Devils 2, Blaze 0 - Final
It's that time again, and the Cardiff Devils are in Coventry tonight, showing the Blaze that preseason was just a warm up. Coming off a win against the Hull Stingrays last night, Devils are out in force and raring to go! As of last night, we have power-house forward Max Birbraer back, but we are also missing Luke Piggot, as he is back with the ENL Devils tonight, who are taking on the Bracknell Hornets at the BBT. Speaking of the BBT, some people have been saying it is looking a little empty these days.... you should see the Skydome! Compared to the Skydome, it would seem like the BBT is turning people away!
The first period finished scoreless in Coventry, with end-to-end play throughout the period. Both teams have seen some excellent goal-tending, both from Stevie Lyle and from Coventry's Peter Hirsch. Equal to that, we have also seen some incredible shots from opposite ends of the ice, the puck hitting the pipes several times.
As well as big saves, we have seen big hits, most coming from Canadian giant Brad Voth. He has put many players on the ice, in addition to taking a few hard checks himself. The period has seen only three minor penalties, two of those going to Cardiff -causing a 5-on-3 for Coventry, although they failed to capitalize- both for hooking. Going into the second, both teams were looking for that opening goal.
And, just over seven minutes into the second, player/assistant coach Scott Matzka managed to get Cardiff on the scoreboard, with an nice set up from Jeff Pierce and Max Birbraer, who is playing like he was never away. Chances came for both sides, as Coventry tried to level the score.
The second twenty minutes saw a couple of interesting penalties, with the Blaze side trying to get Cardiff forward Brad Voth fired up, with little success. Both Bryan Jurynec and Mike McClean had go, dropping the gloves to try and entice the big enforcer but Voth just didn't want to know, which is strange for number 26, who isn't unfamiliar to dropping the gloves. Saying that, Voth has yet to drop 'em this season, although he has had plenty of opportunity. Anyway, we also saw a slash from Cowley and a cheeky trip from Batch. Second finishes with Devils 1-0 up.
Going into the third, it was all or nothing for the Coventry Blaze, who, having not won a game in the challenge cup, were desperate for those two points. Unfortunately, despite playing good hockey for most of the game, the Blaze could not get past the wall of white blocking the Cardiff goal. The man himself, Stevie Lyle, gave a show stopping performance all night long, earning himself a shutout and the man of match award.
Whilst Lyle held strong at one end of the ice, the Cardiff forwards were working hard to solidify the win. With shot after shot going towards the net, the Devils were determined. Blaze tender, Peter Hirsch, remained solid for most of the third, even after getting a skate to the helmet when one of his defensemen came hurtling towards him. Despite his brilliant performance for most of the night, the Dane couldn't stop Brit Sam Smith from adding his name to the score sheet and the game finished 2-0 Devils.
Both teams played exceptionally well and it was a great game to watch, whether you were in the Skydome or watching the webcast. Next game is on Saturday, up in Scotland, where the Devils take on the Braehead Clan, who have had a fantastic start to the season. If you can't make it up there, be sure to follow along on http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/mnl/. Let's go Devils!
Sunday 25 September 2011
Saturday 24 September 2011
Cardiff Devils vs Hull Stingrays 24/09/11
Devils 4, Stingrays 2 - Final
It's Saturday night, and we all know what that means! Down at the BBT, the Cardiff Devils host the Hull Stingrays. Coming from mixed results last weekend, the Devils were out to prove something. After a 4-2 win, the Devils banked those precious two points.
Things started out slow in The Tent tonight, with the First going past scoreless. Both teams came close many times. Max Birbraer, fresh from an injury, was hitting the pipes all through the period, with Captain Stuart MacRae not far behind him. The third line, consisting of Sam Smith, Scott Dobben and Ben Davies, were on fire throughout.
After a scoreless twenty minutes, and an additional fifteen for the intermission, the Devils came out ready for anything. Gunning to be the first on the scoreboard, the Devils through everything they had at the Stingrays' goal. Up until 1:39 in the Second, the Stingrays' goaltender, Christian Boucher, had remained solid, but after many attempts, Devils managed to get one through, coming off the stick of Brad Voth, with the help of Phil Hill and Stuart MacRae.
