Devils v Giants - Sun 4 Mar 2018 - Challege Cup Final - FO 6pm - Chat/Udates

[E.D.S.]

Just a couple of points...

1) The intro was viewed by management and greenlit before being played. They always are.
2) I created it under the impression it would be the first video played, and only our players / fans and Giants fans would see it. Only found out it was second when I arrived at IAW, and too late to change anything by then. History shows, like the Semi Final intro, that it is written by the winners. I even publicly said on SM this week that I had left it all out there for the intro. We're a passionate fanbase.
3) My mandate was to pump up our fans. I genuinely think the volume of the response to it tonight says I didn't completely miss my mark.
4) for the last 4 CC finals, both teams have been invited to provide an intro, for what has always supposed to be a neutral venue. Both teams did that, and had free reign to send whatever they wished. This being played in Cardiff does nothing to reflect a lack of neutrality. Could have been at any of the previous finals.
5) Happy to admit I'm not flawless.
6) The intro is not why we lost.
7) This is one out of four Championships, the three remaining ones are still all within our grasp.

Just wanted to throw a couple of truths out instead of rumour and conjecture. We're all hurting right now.
Thanks all for the feedback, and to those who stopped and made comments at IAW tonight. Always appreciated and welcome.

I like the Intros. I like the nostalgia of some of them and I like the way they get some people going. May not be for everyone but I’d certainly rather have them than not. If they aren’t for you, turn away or don’t watch.
It’s harmless fun and when it works - e.g. Sheffield 2nd leg - they really make the occasion. Isn’t this all about delivering a great match night experience and delivering a great product? The intros help that but they aren’t a showstopper. I’m not too keen on each team skating out underneath a giant inflatable but each to their own.

I do struggle with the fact that we gave a poor team performance and yet some are more concerned with a video. It was a bad day at the office. One of very very few this season. The team need to concentrate on bouncing back and wrapping up the title. They have the chance of a bit of revenge against Giants coming up and good on the Giants if they have an intro video about not being Slayed. It’s just a bit of fun.

Please keep the video of Thommo kicking the door in though, whatever happens!


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[Gisland]

Was late getting in to watch the webcast so missed the intros. any links to them. Don't see the match yet on the demand video section of IceTime.

 

[zoesdevil]

As it Happens, I'm not ashamed. But thanks for that.

It was a brilliant intro video, it got me pumped even when it said 'slay the Giants'. Nothing disrespectful at all about it. Well done Paul.

 

[ASHIPP]

Team, Club, fans are all hurting. But suggesting the Giants have 'underachieved for years' and were 'desperate' to win something is showing massive disrespect to them.....and actually showing some of us up as sore losers. Perhaps passion, grit, guts is being misinterpreted as 'desperation'.

Let's be brutally honest - better team won by a country mile last night. No point saying 'our coach is better than their coach' or 'we are top of the league'.
It's all completely irrelevant because last night, in that moment, in that place, Giants WERE better than our team.

Need to learn very quickly from this, get back to the coal face and plan and execute a system where all our players are involved (otherwise what's the point in signing players?) to damn well secure what they have been working so hard for all season. Today is a new day.

 

[terry hunt]

Please can some fans also STOP saying we've already won the league! ..... Lose the cancelled game to Manchester and they are only 6 (SIX) points behind us and our run in has a lot of potential banana skins. We could still end this season with nothing !!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely right we have won ZERO this season.8 games left of which 3 versus Steelers,2 v Belfast,1 v Storm all of these will be physical.
The 2 "easy games" against the Caps(they beat Belfast) a couple of weeks ago and MK (they can also be physical) but hang on they have 3 ex Devils who are playing well perhaps they will help the Devils out?

 

[Earnie]

They took it too us physically hard and fast and they were the better team on the night that is for sure.
There is however one aspect of their actions that we can do without and that is the deputation that confronts the referee when a call goes against them. That goes for Keefe as well.

 

[JC23]

My view on that game;

My god, Jackson Whistle - is one hell of a netminder.
Goulakos - as much as I hate him on another team, is one hell of a clever player. He’s very very dirty, but, he knows when to pick his moments. Always little things the refs won’t see, against guys who won’t retaliate. He didn’t want any part of Tyson Strachan mind you.
Keefe - loved his passion on the bench last night, can’t fault his tactics, or his game management. Definite highlight for me when Hicksy told him to “shut the f**k up” in the third period though.

As for our team,
Bowns was left out to dry far too often last night. Too many defensive errors and turn overs.

Forwards wise, why is Benti the only one out there with an attitude problem when the other team are taking liberties? It’s painful to see, especially when we’ve got players who CAN stand up to guys sat on our bench not getting ice time. Myers played really well last night, his face offs and net front presence were outstanding, I feel for him I really do. I don’t see how we can expect to turn a game around when our top line guys are being flogged like a pack horse whenever we go behind.

We need a plan b, that isn’t rotate the top guys and hope for the best.

Fingers crossed we can hold out down the stretch for the league.

Come on Devils, get yourselves back up for this Championship.

 

[Kevlar68]

Does anyone really think some of our players went out there last night and thought "its only a final, so I won't put the work rate in. "
Anyone who has played a sport and has got to a final know you leave blood, sweat and tears on that playing surface weather it be ice, grass or whatever and would put your body on the line to win.
For some people to say players didn't step up is ridiculous.

