Hockey World, Hockey Girl - Week 4

Back to back wins saw a voiceless Red Army after a fantastic four point Challenge Cup weekend for our Cardiff Devils!

Despite somewhat paranormal going-ons in the Sheffield Steelers’ first game in their Motorpoint Arena this season (due to crucial ice repairs), the Devils managed to come away with a 3-2 shootout win on Saturday night.  Matthew Myers scored twice to push his side through to overtime, before Jake Morrisette and Joey Martin fired the puck home, winning the shootout 2-0 to give the Devils that desperate extra point. 

The main event in the Steelers’ opening night was, of course, our favourite jazz-hand-using referee Tom Darnell!  Despite being confirmed as one of 12 UK officials to be officiating across international competitions over the next year, Darnell was up to his old tricks, allowing a very controversial goal for the Sheffield Steelers, allowing them to finish out the second period 2-1 up. 

Now, there have been many conflicting reports surrounding this ‘goal’ – some say (and these are Devils’ fans, not just Steelers’ fans) that it was definitely a goal, hitting the underside of the net and bouncing back out; others say that Darnell has simply lost what was left of his marbles and was up to his old tricks.  The justification behind the goal can be found here, thanks to Steelers TV: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JMNqEiszc4&list=PLdV17JtpLz4unlz0nY6bOhdrAJnXlCuP6

But, nevertheless, Myers levelled it up just 46 seconds from the end of regulation to force overtime.  And with no further goals in the extra five, the teams went to a shootout – you all know how that one ended!

Sunday saw a deflated Nottingham side travel down to the Bay after suffering a humiliating 6-1 home ice defeat to the Hull Stingrays, who are still missing Player/Coach Omar Pacha after he sustained a broken arm against Edinburgh earlier in the month. 

With the Northern side already missing several keys players, including Robert Farmer (foot) and David Clarke (shoulder), they did not need any more injuries to their already shortened bench.  Unfortunately for anyone with whiskers, Berube missed Sunday’s game, and was joined by Robert Lachowicz (ankle), Evan Mosey (undisclosed) and Brandon Benedict (confused? Possible arm injury, possible concussion.  Heard some very conflicting stories on this one), all of whom left the game early.

Whether it was due to increased ice time as a result of the smaller bench or a lack of confidence after the previous night’s loss (or, you know, Cardiff’s awesomeness!), the Panthers failed to play their best hockey and the Devils walked away with another 2 points, climbing to the top spot in CC Group B.

It seemed that bus legs and tired minds were a problem for last season’s Challenge Cup winners throughout the first period on Sunday.  Already missing some vital players from their line-up, the away team needed to give 110% for all 60 minutes in the BBT but it appears that several of the on-ice players were away with the fairies! 

With that in mind, it was still exciting to come home from work and discover in the 8 or so minutes I’d missed, we were already up by two!!  Luckily I was home just in time to witness Panthers’ newcomer Nathan Robinson (who we find out today is a budding artist as well!) being ejected from the game after ‘accidentally’ getting his stick tangled up in Player/Coach Andrew Lord’s face! 

Like with many things in this game we love, there is some controversy surrounding the severity of Robinson’s punishment.  While it is entirely possible (and extremely unlikely – this is Nottingham after all!) that #91 was slightly off-balance from a previous encounter with Lord, many believe that this was completely intentional; the 5+game awarded was slightly surprising though. 

The Panthers’ own account of the game (which can be found here: http://www.panthers.co.uk/content/spirited-effort-panthers-defeat-and-injury-woe-cardiff) describes the event as Robinson being targeting and retaliating to what was dished out to him…. I’m sure we can all make our own minds up on the situation, eh?

Additionally, the piece also comments on several of the injury sustained by the Panthers’ side on Sunday night.  The most interesting comment was surrounding the injury to Brandon Benedict; the Panthers’ website is reporting he was taken to hospital after a ‘check to the head’.  While they have not confirmed or disclosed any details about the injury, it is also being reported on the Steelers’ website that Benedict will be missing this weekend’s games due to concussion (http://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/medical-staff-busy-for-both-steelers-and-panthers-p193844).  See why I’m so confused??  I guess it is just a case of watch this space for now…

The Panthers definitely seemed more awake after the first period break and some silly penalties for the Devils allowed them the space they needed to pull two goals back to bring them back within one going into the third period.  It definitely looked like things were looking up for the downtrodden side.

It was a case of who scores next wins… so thank the hockey gods for Andrew Lord!

With a spin-o-rama Crosby would have been proud of, Coach put the puck behind Kowalski (who, like most of the travelling team, was quite passive in the opening 20 before waking up and leading from the back for the rest of the game) and the game out of reach!  MOM Trevor Hendrikx added an extra tally to confirm the win and give the Devils those all important Challenge Cup points!!

This coming week sees the Red Army travelling across the Irish Sea to the Land of Guinness – Belfast beware!!  With Devils fans out in full force, it will be two incredible games so if you can’t make it to the O make sure you check out the webcast: https://live.belfastgiants.com// or the MNL: http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/mnl to keep up to date with every thing that happens as our boys continue to fight it out for those crucial league points!

Final scores for the Weekend.

Devils 3 - 2 Steelers (SO)
Devils 5 - 2 Panthers

You can check out more from Hollee here http://theworldofsportbyateengirl.blogspot.co.uk/