Devils v Stars - 08/02 @ 7:00pm - League - Chat/Updates

[Chris]

Didn't seem to be worth another topic, but tonights (Sundays) fixtures are:

Sheffield v Coventry
Hull v Nottingham

If Sheffield and Nottingham could both win, although it would move them both further away from us, it would help cement our 6th place in the league, and also give us a game in hand over Hull!

I know it's not the done thing as a Devils fan, but i'll temporarily support Sheffield for the duration of this game tonight

Makes last nights win against Dundee even better

 

[drainage]

I think to analyse the current situation honestly. Whilst it is blatently apparent that the players had issues with Brent from a man management perspective and it is also apparent he isn't cut out for running the first team. You have to give him some credit as GM. He has made some very big calls this year and taken a hell of alot of criticism some of which has been appropriate as his people skills and composure have been questionable but he has also stewarded the club from a playing staff and style perspective into a far better position than they were previously. Whistle is clearly a far more accomplished and respected coach and doing a good job and is a man to be retained if the budget permits it. But he is working with the personnel Brent gave him and I think Brent deserves some credit for correctly identifying some major on ice weaknesses and addressing them with player movement. Good GM work in that particular perspective. As with every walk of life. The truth is always somewhere in the middle. He has made errors. He has got some things right.

The whole team and all associated should be congratulated on managing to turn the season in a much more positive direction and rediscovering the winning formula. To be 6th potentially pushing for 4th is a great effort and swing in momentum and form.

A sane and well thought out post and agree with you ....Maybe it's finally time to move on I sincerely hope so

 

[drainage]

Didn't seem to be worth another topic, but tonights (Sundays) fixtures are:

Sheffield v Coventry
Hull v Nottingham

If Sheffield and Nottingham could both win, although it would move them both further away from us, it would help cement our 6th place in the league, and also give us a game in hand over Hull!

I know it's not the done thing as a Devils fan, but i'll temporarily support Sheffield for the duration of this game tonight

Makes last nights win against Dundee even better

I have washed my mouth and mind out for thinking the same ! I am disgusted with myself but for the greater good I will hope the teal team beat the blue one!

 

[Gough60]

Think you are both being short sighted here. We have to play the chav's 4 times (3 at home) before the end of the regular season.Thats 8 points. If we wish to get even furthur up the table and challenge the panties and squeelers for possition, a chav win would be better for us.
Trust me thats not something you would EVER hear me say. :shock:

 

[Chris]

Admittedly I didn't look at our own fixtures before my post.

I guess that wouldn't be so bad, another 3 games to go against the Steelers but 2 of those are up in Sheffield. I still think your change of allegiance to supporting the Blaze is more shocking than my support of the Steelers though :E

I've already put money on Nottingham for tonight (the odds were better!) so a win for them would be good for me, if not for the league and keeping it close...

 

[Gough60]

I think shocking is at best a slight understatment Chris.
And as for gaining financialy on a panties win, need I say anymore WD

 

[Chris]

I think shocking is at best a slight understatment Chris.
And as for gaining financialy on a panties win, need I say anymore WD

I have to fund my standing ticket next to you, James and Skippy somehow when I come back to Cardiff!

Besides, there's absolutely nothing good about Hull or their chip spice, it's almost as bad as Edinburghs attempt at stovies

 

[Wannabe2]

Watching Steelers webcast 1-1 end of 1st, Cov were 1 up, blight playing well.

 

[Gough60]

Will be back to my oldself come Thursday. :lol:
Back on topic, Another positive,gritty,commited performance last night.
How refreshing to see Devil players listening to the coach and looking to the bench during play.

 

[drainage]

Think you are both being short sighted here. We have to play the chav's 4 times (3 at home) before the end of the regular season.Thats 8 points. If we wish to get even furthur up the table and challenge the panties and squeelers for possition, a chav win would be better for us.
Trust me thats not something you would EVER hear me say. :shock:

Fair comment ! The maths get way too complicated beyond a weekend at a time!

 

[Ocko]

Great professional win for the devils, that was a real 'job done' performance. We're on a great streak at the moment which is hopefully going to reward the team with a more favourable play off draw.

I've just watched the game again on Premier Sports, Franny commentated on the game well but what I noticed is that Darnell called a decent game. There was stacks of shouting from the stands at almost every call he made (looking at you guy in block 13 who also shouts shoot repeatedly on the power play WD ) but with the exception of the Birbraer boarding which was slightly soft (but he did call Dundee for something similar) all his other calls were spot on. The 2 or 3 tripping calls spring to mind that had fans shouting on their feet but IMO they had it wrong, it was definitely the right call. I thought this against Belfast too as I couldn't make the game so watched on Devils Tv, and maybe not being caught up in the emotion makes you see things differently but I thought he missed only 1 call (trip on Kurka) which isn't too bad IMO. We seem to moan a fair bit about Darnell but everyone else in the league rates him as the best. We used to have some of the most knowledgeable fans in the league I hope that's not been lost because most games we use the ref excuse.

 

[Chris]

Well, I successfully jinxed Nottingham by putting money on them, unfortunately they still managed to get a point as it was a loss on penalties

Still, only 6 points between 2nd and 8th in the league at the moment! It's going to be a very tight battle to avoid certain teams in the playoffs for almost everyone!

 

[Ocko]

Also, I thought Plumton had one if his best games for us. He was physical without taking penalties, got forward and was defensively sound.

 

[Armchair Coach]

Great professional win for the devils, that was a real 'job done' performance. We're on a great streak at the moment which is hopefully going to reward the team with a more favourable play off draw.

I've just watched the game again on Premier Sports, Franny commentated on the game well but what I noticed is that Darnell called a decent game. There was stacks of shouting from the stands at almost every call he made (looking at you guy in block 13 who also shouts shoot repeatedly on the power play WD ) but with the exception of the Birbraer boarding which was slightly soft (but he did call Dundee for something similar) all his other calls were spot on. The 2 or 3 tripping calls spring to mind that had fans shouting on their feet but IMO they had it wrong, it was definitely the right call. I thought this against Belfast too as I couldn't make the game so watched on Devils Tv, and maybe not being caught up in the emotion makes you see things differently but I thought he missed only 1 call (trip on Kurka) which isn't too bad IMO. We seem to moan a fair bit about Darnell but everyone else in the league rates him as the best. We used to have some of the most knowledgeable fans in the league I hope that's not been lost because most games we use the ref excuse.

The key problem IMHO with Messrs Darnell and Hicks is their lack of consistency in decision making. What gets called in period 1 is rarely what will get called in periods 2 & 3. Dean Smith, widely regraded by many fans as possibly the best of the Elite League referees, calls things far more consistently.

Genuine question - Is it really "not too bad" for one of the Country's highest regarded referees (by the Elite League) to miss tripping calls?

All fans have a pair of Rose-tinted glasses when it comes to watching their team play (I'm certainly no different) but the best games for me are those where the crowd end up talking after the game about the game, not the impact on the game of a poor referee call or non call.

Sadly such games are too few and far between in this league and unlikely to change until the Powers that be attract sufficient investment to help the officiating structure in UK Ice Hockey - it's a really tough job, and one that often goes without any great appreciation, but without referees we wouldn't have a game to watch so we have to make do - but that shouldn't mean that fans don't want the standards of officiating to improve.