 

[terry hunt]

Just a couple of points.
The Devils are professional athletes and performers who are paid for their work.Like the rest of us they must accept criticism when their work is below par.
I was very disappointed last night less with the result which was fair but the manner of our defeat.
There are lots of families of fans who will have paid out £200-£300 with tickets,50/50,food etc they deserved better.
Worst of all i am sat in front of the owners hospitality box and their disappointment was obvious.

 

[d20]

I think some fans need to remember where we were a few years ago which was not winning trophies,the last few years we as a club have moved forward and now expect to win ,thats the difference but DONT by any means think we deserve to win any final ,yesterday we were beaten by the better team simple as that ,respect it and dont be poor losers WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT ,we also dont want to become the hated team with bad fans which we are not noted for .

The bigger trophy is the league and we are just a few wins away from back to back championships ,I'd have the league every time because that shows us as the best team over the season and consistency,our players are allowed a night off or to be beaten by a better team ,its done move on and back them to get that league title wrapped up asap.

For those moaning just remember in such a short time where we were and what we have won
1 league title
2 CC Finals ( appeared in last 4)
2 Conference titles

we could add another league ,conference and play off ......I think we are just fine and theres more to come .

 

[lilbigdevil]

Here’s my two pence for what it is worth. First and foremost. Congratulations to the Giants. Deserved the win. Came with a game plan and won, just like they did against us at the start of the season.
I don’t think that we got out of third gear really, mainly due to the Giants holding us back.
I didn’t like how much the referees were letting go. Especially the blatant off puck hits and holding by the Giants. But at the same time we did absolutely nothing about it. For instance I don’t see why we don’t send Batchy out to deal with Martinelli or another top guy. Batch is out for 5 (not that he’s icing much, which is another thing altogether. I feel so sorry for him. He’s fallen victim of Moore’s injury and getting less ice time. He deserves much more) and we take one of their guys out for 5 and hopefully swing some momentum for us.
Were we bullied = yes
Were we outclassed = yes
Were they given too much space = yes
Are WE still the best team in the league = YES
Praise to the boys for getting to the final!
Let’s Go Devils

 

[Rob Batch]

I think our 7-1 win to reach the final was always going to overshadow the final itself. The team were struggling in the early stages of this competition, so to reach the final was an acheivement in itself. I have no doubt that every player will be suffering today, hopefully those feelings can be redirected positively to finish the season in style. Poor taste to even suggest Paul Sullivan made the team lose!!

 

[Foxy]

Hold on a minute I don’t think anyone is disrespecting the Giants. Everyone as far as I can see has said congratulations and the better team won.

Nobody expects to win but we’ve seen the team play much better than that. That is what is disappointing. There was no fight in the team and no team performance. Shortening the bench is not a good sign and unfortunately the players that could have sparked a comeback were sat on the bench

 

[august04]

The intro video might have wound the Giants up but the reason we lost was due to our inept performance not a one minute video clip. We didn’t “go to war”, we didn’t “slay Giants” and it didn’t “stay here”! Just about sums up the night sadly.
I heard an interview with Bowns on the EIHL twitter feed. Very honest assessment. Any other post game reaction from the Devils camp?

 

[d20]

Hold on a minute I don’t think anyone is disrespecting the Giants. Everyone as far as I can see has said congratulations and the better team won.

Nobody expects to win but we’ve seen the team play much better than that. That is what is disappointing. There was no fight in the team and no team performance. Shortening the bench is not a good sign and unfortunately the players that could have sparked a comeback were sat on the bench

the worrying thing about shortening the bench is this is the 2nd final lordo has done it and in both we've lost the play off was the last and it didnt pay off cos 2 lines in that final they were knackered thats when fresh legs are needed .

 

[Kevlar68]

Come on folks, let's not be down in the dumps, we got the league to look forward to.

On a plus note from our loss because I left a little early after it went 6-3 I found a pound outside arena, woohoo! Every cloud and all that.

 

[Rob Batch]

Come on folks, let's not be down in the dumps, we got the league to look forward to.

On a plus note from our loss because I left a little early after it went 6-3 I found a pound outside arena, woohoo! Every cloud and all that.

A pound of what? Ha Ha

 

[kingmo19.1]

I’m totally against shortening the bench in times of desperation. This rarely works, exhausts the top line players then even if you do claw it back it is then difficult to win as they are so fatigued. Doesn’t inspire confidence either for the rest of the squad who are more then capable of sharing the workload and equipping themselves. Hardly inspiring to be one of those players just sitting out! If your going to take the above approach then just recruit 3 stellar lines and forget the 4th all together! ...... then cross your fingers your remain injury free!

 

[Kevlar68]

A pound of what? Ha Ha

A pound for the next shirt off his back, yay.

 

[ASHIPP]

I’m totally against shortening the bench in times of desperation. This rarely works, exhausts the top line players then even if you do claw it back it is then difficult to win as they are so fatigued. Doesn’t inspire confidence either for the rest of the squad who are more then capable of sharing the workload and equipping themselves. Hardly inspiring to be one of those players just sitting out! If your going to take the above approach then just recruit 3 stellar lines and forget the 4th all together! ...... then cross your fingers your remain injury free!

I always remember the occasions when the Devils played Panthers in two consecutive CC Finals a few years ago (when G was coach) Corey played his entire bench in those games, including young British players to give the imports a rest between shifts. And we wondered why Nottingham won!

Bench shortening only works if your clutch players are all performing right at the top of their game. Otherwise it does exactly what Kingmo has stated above.