Coventry Blaze v Cardiff Devils - Sun 15 Oct 2017 - C Cup - FO 5:15pm - Chat/Updates

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#46
On a different i note from the EIHL gamesheet that Rurkis and Buglass were listed on our match roster.
Were they dressed for this game?
Sadly Toms is recovering from a very serious facial injury incurred in a recent game playing for Swindon and could be sidelined for months.

Callum has been playing for the Fire but isn't he also coming back from injury?

Doesn't explain why Piggsie wasn't utilised in the Blaze game - especially as the fourth line was a rotation of players. Unless he, too, is injured.
 
#52
I'd bet a pound to a pinch of pwp the highlights don't show the awful cheap shot from Paquette on Faryna. That was as bad as Keefe's blind side elbow which sparked out Conboy. I'd be staggered if Paquette doesn't get 3+ games for that. Also - there was a bad elbow to Joey Martin's head right in front of us. Surprised he was able to continue - looked very intentional, too. Thought Blaze were cheap all over the ice tonight. Impressed with Vallerand, who even had the temerity to slash Louis on the skate behind the play.
 

jimmy snels

Well-Known Member
#53
I'd bet a pound to a pinch of pwp the highlights don't show the awful cheap shot from Paquette on Faryna. That was as bad as Keefe's blind side elbow which sparked out Conboy. I'd be staggered if Paquette doesn't get 3+ games for that. Also - there was a bad elbow to Joey Martin's head right in front of us. Surprised he was able to continue - looked very intentional, too. Thought Blaze were cheap all over the ice tonight. Impressed with Vallerand, who even had the temerity to slash Louis on the skate behind the play.
And what will we do about it? We have no one to look after the players. Zero intimidation factor. Zero chance of retribution. These guys can take runs at our best players all season and in return we will just lose one of our top defenceman for 5+ minutes for taking a beating. Or a ban for slashing as it might be.
I dont care what anyone says our recruitment this summer was awful.
 

bb1

Well-Known Member
#54
And what will we do about it? We have no one to look after the players. Zero intimidation factor. Zero chance of retribution. These guys can take runs at our best players all season and in return we will just lose one of our top defenceman for 5+ minutes for taking a beating. Or a ban for slashing as it might be.
I dont care what anyone says our recruitment this summer was awful.
It is really hard to argue what you have said in the above. I wouldn't say the recruitment is awful at all but I feel we've not followed the majority of the arena teams in regard to having an out and out tough guy or a pure energy guy who hits everything.

Yes we have team toughness but for me that in most cases is not enough esp when our best player is doing most of the fighting. All the BS about a certain NHL tough guy not doing his job astounds me. When did anybody take liberties against us last season? The Bowns incident in Sheffield did not look deliberate.....if it did why did Hotham (our current policeman) stand over Sarich as he was getting up off Bowns and do nothing?!? As for that cockroach Armstrong running Bowns in playoff final.....yes that was deliberate but who's going to start a fight in a tied final risking penalties! Fitzy didn't want to know Bordy when he offered him out twice last season neither did Noble.

It's not as if we are destroying teams in our league and be ok with the fact Hotham is going to be in bin for 5 mins or more or worse take a ban.

This team has shown how superb it can be and I really think one or two changes can make us the team to beat. Either that or others really need to step up hugely which I still think won't be enough.
 
#55
This is the exact reason u sign an enforcer!!
Says it all when our top d man has most fights this season for us..

Everyone don't want him in the box but it's going to continue to happen until someone is brought in...
 

Paul Sullivan

Well-Known Member
#56
And what will we do about it? We have no one to look after the players. Zero intimidation factor. Zero chance of retribution. These guys can take runs at our best players all season and in return we will just lose one of our top defenceman for 5+ minutes for taking a beating. Or a ban for slashing as it might be.
I dont care what anyone says our recruitment this summer was awful.
Honestly, genuinely, intrigued by the thinking of the fans on toughness this year.

Last year we fought less and won more.
This year we have so far fought more and won less.

Some say the guy who fought twice all year last season would have been the answer and terrified teams into pacifism.
Some say the ex NHL enforcer who hardly fought (twice) was a disappointment and didn't do enough.

Last season, unless I remember incorrectly, we were all overjoyed at our recruitment, and this was all prior to Bordeleau.

McGratton Scored around twice as much and took double the penalties of Bordy last year. Remind me how the Panthers' season panned out?

We constantly talk about how the League is getting better, better, better - how does intimidation and toughness feature as an aspect of that?

I'll take a Hotham over a Fitzgerald every day. I'll take a Martin over a Desbiens too. We all see this differently. I'm no more right than anyone else, but to say we have no intimidation or can't protect our skilled guys is simply disingenuous.
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#58
Now I ain't defending not having a enforcer far from it, but don't get the wrong idea that Hotham is having to fight, Andrew has always been one to drop them, it's too a certain extent in his nature, I have found 47 fights that he has been involved in with guys such as Valabik, Sladok, Salters, Cescon, Fitzgerald , and Paquet, to name a few. I agree that he is a bit too valuable to be in the bin, but he also has to do what comes naturally, he is what he is at the end of the day. Justin Faryna scored 23 goals and 21 goals respectively for Dundee with 96 points in two seasons, do you think they were cheesed off that he also had 216 penalty minutes. I don't think so, and guess what the league champions signed him and his 57 fights, Mark Louis 86 fights, Andrew Lord 83 fights. That's 273 fights between 4 players, we certainly ain't no shrinking violets. Would I love a big power forward, who didn't give a fig about anyone, bet your sweet rump I would, but we ain't a pussy team either. We do need changes but in the meantime, let's see what the next weekend brings, it's a challenge that's for sure.
 

Gazr76

Active Member
#59
The thing with Bordy, from the games I saw last season, it was more about presence than out and out fighting. Other teams might try and get a bit physical with Cardiff Devils last season. Bordy would then roll out, when Lord let him, and he would just throw a load of huge checks on the boards against the opposition. There was a lot of 'dont mess with the Devils, or Bordy will get you'. Thats missing this year.
I actually think that Bordy would have been more useful this season than last. Cardiff could really move the puck into the offensive zone convincingly last year. The passing was there, the chemistry was right. They could rely on that alone.
This year its not the same. Far too many unforced errors, stray passes, odd man rushes and not covering it. I think it could improve, for sure. Its early days. But right now the way Cardiff are playing on the whole, you need a 'Bordy' to ruffle the other teams feathers, push them into making errors.
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#60
Honestly, genuinely, intrigued by the thinking of the fans on toughness this year.

Last year we fought less and won more.
This year we have so far fought more and won less.

Some say the guy who fought twice all year last season would have been the answer and terrified teams into pacifism.
Some say the ex NHL enforcer who hardly fought (twice) was a disappointment and didn't do enough.

Last season, unless I remember incorrectly, we were all overjoyed at our recruitment, and this was all prior to Bordeleau.

McGratton Scored around twice as much and took double the penalties of Bordy last year. Remind me how the Panthers' season panned out?

We constantly talk about how the League is getting better, better, better - how does intimidation and toughness feature as an aspect of that?

I'll take a Hotham over a Fitzgerald every day. I'll take a Martin over a Desbiens too. We all see this differently. I'm no more right than anyone else, but to say we have no intimidation or can't protect our skilled guys is simply disingenuous.
Mind you a Hotham, a Fitzgerald, a Martin, and a Desbien on the same team shouldn't be snuffed at .
 
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