Devils v Giants - Wed 1 Feb 2017 - CC SFinal 1st Leg - FO 7:30pm - Chat/Updates
- Thread starter Nott Simpson
- Start date
I don't know where to start after that. To throw the game away like that after building a 4-2 lead was just unbelievable and unforgiveable. The third period was a nightmare. Too many sloppy plays yet again, too many turnovers, time and time again. Too many passengers at a time when we needed our top players to step up (I don't include Ulmer in this as that guy deserves a lot of credit for turning things around and certainly changing my opinion of him). I don't think we got the netminding we needed tonight either I'm sorry to say. If Murdy moves on next season, I'd be looking at using one of our EU slots on a stellar netminder, to push Bowns and at least share duties with him. An uphill task now but with Joey Martin, we've always got a chance to take the second leg - that guy is unreal. It's going to be difficult I think though in both the challenge cup and the league. I am concerned we're showing a soft underbelly again, at a time when we simply can't afford it. If Morrissette is out for any length of time, we need an addition to this squad. Someone please pick up the phone to Craig Weller if we can't find anyone else!! He could bring some much needed stability and calmness to our D corps and give Andrew Hotham a breather from the ridiculous amount of minutes he's logging at the moment (which I'm sure is contributing to his infuriating mistakes at times) - or he could play a power forward role and cause chaos up front. I know it was only a testimonial game but he still skates like a Rolls Royce, looked fit as a fiddle and oozed quality. You never know until you ask!!
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Walser- at what point did he skate off to the center spot ? did he maybe think the anthem had finished.. as there is a slight break in it before the crescendo. once he had started to leave was too late to turn back. Surely he has more tact than that..
i did notice he went to the center spot again at the start of the 2nd. so maybe its his thing,
if he was being disrespectful then he should have had a hiding.
i did notice he went to the center spot again at the start of the 2nd. so maybe its his thing,
if he was being disrespectful then he should have had a hiding.
No excuse for Walser I'm sorry. He's played against the Devils many times and never done it before so I'm not buying that it was a mistake. He showed utter contempt and disrespect to our organisation, our country and our people - and the Devils allowed him to get away with it tonight. Unforgiveable on that front also.
Have to say Smith is by far the worst ref this season. He seems so anti Devils it's scary.
However he wasn't the reason we lost it. Yet again we build a great lead and don't know how to 'close out'. We need to either do a Nottingham and shut up shop (stop the D pinching etc....) or we go for the jugular and try and put another couple in at 4-2 score line.
What I like about Giants is that they are far from a pretty and skilful hockey team in the way the Steelers are. They play an in your face hard hitting style with a never give up mentality.
Tonight we got out hit and out played in the 3rd. Credit where it's due. Lord needed to move Bordy to 3rd and let him cause havoc. Their players can't take a hit without a slash etc... after. They did to us what we did in our comeback against Coventry a few weeks back.
This has given Giants a huge mental edge over us like we had over Steelers at start of season.....arguable at the best possible time.
With Mo looking out of action for what sounds like remainder we need a spark and hopefully we can bring in a guy who may have a big influence to help us over the line.
However he wasn't the reason we lost it. Yet again we build a great lead and don't know how to 'close out'. We need to either do a Nottingham and shut up shop (stop the D pinching etc....) or we go for the jugular and try and put another couple in at 4-2 score line.
What I like about Giants is that they are far from a pretty and skilful hockey team in the way the Steelers are. They play an in your face hard hitting style with a never give up mentality.
Tonight we got out hit and out played in the 3rd. Credit where it's due. Lord needed to move Bordy to 3rd and let him cause havoc. Their players can't take a hit without a slash etc... after. They did to us what we did in our comeback against Coventry a few weeks back.
This has given Giants a huge mental edge over us like we had over Steelers at start of season.....arguable at the best possible time.
With Mo looking out of action for what sounds like remainder we need a spark and hopefully we can bring in a guy who may have a big influence to help us over the line.
I don't think we can blame the ref in that one - Smith was bad, but he wasn't the deciding factor imo.
For two periods we lived with the Giants, then they stepped up the 'Giants hockey' in the 3rd period, with lots of slashes, cross-checks and late hits. It was time for our tough guys to step up and send a message that this wouldn't be tolerated.... We did absolutely nothing.
The Giants have won the battle and the war with that game - right now they are probably feeling like they can ragdoll us about in the 4 league games and we will probably thank them for the service.
If Martin hadn't seen Nickerson coming for the hit in the 3rd he was done - that was potentially a career ending injury right there - absolutely no response from the Devils.
Very disappointed with our tough guys last night, who all stole a wage in one of our biggest games of the season.
When are we going to stop letting teams BULLY US?????????
For two periods we lived with the Giants, then they stepped up the 'Giants hockey' in the 3rd period, with lots of slashes, cross-checks and late hits. It was time for our tough guys to step up and send a message that this wouldn't be tolerated.... We did absolutely nothing.
The Giants have won the battle and the war with that game - right now they are probably feeling like they can ragdoll us about in the 4 league games and we will probably thank them for the service.
If Martin hadn't seen Nickerson coming for the hit in the 3rd he was done - that was potentially a career ending injury right there - absolutely no response from the Devils.
Very disappointed with our tough guys last night, who all stole a wage in one of our biggest games of the season.
When are we going to stop letting teams BULLY US?????????
