Great opening night. So impressed with our new home. Devils still not quite firing on all cylinders but got a massive win. Quick note for Hogarth, I've given him some real stick this season but tonight I thought he called an excellent game. Called what needed to be called and let the game flow nicely. Great that we won the conference tonight now for another win tomorrow and onto to winning the big prize !!
Devils v Giants - Sat & Sun - League - Chat/Updates
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
I went to see a Fire game recently and the screens had the regular scoreboard showing on them which I thought was great. I don't see the need for showing the game live on screen instead of a regular scoreboard overlay, as the views are so great from anywhere in the arena. Put replays/ graphics on them, yes, but for regular play, revert to a traditional scoreboard. The penalties were way too small on the screen tonight, could barely see them.
Vodafone network was awful in there, coverage needs to be addressed. The furniture in the bar was terrible, hope that gets sorted too very soon. The other negative for me was the sound system. We need speakers closer to the crowd, the ones near the scoreboard weren't powerful enough, seemed distant and I could barely hear the music, intro etc. And the benches were cramped, don't be mistaken about that! Despite the great views, I had difficulty seeing the puck go in the net tonight, perhaps the red light behind the goal could be a bit closer and more obvious?
But the good outweighs the remaining issues. It's a fantastic place to watch hockey and I think the atmosphere will be terrific in there. Still a few things to complete, but I'm sure we'll get there in time, even if it takes the off season to make it right.
As far as the game goes, it was a good performance from the Devils, a bit nervy at times but we got the job done. Same tomorrow night please, it looks like we may need to win the lot to become league champions. A tall order, but got the Erhardt Conference title tonight for a start.
Vodafone network was awful in there, coverage needs to be addressed. The furniture in the bar was terrible, hope that gets sorted too very soon. The other negative for me was the sound system. We need speakers closer to the crowd, the ones near the scoreboard weren't powerful enough, seemed distant and I could barely hear the music, intro etc. And the benches were cramped, don't be mistaken about that! Despite the great views, I had difficulty seeing the puck go in the net tonight, perhaps the red light behind the goal could be a bit closer and more obvious?
But the good outweighs the remaining issues. It's a fantastic place to watch hockey and I think the atmosphere will be terrific in there. Still a few things to complete, but I'm sure we'll get there in time, even if it takes the off season to make it right.
As far as the game goes, it was a good performance from the Devils, a bit nervy at times but we got the job done. Same tomorrow night please, it looks like we may need to win the lot to become league champions. A tall order, but got the Erhardt Conference title tonight for a start.
The Guys really needed that result for their own self confidence and they delivered against a v good Giants who arethe best passing team in the league. So pleased to see smiles and relief amongst the Devils...and the return of the really well executed powerplay. It's a valuable weapon we've been missing.
Great that the Devils are now part of the big ice experience. Took 2 periods to get to grips but they were still looking strong in p3. Now we can see where those players skilled for the
big ice are going to make a difference. Fornier, Kurka and Russell were in the thick of things tonight. As ever, Bownsey made some crucial stops.
What a class act Joey Martin is. A great team guy on ENG ...could easily have scored his hatrick but passed to Tomas Kurka to score.
Hope Chris Culligan is ok. The hit to his head looked nasty albeit accidental collision.
Great that the Devils are now part of the big ice experience. Took 2 periods to get to grips but they were still looking strong in p3. Now we can see where those players skilled for the
big ice are going to make a difference. Fornier, Kurka and Russell were in the thick of things tonight. As ever, Bownsey made some crucial stops.
What a class act Joey Martin is. A great team guy on ENG ...could easily have scored his hatrick but passed to Tomas Kurka to score.
Hope Chris Culligan is ok. The hit to his head looked nasty albeit accidental collision.
Intro was great; so professional with the CGI. Really loved it.
View was faultless. Atmosphere was great considering the understandable nerves from players and fans alike. Rink facilities great, little or no toilet queues and quick to get a beer. No complaints about the facility at all.
Ice needed a bit of work. I think the ref should've stopped the game to allow it to dry further, it benefitted Devils but I felt for the Giant's players trying to get the puck out of their zone. Zamboni needs to speed up or the plant needs slight adjusting. Whether the bench sizes were an issue or not I don't know, that's up for the players to decide. Although slightly cramped there didn't appear to be any obvious problems.
A completely different sort of show, it felt a little weird at first but we've gone from looking like a bunch of amateurs to professional overnight. Huge congrats to Todd and all the team off and on ice. They put on one hell of a show.
This was also a record crowd for the Devils!
View was faultless. Atmosphere was great considering the understandable nerves from players and fans alike. Rink facilities great, little or no toilet queues and quick to get a beer. No complaints about the facility at all.