For most of the period following the Devils' first goal, Boucher held the Cardiff forwards back, keeping them from doubling the lead. It wasn't until just under five minutes before the second intermission, that Scott Dobben managed to finally double the lead. Score after two periods, 2-0 Devils.
Now, this is when the game starts to heat up. It's almost like the Hull management gave the Stingrays a real talking to. And the pep-talk seemed to have worked. It wasn't long after coming out of the locker rooms, that the Stingrays managed to pull one back. There were even a few roughing calls made, the penalties going to both sides, making the game a little more interesting.
But that didn't seemed to be enough, as, just five minutes after Hull managed to close the gap on the Devils, Cardiff opened up that gap again. The third Devils' goal came from number 12, Scott Dobben, his second of the night and part of the reason he was awarded the Man of the Match award. Cardiff now on a roll, young Brit Ben Davies, who had been close to scoring all night, added the fourth and final goal for the Welsh side, the assists going to fellow Brit Sam Smith and MOM Scott Dobben.
In a last ditch attempt to level the score, with about four minutes left of the game, Hull shot one at the net and managed to beat Stevie Lyle to get one final goal. Final score Devils 4, Stingrays 2.
Be sure to follow along with tomorrow night's game in Coventry, on http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/mnl/, if you can't get up to the game. Good luck, boys; Let's Go Devils!
It's Saturday night, and we all know what that means! Down at the BBT, the Cardiff Devils host the Hull Stingrays. Coming from mixed results last weekend, the Devils were out to prove something. After a 4-2 win, the Devils banked those precious two points.
Things started out slow in The Tent tonight, with the First going past scoreless. Both teams came close many times. Max Birbraer, fresh from an injury, was hitting the pipes all through the period, with Captain Stuart MacRae not far behind him. The third line, consisting of Sam Smith, Scott Dobben and Ben Davies, were on fire throughout.
After a scoreless twenty minutes, and an additional fifteen for the intermission, the Devils came out ready for anything. Gunning to be the first on the scoreboard, the Devils through everything they had at the Stingrays' goal. Up until 1:39 in the Second, the Stingrays' goaltender, Christian Boucher, had remained solid, but after many attempts, Devils managed to get one through, coming off the stick of Brad Voth, with the help of Phil Hill and Stuart MacRae.
For most of the period following the Devils' first goal, Boucher held the Cardiff forwards back, keeping them from doubling the lead. It wasn't until just under five minutes before the second intermission, that Scott Dobben managed to finally double the lead. Score after two periods, 2-0 Devils.
Now, this is when the game starts to heat up. It's almost like the Hull management gave the Stingrays a real talking to. And the pep-talk seemed to have worked. It wasn't long after coming out of the locker rooms, that the Stingrays managed to pull one back. There were even a few roughing calls made, the penalties going to both sides, making the game a little more interesting.
But that didn't seemed to be enough, as, just five minutes after Hull managed to close the gap on the Devils, Cardiff opened up that gap again. The third Devils' goal came from number 12, Scott Dobben, his second of the night and part of the reason he was awarded the Man of the Match award. Cardiff now on a roll, young Brit Ben Davies, who had been close to scoring all night, added the fourth and final goal for the Welsh side, the assists going to fellow Brit Sam Smith and MOM Scott Dobben.
In a last ditch attempt to level the score, with about four minutes left of the game, Hull shot one at the net and managed to beat Stevie Lyle to get one final goal. Final score Devils 4, Stingrays 2.
Be sure to follow along with tomorrow night's game in Coventry, on http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/mnl/, if you can't get up to the game. Good luck, boys; Let's Go Devils!
Sunday 18 September 2011
Cardiff Devils @ Sheffield Steelers 18/09/11
Devils 3, Steelers 5 - Final
Coming off a 4-0 victory over the Steelers last night, everything seemed right for the Cardiff Devils tonight. Heading up to Sheffield with high hopes for a four-point weekend, everyone was excited. With the Wales Rugby Team beating Samoa this morning, it was destined to be a Welsh Weekend; unfortunately, not everything could go our way.