Sorry, but I don't get how you could have read it that way? How on earth was Lordo called for hooking at the end, when he had a Belfast player (I think it was Martinelli, but could be wrong) with their arm and stick wrapped around him, pressing him to the board? What exactly was Lordo hooking there in that scenario?
It wasn't hooking, it was roughing. Lord was in possession of the puck and was fair game to be pinned to the board by martinelli, which he did fairly, imo it was a fair, solid defensive play. Lord in turn put his arm around Martinelli's neck and tried to pull martinelli's helmet off on the ref's blindside. That's a roughing penalty all day, correct call for me.
I still disagree with the call - from my perspective, Lordo had his arm around Martinelli's head to emphasise to the referee that he was being held, which (for my money) he was.
Either way though, that call shouldn't have made the difference. It's worrying that we're struggling to pull away from teams when we're leading. The Coventry game away comes to mind - we were 5-2 up in that and somehow nearly let it go. Last night we were 4-2 up and gave away two crap goals. How we change this, I'm not sure, but it's concerning that we can't put teams away (excluding the Nottingham game recently).
Either way though, that call shouldn't have made the difference. It's worrying that we're struggling to pull away from teams when we're leading. The Coventry game away comes to mind - we were 5-2 up in that and somehow nearly let it go. Last night we were 4-2 up and gave away two crap goals. How we change this, I'm not sure, but it's concerning that we can't put teams away (excluding the Nottingham game recently).
Here's a few things that baffled me!!
Walser has played over here a load of times to know when the anthem finishes. It was only half way through when he skated off. Personally I think he did it on purpose for what ever reason I don't know.
I wanna know why no one did anything to him all night not even a single hit.
Devils passionate physical stay together etc?? My arse!!
He Would never have got away with that if voth was here.
Dean smith calls 3 roughing calls Louis Myers and Riley.. the question i ask dean smith is why we're these roughing they didn't do it for fun did they??
It was down to the hit martinelli did on one of our players so why wasn't he called it was boarding all day long.
Once again we cough upto many easy goals but it's ok we will keep the same players on the ice that course problems and lose a game we should never have lost.
Haddad has been my player of the year so far he is in another world right now just don't stop skating fair play to the kid.
Morisette out all season apparently??
Replacement needed please.
Walser has played over here a load of times to know when the anthem finishes. It was only half way through when he skated off. Personally I think he did it on purpose for what ever reason I don't know.
I wanna know why no one did anything to him all night not even a single hit.
Devils passionate physical stay together etc?? My arse!!
He Would never have got away with that if voth was here.
Dean smith calls 3 roughing calls Louis Myers and Riley.. the question i ask dean smith is why we're these roughing they didn't do it for fun did they??
It was down to the hit martinelli did on one of our players so why wasn't he called it was boarding all day long.
Once again we cough upto many easy goals but it's ok we will keep the same players on the ice that course problems and lose a game we should never have lost.
Haddad has been my player of the year so far he is in another world right now just don't stop skating fair play to the kid.
Morisette out all season apparently??
Replacement needed please.
I enjoyed the game, Smith made if difficult but I don't think any of his calls were wrong just not consistent across both teams, giants would get away with things we'd get called on a few seconds later. Maybe the giants are just better at playing on the refs blindside.
I think it was Bowns that said something about us (fans) having this expectation we should win every game like we're leagues above all the other teams and that's simply not the case. Belfast and us are pretty evenly matched, games can and will go either way and unfortunately this wasn't our night. I don't think it was a lack of effort or fight or an individual players performance, the hockey gods just looked down more favourably on the giants on this night. Lets pray they're behind us in the return leg.
I think it was Bowns that said something about us (fans) having this expectation we should win every game like we're leagues above all the other teams and that's simply not the case. Belfast and us are pretty evenly matched, games can and will go either way and unfortunately this wasn't our night. I don't think it was a lack of effort or fight or an individual players performance, the hockey gods just looked down more favourably on the giants on this night. Lets pray they're behind us in the return leg.
Interesting game from the start. Walser was probably looking for a reaction from the Devils players but didn't get it. Whatever the reason it didn't work.
As for the game, pretty much the same as recent weeks. We turn up for part of the game and end up losing. Giants play a very gritty in your face game. It wore us down just like it should do and they get the result. The over playing of players in the past weeks hasn't helped, stupid mistakes possibly from tired players accentuates matters and the Giants are massively motivated. They did the double over Sheffield last weekend, they beat us at home to and are clear favourites to win this tie and the league in my opinion.
If Mo is out for the rest of the season could it be a blessing in disguise? Lord has found it difficult to make tough decisions regarding dropping players and Mo hasn't been his usual self this season. If he is out then a new player is needed as what have now will not be enough to win the league.
As for the game, pretty much the same as recent weeks. We turn up for part of the game and end up losing. Giants play a very gritty in your face game. It wore us down just like it should do and they get the result. The over playing of players in the past weeks hasn't helped, stupid mistakes possibly from tired players accentuates matters and the Giants are massively motivated. They did the double over Sheffield last weekend, they beat us at home to and are clear favourites to win this tie and the league in my opinion.
If Mo is out for the rest of the season could it be a blessing in disguise? Lord has found it difficult to make tough decisions regarding dropping players and Mo hasn't been his usual self this season. If he is out then a new player is needed as what have now will not be enough to win the league.