Devils v Blaze - Challenge Cup 30/10

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#43
Omg I can't quite believe it. But it shows guts and character from a team so obviously low on confidence and overthinking things in this game. The losing syndrome was starting to set in. Well done to the Devils for fighting back... but they put themselves through the ringer to do it.

Let this be the catalyst for them to return to playing the effective way they did at the start of the season. And learn, learn, learn from repeated mistakes in recent games eg losing puck midice leading to opposition 2 on 1 rushes, clearing the zone efficiently, having a mobile and fluid pp, screening the opposition goalie and pressurising goalie non-stop with shots.

When everyone knows their role and you keep things simple, you get results.
 
Last edited:

bb1

Well-Known Member
#44
Great result in a game we didn't really deserve to win but we will take it.

A pity we o ly started playing in the 3rd period. On a plus side a couple of great penalty shots by Mcmonagle.
 

JC23

Well-Known Member
#45
At times tonight we looked worse than back in pre-season. Couldn’t put a string of passes together, and if my penetration into the zone was as bad as ours tonight I wouldn’t have a 4 year old.

BUT, a win is a win. Fingers crossed the weekend away helps the boys find their gel as a team again, as right now we don’t seem to be playing as one.
 

Slartibartfast

Well-Known Member
#46
Looked like it was going to be a repeat of recent losses. First period lots of possession and pressure trying to find that perfect goal. Frustration leads to D pinching in too far and getting caught on breakaways. Lots of communication errors and stray passes. Some dumb penalties. Next thing you know we are 3-0 behind.
But then we saw that famous Devils spirit. They also started looking for scrappy goals and it worked. McMonagle threw the puck in many times causing chaos in the crease and it was only a matter of time before it worked. He was involved in 2 Devils goals as well as being the PS hero. Batch had a great game and helped get the fourth goal.
This team is stacked with talent. We show that when we dominate teams for long periods but we are having a lot of trouble scoring early in games. I cant understand how a line as good as Linglet McNamee and Marjamaki have only scored 2 goals in league games. Hopefully their goal tonight will open the floodgates.
I still believe this team is going to be something special when they work out how to play together and I believe that Lordo will get the best out of them by Christmas.
 

BostonBart22

Well-Known Member
#48
Don't know what lordo said to the team but last 10 mins of 2nd and 3rd period blaze couldn't cope with the pressure..what a turnaround. From 3 nil down..good confidence booster for the weekend .
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#49
Looked like it was going to be a repeat of recent losses. First period lots of possession and pressure trying to find that perfect goal. Frustration leads to D pinching in too far and getting caught on breakaways. Lots of communication errors and stray passes. Some dumb penalties. Next thing you know we are 3-0 behind.
But then we saw that famous Devils spirit. They also started looking for scrappy goals and it worked. McMonagle threw the puck in many times causing chaos in the crease and it was only a matter of time before it worked. He was involved in 2 Devils goals as well as being the PS hero. Batch had a great game and helped get the fourth goal.
This team is stacked with talent. We show that when we dominate teams for long periods but we are having a lot of trouble scoring early in games. I cant understand how a line as good as Linglet McNamee and Marjamaki have only scored 2 goals in league games. Hopefully their goal tonight will open the floodgates.
I still believe this team is going to be something special when they work out how to play together and I believe that Lordo will get the best out of them by Christmas.
Any coincidence that the drop in goal scoring has happened since lines have been changed? Not a coach but surely it's common sense to keep players with proven chemistry together on the same line? Marajmaki and Sointu played together previously, Linglet looks totally lost without Dixon, Haddad and McNamee were building chemistry in earlier games. Joey-Benti-Riley are having to relearn that partnership because they have each been out with injury.

Hopefully Lord will put the productive combinations together and this weekend will be successful for the Team. They need a road trip away from the scrutiny of the Viola Arena crowd.
 

jimmy snels

Well-Known Member
#50
personally i watched some pretty dire hockey. the score line would suggest a real back and forth game but what i saw was a team show up in the third period and Coventry take a string of dumb penalties. when batch made a hit at the back end of the second period the ironic cheers all around me told their own story as well. people are bored of it.
our 2nd line is an issue and imo, linglet is arguably our worst forward at the minute which isnt helping when he really should be our main guy. he looks totally disinterested especially after losing the puck. marjamaki has spent a month doing a really poor impression of tylor michel. Im not sure what he's here to do at the minute.
defensively batch is better at defending that goal than all but richie imo. he had a really good game.

i question the continued tactic of letting a forward stand in front of bowns unchallenged waiting to tip it in. its bizarre but we do it every game so is obviously a coached thing.

in all i was happy to get the win but that was not a night that will live long in the memory.
 

Gough60

Active Member
#52
Poor 1st period. Far better 2nd & 3rd. The way we are defending at the moment I will take the win and qualification to
the quarter's.
Talking of which, (may need new thread) Dundee have already picked Storm as opponents when it is still possible that
they will not progress to next stage. I understand they need to arrange a fixture date asap, but what happens if Storm finish
bottom of their group and lose to Blaze in the one off ? Can anyone advise on this please or am I missing something.
 
#53
Poor 1st period. Far better 2nd & 3rd. The way we are defending at the moment I will take the win and qualification to
the quarter's.
Talking of which, (may need new thread) Dundee have already picked Storm as opponents when it is still possible that
they will not progress to next stage. I understand they need to arrange a fixture date asap, but what happens if Storm finish
bottom of their group and lose to Blaze in the one off ? Can anyone advise on this please or am I missing something.
I don’t think that’s a problem as they picked Clan
 
#58
If the top 4 can choose only those from the bottom 4 it’s all open, if they can pick anyone we play Belfast. No one will pick either of us, and we both in the bottom 4 so won’t get picking rights
 
#59
I’ve re read the rules we are defo playing Belfast,
Guildford and top of group C will get to pick, neither of which will pick us or Belfast so we will be last 2 grouped together.
 

Temme

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #60
If the top 4 can choose only those from the bottom 4 it’s all open, if they can pick anyone we play Belfast. No one will pick either of us, and we both in the bottom 4 so won’t get picking rights
Guildford may pick us?

If they are the bottom seeded of the top seeds (if that makes sense) then their choice may be something like Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield, in which case they've beaten us and it's closer to home.
 
Top