infringements,most of which going unpunished. Devils need to re-focus and stop getting drawn into their game plants. There are a couple that Bowns would want back. Lots to do in the 3rd but its not over yet.
I think that incident involving Faryna and Goulakos was an unfortunate coming together with no malice intended.
I am sure the GIants supporters will see it differently.
Devils start on PK in the 3rd
and we are underway
Myers gets crowded out
Giants on attack
Devils break but it lost its zip there
Bowns makes a pad save
Devils still on PK
Devils Offside
Devils fans making themselves heard
Devils FS
Devils finding it difficult to find their rhythm
Bowns saves at back door
Face off in the Devils zone
Face off set again
Devils having difficulty in setting up there plays
Giants offside
Giants score Matt Towe scores
a huge test of character now for the Devils
Bowns saves on a 1 on 1 with Connolly
Devils need to keep their shape and discipline
Belfast seem hungrier and want the puck more
Face off in the Giants zone
Come on you Devils
Devils having to resort to long shots making it easy for Whistle
Face off in the Giants zone
Whistle saves from Pope, who was set up by Strachan
Bowns saves from Sylvestre
Fournier fires one across Whistle's crease
Giants offside
neutral ice face off
game time 50:30
icing called against the Giants
Face off in the Giants zone
Fournier ices puck
Face off in the Devils zone
Martin shooots Whistle saves with his pads
Face off in the Giants zone
Whistle saves
Ulmer was waiting for a rebound that didnt come
Face off in the Giants zone
Giants score through Darcy Murphy
game time 52:30
Belfast high forechecking game forcing turnovers
that last giants goal was a prime example
I hope that the Giants havent shown the rest of the League how to play the Devils
Sylvestre sits 2 minutes for high sticks @55.11
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL #3 Morrisette assist Fournier 55:16
ploy by Keefe to request review of goal to waste time
Rutherford goes offiside with empty net gaping
Whistle saves from Benti
Face off in the Giants zone
EMPTY NET GOAL for Belfast
@ 56:41
Bench pen too many men @ 57:20
Empty netter scored by Ferland
Belfast on PP still
Hotham deflects Martins shot wide
Inside final minute
35seconds remaining
whistle saves
game over. Belfast win the Challenge Cup
Thanks to our Texter Phil Egan for his hard work.
Final Score Edinburgh 4 Dundee 9
Final Score Guildford 4 Coventry 1
Devils MOM Jake Morrisette.
Giants MOM Matt Towe
Thats it from me tonight, join us next saturday as the Edinburgh Capitals come to the IAW
Good Night all. Nos Da Pawb