steelers Vs Devils - 8 Mar 20 - Challenge Cup Final Spectacular

[moggy#9]

I'm living in hope that losing yesterday might be a blessing in disguise. We've ridden our luck a lot in the challenge cup, yesterday it gave out. That was a kick in the complacency that has crept in at times. If we can hold it together to win the league (and get another CHL place) this will seem a distant memory. I'm pretty sure they'll be a lot of video review of yesterday though. Sheffield knew our set plays and they were ready for us. Teams will be well prepared in the run in, and any mistakes will be punished by the chasing pack.

 

[august04]

I couldn’t give a monkeys to be fair. The challenge cup is a nice to have but it doesn’t float the boat. Here for the main course not the starter. As soon as Devils took the win Friday it was going to be a lot harder for them last night. No complaints here. Well done Sheffield. They have been too good not to win a trophy this year but if they could now peacefully step aside that would be good.

I just don’t get this attitude. Yes, the league is the big one and we all want to win that above everything else but the CC is still important. We’re in a big final with a major trophy on the line, at our home venue, in front of over 3000 fans, who shelled out their hard earned cash to be there and create a magnificent atmosphere - playing against historically our biggest rivals and you don’t give a monkeys whether we win or lose?! I find that bizarre and I’m glad the club didn’t have the same opinion as you. The players looked gutted at the end as did all the Cardiff fans that I saw.

 

[Finny]

I think it depends on what happens the rest of the season.
Losing the 2016 final hurt for a long time as we didn't win anything else that year (excluding Conference Title).
Losing the 2018 final doesn't bother me as Belfast seemed to give up after that and we won the League and Playoffs.

I was gutted at the final whistle but not as gutted today as I thought I would be. Just looking forward to getting back to league action.
Sometimes a reminder of the pain of losing can be good at this time of the season.

 

[CaldicotDevil]

i disagree totally about louis being sat due to offensive output. he is far more reliable at defence than a number of the other players which leads to breakaways and his pass out of defense is just better and more importantly safer. if masi and richie on two occasions were not so selfish lou was wound up for a better placed one timer in the 1st period and they totally blanked the better opportunity.
i also think do you honestly think on the Connolly spin a rama assist the scorer is putting that in if Louis was on the ice instead of Morrisonn? louis would have cleared him 10 ft from the net than let him stand there like that. mcmonagle on the first was extremely weak and to me bowns should be saving it anyhow.


I also think if we had gotten a better bounce on a couple of goal mouth scrambles it was the difference.
I felt when the refs didnt call some absolutely blatant foul play we didnt up the level of physicality enough and that hit on myers at 3 down was a perfect opportunity to settle it down. instead our passive reaction actually encouraged the rats to do more and more.

Louis just looks fed up at the minute and who can blame him. He's been paired with McMonagle for most of the season and his play & stats have really suffered for it. Wouldn't surprise me if him and Lord have fallen out or exchanged words.

 

[Rich Best]

Rich I'm glad you and Glynne have sorted things out like men, both apologising and rightly so. Sometimes I feel your too passionate in what you write and too pro team when I believe we're playing dire hockey. I wish I could be a positive with the team as you are, but we all see the game differently, which is a good thing. I do agree with a lot of what you said about yesterday's game, but not all, keep up you positivity, but also try to keep it real

I think I do keep it real and others don't. We are the odd goal and point off winning just about every single title for 4 or 5 years. Yet I and a few others get slated for positivity. I don't play the long term support card much but when you have supported as long as I have you know how hard the hard times have been and how good things are now.

 

[E.D.S.]

I'm living in hope that losing yesterday might be a blessing in disguise. We've ridden our luck a lot in the challenge cup, yesterday it gave out. That was a kick in the complacency that has crept in at times. If we can hold it together to win the league (and get another CHL place) this will seem a distant memory. I'm pretty sure they'll be a lot of video review of yesterday though. Sheffield knew our set plays and they were ready for us. Teams will be well prepared in the run in, and any mistakes will be punished by the chasing pack.

Me too but I just don’t see it. We’ll be dropping more points before the end of the season and I think it’ll be more points than those around us. Consistency is our issue. The challenge cup, in my opinion was our only realistic shot at silverware this season, inspite of our current league position.

 

[jenks33]

Me too but I just don’t see it. We’ll be dropping more points before the end of the season and I think it’ll be more points than those around us. Consistency is our issue. The challenge cup, in my opinion was our only realistic shot at silverware this season, inspite of our current league position.

Wouldn’t say I’m very confident but I think we’ll win it from here. I can certainly see us losing a couple of games but I think Sheffield have to win every match and I can see them losing in Dundee or Manchester. Coventry have given it a right good go but they’ve still got us, Guildford, Nottingham, Belfast. Can’t see them winning all those games. I don’t think we’ll do it with ease but I fancy us to win it

 

[claretgiant]

Hogarth must be feeling pleased with himself after yesterday’s performance. His lack of action encouraged Sheffield to play dirty - not that they need any encouragement.However, after the end of period one score, it was a big ask and we very nearly did it.

there was plenty going on from both sides that wasn't called, yes there was niggle, but both did it. There was numerous times there could and should have been calls made against either side, the one i cant believe that wasn't called was the slew foot by Haddad, but it wasnt so thats where it ends. Apart from that the game was allowed to flow, but the frustrating thing is that in the next game played in the league penalties will be given for virtually nothing, let all teams play and call the obvious/dangerous/stupid challenges

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

The Devils are in the driving seat for the league but whatever happens at the end of the season the result yesterday demonstrates again that our D needs improving. Our weak D cost us the league last year, our D was suspect too many times yesterday & if we don't win the league it'll be our D again. It won't be down to hard work, it won't be down to lack of attack it'll be down to defensive frailty. 2 seasons ago we had a solid D. It's something I'm sure Lordo will be looking at closely again this summer.