Ice needed a bit of work. I think the ref should've stopped the game to allow it to dry further, it benefitted Devils but I felt for the Giant's players trying to get the puck out of their zone. Zamboni needs to speed up or the plant needs slight adjusting. Whether the bench sizes were an issue or not I don't know, that's up for the players to decide. Although slightly cramped there didn't appear to be any obvious problems.
A completely different sort of show, it felt a little weird at first but we've gone from looking like a bunch of amateurs to professional overnight. Huge congrats to Todd and all the team off and on ice. They put on one hell of a show.
This was also a record crowd for the Devils!
Great result last night and just what the team needed, I thought the giant actually looked the better team but we skated away with a comfortable victory.
Loved the rink, there was a real buzz in the bar before the game and following my usual routine everything worked out perfectly, I'm going to love watching hockey from my new seat mainly because I can now see everything.
Little things I thought about were the intro, it was good but didn't really build up, it may just take a few games to get used to it.
Also the sound, really needs to be turned up a few notches to fill the room a bit more but apart from that I have a great first experience at the new place and I can't wait for tonight now
Loved the rink, there was a real buzz in the bar before the game and following my usual routine everything worked out perfectly, I'm going to love watching hockey from my new seat mainly because I can now see everything.
Little things I thought about were the intro, it was good but didn't really build up, it may just take a few games to get used to it.
Also the sound, really needs to be turned up a few notches to fill the room a bit more but apart from that I have a great first experience at the new place and I can't wait for tonight now
Fantastic game fantastic arena.
Agree about the sound though. I sit in row H and the sound from the intro i couldn't really hear and throughout the game announcements it sounded pretty muffled. It seemed to me that we needed something behind the seating.
oh and disabled parking needs to be sorted. Majority of places taken were not displaying badges........
Agree about the sound though. I sit in row H and the sound from the intro i couldn't really hear and throughout the game announcements it sounded pretty muffled. It seemed to me that we needed something behind the seating.
oh and disabled parking needs to be sorted. Majority of places taken were not displaying badges........
First period of the game was from a Devils perspective garbage. The tactics or execution was terrible. The blame laying with the forwards. They were playing lazy hockey. All of them high and static. I was pulling my hair out.
The second and third they suddenly remembered you might need to transition as a unit from your own end and it started to click and improve. Big ice unless you can skate like Fournier (I wish he had scored that rush. Keefe would have lost it) you skate off the puck and pass it as quick as you can when on it to shift the angles and create the space for an open man in an open lane. Devils were to slow and limp wristed in moving the puck P1. Once they switched on the transitioning with possession and speed not the BBT centre ice chip in I thought there determination and work rate then allowed them to win the game with a small cushion.
I think it's a learning curve for Lordo as coaching road game tactics for big ice v home ice tactics for big ice are very different clearly. But credit the team and coaching staff they sorted themselves out and got what counts. The W.
Hope Culli OK. Looked like a concussion which would be crap for him.
The IAW. Great night as a whole. Little issues obviously but a great night. I would say whilst great in its own ways I thought the intro lacked a little fan engagement. I thought everyone got caught watching the screen and the music lacked an obvious in to get the crowd clapping along. It was good so I'm not knocking any part of the effort but did it get the crowd as engaged as the BBT. I'm not sure. Just opinion I hasten.
The second and third they suddenly remembered you might need to transition as a unit from your own end and it started to click and improve. Big ice unless you can skate like Fournier (I wish he had scored that rush. Keefe would have lost it) you skate off the puck and pass it as quick as you can when on it to shift the angles and create the space for an open man in an open lane. Devils were to slow and limp wristed in moving the puck P1. Once they switched on the transitioning with possession and speed not the BBT centre ice chip in I thought there determination and work rate then allowed them to win the game with a small cushion.
I think it's a learning curve for Lordo as coaching road game tactics for big ice v home ice tactics for big ice are very different clearly. But credit the team and coaching staff they sorted themselves out and got what counts. The W.
Hope Culli OK. Looked like a concussion which would be crap for him.
The IAW. Great night as a whole. Little issues obviously but a great night. I would say whilst great in its own ways I thought the intro lacked a little fan engagement. I thought everyone got caught watching the screen and the music lacked an obvious in to get the crowd clapping along. It was good so I'm not knocking any part of the effort but did it get the crowd as engaged as the BBT. I'm not sure. Just opinion I hasten.
Really, what bar were you in? That's a genuine question so I don't make the same mistake tonight. Queued for ages in the main bar before face off and then a long queue at the pop up bar behind block 17 in the first break.
Had a fantastic time though last night. Quite a few problems to sort out but this is going to be a fantastic place to call home. Loved the graphics too.
Had a fantastic time though last night. Quite a few problems to sort out but this is going to be a fantastic place to call home. Loved the graphics too.
Good summary by Mooney#16.
