Thread starter
#1
Crunch Time in Ice Hockey’s Southern Conference
The Cardiff Ice Hounds continue to keep the pressure on the English Ice Hockey Association’s (EIHA) Southern Conference title, as they still sit on equal points with first placed Bracknell Blizzards and still retain a game in hand on the team from the other end of the M4 corridor.
The Ice Hounds have felt somewhat frustrated throughout the season, sitting in second as a result of Bracknell having played only one more fixture and have longed for the psychological boost of having the top spot. That said, it’s no doubt been the fuel which has given the Ice Hounds their drive to keep pushing for the title of Southern Conference Champions.
Looking back to the beginning of the year, when the Ice Hounds were looking at playing their first ever match in the Southern Conference, the squad were unsure how they would fair in their first ever season in the competition. Looking at some of the results from the previous season’s competition, the Ice Hounds decided that a mid table finish, would be a good achievement. As a result, when their first opponents – Slough Scorpions – failed to ice a squad, the Ice Hounds were glad to take an easy start to the season, with a 7-0 forfeit game.
But it wasn’t long before the first half of the season had been played out and the Cardiff Ice Hounds had found themselves in the top four teams of the competition, having beaten the defending Southern Conference Champions – Guildford Smoke – in their first match outside of the Cardiff Bay Ice Arena, since they joined the Conference. And whilst it’s still too early to measure the Club’s success in the competition, it’s fair to say that their achievements so far, have far exceeded their expectations.
With only three games left before the Conference hits the play-offs, the pressure is very much on the Ice Hounds to continue performing the way they have, as the team now face three strong challenges, in their final conference matches. This Sunday (20th June), the Ice Hounds travel to The Ice Bowl, in Gillingham to face the Medway Madness. When the Madness visited Cardiff, back in May, the Ice Hounds beat them quite comfortably 6 – 2. But the visitors played the game at a quicker pace than a lot of the Conference teams, and at the time were playing without their top scorer, Neil Ratcliffe. Medway are currently sitting in sixth place in the competition and are looking at finishing their Conference campaign strongly, with their sights set on a fifth place finish, relegating the Cardiff Eagles to sixth (the Eagles currently sit in fifth, on equal points with Medway, but the Madness have two games in hand).
So whilst the weekend’s match in Gillingham will be between two teams in different halves of the table, the result means oh so much to both teams, as it will ultimately play a big part in where the table either team ultimately finishes.
For the Ice Hounds, every game has to be a winner from this point onwards. The trip to Gillingham is their last away match before the play-offs and the other two matches will be played in the Ice Hounds Cardiff Bay Ice Arena strong hold. The Ice Hounds are currently undefeated at home in the Southern Conference and it’s hoped that this record will not be tarnished, when they return home on the 26th June 2010 to host the Guilford Smoke. Guildford currently sit in third position in the Conference with a fragile one point lead to the Army Air Corps Ice Hawks, having picked up fourteen points to the Ice Hawks thirteen, from ten games a piece. The Smoke played in Cardiff on the 6th June against the Cardiff Eagles and reports on the game from Ice Hounds’ Assistant Captain Craig Camilleri suggest that the team is very beatable. And a win for the Ice Hounds on the 26th June will also mark the point at which a true measure of first and second place standings can be seen, as it is the first time that both the Cardiff Ice Hounds and Bracknell Blizzards would have played an equal amount of games. And with the Blizzards having lost two games to date, whilst the Ice Hounds have only lost one, it’s hoped that the Ice Hounds will finally get a taste of the top of the Conference.
Also, should the Ice Hounds be successful in maintaining form against Medway and Guilford, Saturday 24th July 2010 will become the most important date in the club’s history, as their final match against Bracknell Blizzards, at home in the Cardiff Bay Ice Arena, is likely to be the title decider. For the Ice Hounds, this will really be an all or nothing match for them, as the form book suggests that a draw in the match will not be sufficient for them to take the Conference title, as the draw would mean that they would probably finish on equal points with the Blizzards, but the Bracknell would take the title on goal difference. This would be a bitter pill for the Ice Hounds to swallow, when you take in to consideration that the forfeit match that Slough Scorpions gifted them at the beginning of the season, in hindsight, robbed the Ice Hounds of the opportunity to put a double figure score line on the bottom of the table Scorpions. So there is only one option facing the Ice Hounds and that’s three wins in a row in three difficult fixtures.
The Cardiff Ice Hounds would like to take full advantage of their final two home fixtures and try to maximise the ‘home ice’ experience, with as much support for the team as possible.
Face off for both Saturday 26th June 2010 against the Guildford Smoke and 24th July 2010 against the Bracknell Blizzards is at 4:30pm at the Cardiff Ice Arena. Entrance is free and it’s a great opportunity to either get a summer ‘hockey fix’ or experience the sport for the first time.
For more information of the Cardiff Ice Hounds visit www.cardifficehounds.co.uk or follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@cardifficehound).