 

[paulsasha]

You know nothing .Wannabe would be a loss to the Devils fanbase unlike a patronising little shite like you.

Glynne is one of the devoted fans you will ever get is is also a very nice and friendly guy too

 

[Mooney#16]

I just don’t get this attitude. Yes, the league is the big one and we all want to win that above everything else but the CC is still important. We’re in a big final with a major trophy on the line, at our home venue, in front of over 3000 fans, who shelled out their hard earned cash to be there and create a magnificent atmosphere - playing against historically our biggest rivals and you don’t give a monkeys whether we win or lose?! I find that bizarre and I’m glad the club didn’t have the same opinion as you. The players looked gutted at the end as did all the Cardiff fans that I saw.

It’s just my take. I don’t view it as a big final for a major trophy. Never have really I suppose. Don’t get me wrong winning trophies is a great feeling but this particular one is not enough the beat yourself up about and I hope the players have the perspective to leave the result right there. The bigger travesty is if they dwell on this and balls up the league.

 

[jenks33]

there was plenty going on from both sides that wasn't called, yes there was niggle, but both did it. There was numerous times there could and should have been calls made against either side, the one i cant believe that wasn't called was the slew foot by Haddad, but it wasnt so thats where it ends. Apart from that the game was allowed to flow, but the frustrating thing is that in the next game played in the league penalties will be given for virtually nothing, let all teams play and call the obvious/dangerous/stupid challenges

Agree with you. I’d much prefer to watch a match where the officials just let things go rather than penalty after penalty. Can you imagine if that was a league game yesterday? There would be a penalty every 2 minutes

 

[august04]

Brendan Connolly is a horrible little sh*t of a player, but I'd have him in Cardiff in a heartbeat. Although Riley tried, had someone like Louis or Batch properly laid him out it may have changed the momentum of the game. As it happened he got under our skin all night, cross checking our best players for fun as the referees took a blind eye.

As nice as it is to beat Sheffield, as long as we win the league I don't think anyone will be too traumatised in the long run by losing the hockey equivalent of the Carabao (Football League) Cup.

Connolly is a very good player plus he rattles the opposition, gets his own team/fans going - really the heartbeat of that roster. He is a little shit but every team would like that kind of rat/wind up merchant. We had one of the best seen over here in Sacratini.

 

[jenks33]

Connolly is a very good player plus he rattles the opposition, gets his own team/fans going - really the heartbeat of that roster. He is a little shit but every team would like that kind of rat/wind up merchant. We had one of the best seen over here in Sacratini.

Would you rather have Connolly or Eberle? Personally I’d have Eberle. He impresses me every time I watch him and if you speak to Steelers fans he never goes missing. Turns up every night

 

[Kevin roog]

I would take Connolly. remember before Xmas when lots of us were complaining about boring home games, lack of characters etc, never a dull moment with this little git and probably 30 goals

 

[Kevin roog]

I do like eberle though

 

[BostonBart22]

there was plenty going on from both sides that wasn't called, yes there was niggle, but both did it. There was numerous times there could and should have been calls made against either side, the one i cant believe that wasn't called was the slew foot by Haddad, but it wasnt so thats where it ends. Apart from that the game was allowed to flow, but the frustrating thing is that in the next game played in the league penalties will be given for virtually nothing, let all teams play and call the obvious/dangerous/stupid challenges

If you notice most finals and playoffs the officials let a lot go compared to league action unless its really a serious offence, no doubt the refs informed the 2 coaches of their intentions b4 the game by not calling minor infringments..

 

[jenks33]

I do like eberle though

What would worry me with connolly is the amount of stupid penalties he gives away. And there have been rumours that he possibly isn’t the most popular guy in the dressing room. Who knows that could be rubbish. David simms addressed those rumours earlier this season and said connolly is actually a great guy. Let’s be honest tho I can’t imagine simms criticising anything steelers related. Looking purely at Connolly’s stats since he’s played in the EIHL though he’s got 193 points in 159 games, which is brilliant to be fair.

 

[Travis bickle]

I'd take Connolly at the drop of a hat, does his job to perfection. I'd love him in a cardiff shirt but it'll never happen, lord wouldn't tolerate his behaviour on or off the ice. He's a game winner that will do whatever it takes for his team to win. Saying all that I'd take eberly over him, I told Steve king personally he's the one player in this league I'd love to have, he works as hard all game every game as any player cardiff has had since the new ownership, I'm not saying he's a better player than we've had, but he gives everything every shift and you can ask for more than that. He'd be the perfect fit on any line. Going back to Connolly i thing it would be good to see a player challenging lord without disrespecting him, as I think on times we have very little reaction or interaction between bench and players on times, he'd keep everyone on their toes, and I bet he'd hold underperforming players accountable. Can't we have both of them ? Problem solved.

 

[Mooney#16]

WTF. You’d want Connolly to publicly challenge Lordo and hold under performing players to account. He’s decent but he’s not Crosby. If he tried that he’d probably get a puck in the mouth. There is no way Connolly holds enough respect to play that card. He’d get eaten alive and rightly so.

Our top two centres are currently Martin and Dixon. I’m not trading either of those guys for Connolly. Team guys who leave it all out there but play for their team mates and coaches.

Connolly has led a team currently to sit 1 point behind us and three games more played. He is along way from being the marquee player in the league. One spinorama in a big game and we’re happy for him to run the franchise. Give your head a wobble.