I also thought our forwards were static and too far up the ice and were not supportive enough in our own D zone in the first period, this meant hopeful long passes that could only be flicked on and it was easy meat for the Giants D. I thought the Giants looked very dangerous at times and we were lucky to be level at end of period 1. After that, our passing and support play improved, we swept forward as opposed to stuttering forward in the first period. Murphy made some excellent saves but we grafted and got the lead. Clever move by Hendrikx to ignore Keefe wanting to drop the gloves, made Keefe very angry and he lost his way. Fournier looked very comfortable on the ice and will love playing at home I'm sure ( as long as he does the simple things in his own D and not the speculative in which he gets caught out ). I was impressed with Desmarias again last night, good work rate, clever stick handling and always competitive ( plus he scored a good goal at an important time for them ) thought the fans did well to motivate the team and a big heads up to the Giants fans who kept cheering for their team all night. A few thing need tweeking off the ice, but that can be done during the off season.
I also thought our forwards were static and too far up the ice and were not supportive enough in our own D zone in the first period, this meant hopeful long passes that could only be flicked on and it was easy meat for the Giants D. I thought the Giants looked very dangerous at times and we were lucky to be level at end of period 1. After that, our passing and support play improved, we swept forward as opposed to stuttering forward in the first period. Murphy made some excellent saves but we grafted and got the lead. Clever move by Hendrikx to ignore Keefe wanting to drop the gloves, made Keefe very angry and he lost his way. Fournier looked very comfortable on the ice and will love playing at home I'm sure ( as long as he does the simple things in his own D and not the speculative in which he gets caught out ). I was impressed with Desmarias again last night, good work rate, clever stick handling and always competitive ( plus he scored a good goal at an important time for them ) thought the fans did well to motivate the team and a big heads up to the Giants fans who kept cheering for their team all night. A few thing need tweeking off the ice, but that can be done during the off season.
I got served quite quickly pre game in the main bar and also very quickly at the pop up bar behind block 6 in the first break. The other pop up bar behind block 12 queue was huge though and we eventually gave up there.
It was a good game from what I saw, that is not to say my view was bad i just found myself looking around in awe of the new facility :lol: We did start a bit slow and sloppy in P1 but it felt like we were well on our way to getting our form back in P2 and P3. Hope Culli is ok and Fournier dosn't feel too bad about taking him out :lol:
It was a good game from what I saw, that is not to say my view was bad i just found myself looking around in awe of the new facility :lol: We did start a bit slow and sloppy in P1 but it felt like we were well on our way to getting our form back in P2 and P3. Hope Culli is ok and Fournier dosn't feel too bad about taking him out :lol:
Firstly I'd like to say a big thank you to all those people in SORAC who stuck to their guns and ensured we ended up with what is without doubt a great facility. 
Well done to all those who helped with the mammoth task involved with the ticketing and those involved with the off ice experience.
Yes there are some deficiencies and some snags that need resolving but it was a great new dawn in our club's history, and that of ice sports in South Wales (not just Cardiff).
Onto the game, both teams were feeling their way in the first, although Belfast definately edged it - their advantage that of a big pad at the O. It was interesting though that the speed of the ice caught both teams out, with passes and strength of shot causing a few wild turnovers and falls.
I think that Peacock's temper tantrum changed the game, and our confidence grew and grafted the W. Hogarth showed both teams he IS a ref last night probably for the first time since we started to see him ref. He handled the game well - let's hope last night was not a fluke - and hopefully tonight's game won't be a battle for him to keep control over.
The sound, whilst lower volume, wasn't bad and it beat getting deafened by the speaker above my head in the BBT. The "arena" experience brought to the rink might need to be watered down a bit but for new fans I would think it will help them understand the game more quickly.
Apart from the late start and very late finish (got home to newport about midnight bally buses) I got home buzzing and had trouble getting to sleep.... can't wait til tonight.
As Glynn says "Happy Hockey Days"
Well done to all those who helped with the mammoth task involved with the ticketing and those involved with the off ice experience.
Yes there are some deficiencies and some snags that need resolving but it was a great new dawn in our club's history, and that of ice sports in South Wales (not just Cardiff).
Onto the game, both teams were feeling their way in the first, although Belfast definately edged it - their advantage that of a big pad at the O. It was interesting though that the speed of the ice caught both teams out, with passes and strength of shot causing a few wild turnovers and falls.
I think that Peacock's temper tantrum changed the game, and our confidence grew and grafted the W. Hogarth showed both teams he IS a ref last night probably for the first time since we started to see him ref. He handled the game well - let's hope last night was not a fluke - and hopefully tonight's game won't be a battle for him to keep control over.
The sound, whilst lower volume, wasn't bad and it beat getting deafened by the speaker above my head in the BBT. The "arena" experience brought to the rink might need to be watered down a bit but for new fans I would think it will help them understand the game more quickly.
Apart from the late start and very late finish (got home to newport about midnight bally buses) I got home buzzing and had trouble getting to sleep.... can't wait til tonight.
As Glynn says "Happy Hockey Days"