Devils Vs Giants - League - 21st Mar 25 - FO 19:30
- Thread starter James
- Start date
Checking to the head penalties can be 2 minutes or 5 minutes depending on the severity, force, speed, etc., and of course that's a judgement call. It's an IIHF ruling that EIHL has adopted. However I can't understand in this day and age (with so much more knowledge of concussions and its after-effects and the desire to protect players) why it is not mandatory to review all checking to the head calls and then assess the appropriate penalty from there.
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Ah, the fine margins of sport. Still not sure how we didn't go 4-1 up, shortly after our 3rd. It looked like McCollum pulled off 3 short range saves in a fraction of a second! Next thing I know it's 3-3.
Got to admit, my head dropped when that penalty was called in OT. Credit to the guys on the ice, Block 13 and the rest of the rink for keeping me going to the end. We deserved those 2 points tonight!
Got to admit, my head dropped when that penalty was called in OT. Credit to the guys on the ice, Block 13 and the rest of the rink for keeping me going to the end. We deserved those 2 points tonight!
Well that was a pleasant night last night, take away the lousy officiating and it was well entertaining. Think fans needed that lift last night, as probably the players and staff also needed a feel good factor. Great display by everyone, but my god just how good is Sir Joey Martin, we all know just how amazing Joey is but this guy has the heart of a bloody Lion. Joey if you ever need rent free accommodation, you can move in to ours tomorrow mate or earlier if you like, the way our number 88 plays is not only worth the entrance fee, but is a pure joy to witness. This guy is the only player capable of saying okay lads follow me to the promise land, he sure is playing like a man possesed and by god how lucky are we, 9 seasons 448 league games 501 league pts, that’s you will love this number 55.666 points per season. How weird and wonderful is that number, there again we are talking about Mr Cardiff DEVIL, thanks Joey lots more to come thankfully. The Perfect Player.
That was much better. Forecheck aggressive from the start and lots of our smaller players playing high energy physical hockey. Stripes did their best to keep Belfast in the game. Concerningly watching Ions he almost got hit by a puck in the second when we were trying to clear, went between his legs. He then clearly clocks who the player is who sliced the puck towards him, later gives soft penalty call against the player. Could have been coincidence but when there are some weird calls I wonder if some of this is because emotion clouds judgement? I’m tempted to do Ions watch next game - make a note of anyone who chirps at him, accidentally clips him, visibly irritates him and see how often he calls penalties against them later in the game.
DOPS supposedly reviews all check to the head penalties and all injury situations, which made me think that I haven't seen any DOPS notifications for ages. Unless I've missed some, has the league really been that quiet in terms of dangerous incidents recently?
Back on this game, period 3 was a bit of a rollercoaster, but generally the Devils thoroughly deserved 2 points and Giants were lucky to get away with one. It would have been a travesty if they had pinched both in OT or SO. Though they have thrashed us a few times, there have also been some close games and it was great to get a win at last. Apart from being more physical (which fell away a bit in the 3rd), the passing was more accurate and crisper. The PP looked dangerous and yielded 2 goals, with the interchange between Joey M and O'Brien for the first being a great example of quick accurate passing wrong-footing the Giants D.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow - considering Clan's recent form, what the heck happened there (2-10 to Steelers)? Giants still favourites with a game in hand and a relatively easy run-in, but it's getting darned close at the top.
Back on this game, period 3 was a bit of a rollercoaster, but generally the Devils thoroughly deserved 2 points and Giants were lucky to get away with one. It would have been a travesty if they had pinched both in OT or SO. Though they have thrashed us a few times, there have also been some close games and it was great to get a win at last. Apart from being more physical (which fell away a bit in the 3rd), the passing was more accurate and crisper. The PP looked dangerous and yielded 2 goals, with the interchange between Joey M and O'Brien for the first being a great example of quick accurate passing wrong-footing the Giants D.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow - considering Clan's recent form, what the heck happened there (2-10 to Steelers)? Giants still favourites with a game in hand and a relatively easy run-in, but it's getting darned close at the top.
You're absolutely right. James Ions is the referee I have seen react most emotionally to being chirped or questioned. It's of course a part of being a referee, that players and coaches, in the heat of passion, are screaming in your face. Most seem to keep composure and deal with some sort of authority, but you visibly see with Ions how it affects him. I have often noticed the other side too, when if it's a quiet game he seems bored and is looking in to the crowd .
It's hard to blame the officials personally though. It's not their fault. The pathway they have been through to become officials in the UK is not good enough for the standard of play in the league. We have players in the league who have played at some of the highest leagues in the world. And then to be a ref all you need to do a couple of years in the NIHL then you're in. If you import all these good players from hockey countries with proper infrastructure, and then the officials are from this country, then there's obviously going to be a big gap in quality between the two.
I often see comments on here similar to 'why do the league employ these refs?' Well who else is there?
It's hard to blame the officials personally though. It's not their fault. The pathway they have been through to become officials in the UK is not good enough for the standard of play in the league. We have players in the league who have played at some of the highest leagues in the world. And then to be a ref all you need to do a couple of years in the NIHL then you're in. If you import all these good players from hockey countries with proper infrastructure, and then the officials are from this country, then there's obviously going to be a big gap in quality between the two.
I often see comments on here similar to 'why do the league employ these refs?' Well who else is there?
Now I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up but I’m pretty sure I read earlier in the season that this year’s version of the documentary has been filmed all season and will be put out during the off season. I’ve seen our cameraman at away games with the team this year so had assumed it is going ahead. However, this information comes with the major caveat that I’ve not heard anything official. I‘m crossing my fingers anyway.