The Cardiff Ice Hounds continue to keep the pressure on the English Ice Hockey Association’s (EIHA) Southern Conference title, as they still sit on equal points with first placed Bracknell Blizzards and still retain a game in hand on the team from the other end of the M4 corridor.
The Ice Hounds have felt somewhat frustrated throughout the season, sitting in second as a result of Bracknell having played only one more fixture and have longed for the psychological boost of having the top spot. That said, it’s no doubt been the fuel which has given the Ice Hounds their drive to keep pushing for the title of Southern Conference Champions.
Looking back to the beginning of the year, when the Ice Hounds were looking at playing their first ever match in the Southern Conference, the squad were unsure how they would fair in their first ever season in the competition. Looking at some of the results from the previous season’s competition, the Ice Hounds decided that a mid table finish, would be a good achievement. As a result, when their first opponents – Slough Scorpions – failed to ice a squad, the Ice Hounds were glad to take an easy start to the season, with a 7-0 forfeit game.
But it wasn’t long before the first half of the season had been played out and the Cardiff Ice Hounds had found themselves in the top four teams of the competition, having beaten the defending Southern Conference Champions – Guildford Smoke – in their first match outside of the Cardiff Bay Ice Arena, since they joined the Conference. And whilst it’s still too early to measure the Club’s success in the competition, it’s fair to say that their achievements so far, have far exceeded their expectations.
With only three games left before the Conference hits the play-offs, the pressure is very much on the Ice Hounds to continue performing the way they have, as the team now face three strong challenges, in their final conference matches. This Sunday (20th June), the Ice Hounds travel to The Ice Bowl, in Gillingham to face the Medway Madness. When the Madness visited Cardiff, back in May, the Ice Hounds beat them quite comfortably 6 – 2. But the visitors played the game at a quicker pace than a lot of the Conference teams, and at the time were playing without their top scorer, Neil Ratcliffe. Medway are currently sitting in sixth place in the competition and are looking at finishing their Conference campaign strongly, with their sights set on a fifth place finish, relegating the Cardiff Eagles to sixth (the Eagles currently sit in fifth, on equal points with Medway, but the Madness have two games in hand).
So whilst the weekend’s match in Gillingham will be between two teams in different halves of the table, the result means oh so much to both teams, as it will ultimately play a big part in where the table either team ultimately finishes.
For the Ice Hounds, every game has to be a winner from this point onwards. The trip to Gillingham is their last away match before the play-offs and the other two matches will be played in the Ice Hounds Cardiff Bay Ice Arena strong hold. The Ice Hounds are currently undefeated at home in the Southern Conference and it’s hoped that this record will not be tarnished, when they return home on the 26th June 2010 to host the Guilford Smoke. Guildford currently sit in third position in the Conference with a fragile one point lead to the Army Air Corps Ice Hawks, having picked up fourteen points to the Ice Hawks thirteen, from ten games a piece. The Smoke played in Cardiff on the 6th June against the Cardiff Eagles and reports on the game from Ice Hounds’ Assistant Captain Craig Camilleri suggest that the team is very beatable. And a win for the Ice Hounds on the 26th June will also mark the point at which a true measure of first and second place standings can be seen, as it is the first time that both the Cardiff Ice Hounds and Bracknell Blizzards would have played an equal amount of games. And with the Blizzards having lost two games to date, whilst the Ice Hounds have only lost one, it’s hoped that the Ice Hounds will finally get a taste of the top of the Conference.
Also, should the Ice Hounds be successful in maintaining form against Medway and Guilford, Saturday 24th July 2010 will become the most important date in the club’s history, as their final match against Bracknell Blizzards, at home in the Cardiff Bay Ice Arena, is likely to be the title decider. For the Ice Hounds, this will really be an all or nothing match for them, as the form book suggests that a draw in the match will not be sufficient for them to take the Conference title, as the draw would mean that they would probably finish on equal points with the Blizzards, but the Bracknell would take the title on goal difference. This would be a bitter pill for the Ice Hounds to swallow, when you take in to consideration that the forfeit match that Slough Scorpions gifted them at the beginning of the season, in hindsight, robbed the Ice Hounds of the opportunity to put a double figure score line on the bottom of the table Scorpions. So there is only one option facing the Ice Hounds and that’s three wins in a row in three difficult fixtures.
The Cardiff Ice Hounds would like to take full advantage of their final two home fixtures and try to maximise the ‘home ice’ experience, with as much support for the team as possible.
Face off for both Saturday 26th June 2010 against the Guildford Smoke and 24th July 2010 against the Bracknell Blizzards is at 4:30pm at the Cardiff Ice Arena. Entrance is free and it’s a great opportunity to either get a summer ‘hockey fix’ or experience the sport for the first time.
For more information of the Cardiff Ice Hounds visit www.cardifficehounds.co.uk or follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@cardifficehound).