As they have for the last few games, things started out well. 1:49 in the first period, young Brit Ben Davies set fellow Brit Sam Smith up with an incredible pass, and he put it in the back of the net, giving the Devils a 1-0 lead earlier on. The first continued with many chances for both teams, and several minor penalties for both teams. Despite a couple of power-plays, the Devils couldn't extend their lead, but also managed to fend off the Steelers on the few power-plays they got, Stevie Lyle making some amazing saves. First period ended 1-0 Devils.
The second saw the Steelers hit back with two goals of their own. Their first, both in the period and in the game, was scored by new Player/Coach Ryan Finnerty, with the second coming from Clark five minutes later, making the score 2-1. But the Devils weren't beaten yet. Just over two minutes after Clark slid one past Lyle, Phil Hill, who had a great night last night after netting two of the Devils' four goals, broke away whilst shorthanded and managed to lift the puck past DeCaro. With the score now level, both teams were fighting for that extra goal. Luckily for the Red Army, it came off the stick of Devils' Man of the Match, number 93, Jeff Pierce. Second period finished 3-2 Devils.
In came the third and out went the Devils. Leading the game 3-2, all the Devils had to do was hold on for twenty minutes. And they did a good job of trying for the first twelve. Unfortunately, at 52:07, Jason Hewitt equalized for Sheffield. With their luck turning, the Steelers were on a roll. Despite the Devils' defense trying their hardest, and doing well for the most, Mike Ramsey also slotted one passed Lyle, just over a minute after Hewitt. For the last seven minutes, Cardiff tried their damnedest to get through the Steelers' defense and passed DeCaro, but unfortunately DeCaro was a brick wall! Just to round off the night, Steelers' RW Ramsay added a second to his tally, whilst the Steelers were shorthanded. Final score Devils 3, Steelers 5.
Despite the score on the board at the end of the sixty minutes, the Devils are definitely playing better. Two points is better than none. Next game is on Saturday, back at the BBT, where the Stingrays will be coming to town! Turns out we may even have Max back! Let's Go Devils!
Coming off a 4-0 victory over the Steelers last night, everything seemed right for the Cardiff Devils tonight. Heading up to Sheffield with high hopes for a four-point weekend, everyone was excited. With the Wales Rugby Team beating Samoa this morning, it was destined to be a Welsh Weekend; unfortunately, not everything could go our way.
As they have for the last few games, things started out well. 1:49 in the first period, young Brit Ben Davies set fellow Brit Sam Smith up with an incredible pass, and he put it in the back of the net, giving the Devils a 1-0 lead earlier on. The first continued with many chances for both teams, and several minor penalties for both teams. Despite a couple of power-plays, the Devils couldn't extend their lead, but also managed to fend off the Steelers on the few power-plays they got, Stevie Lyle making some amazing saves. First period ended 1-0 Devils.
The second saw the Steelers hit back with two goals of their own. Their first, both in the period and in the game, was scored by new Player/Coach Ryan Finnerty, with the second coming from Clark five minutes later, making the score 2-1. But the Devils weren't beaten yet. Just over two minutes after Clark slid one past Lyle, Phil Hill, who had a great night last night after netting two of the Devils' four goals, broke away whilst shorthanded and managed to lift the puck past DeCaro. With the score now level, both teams were fighting for that extra goal. Luckily for the Red Army, it came off the stick of Devils' Man of the Match, number 93, Jeff Pierce. Second period finished 3-2 Devils.
In came the third and out went the Devils. Leading the game 3-2, all the Devils had to do was hold on for twenty minutes. And they did a good job of trying for the first twelve. Unfortunately, at 52:07, Jason Hewitt equalized for Sheffield. With their luck turning, the Steelers were on a roll. Despite the Devils' defense trying their hardest, and doing well for the most, Mike Ramsey also slotted one passed Lyle, just over a minute after Hewitt. For the last seven minutes, Cardiff tried their damnedest to get through the Steelers' defense and passed DeCaro, but unfortunately DeCaro was a brick wall! Just to round off the night, Steelers' RW Ramsay added a second to his tally, whilst the Steelers were shorthanded. Final score Devils 3, Steelers 5.
Despite the score on the board at the end of the sixty minutes, the Devils are definitely playing better. Two points is better than none. Next game is on Saturday, back at the BBT, where the Stingrays will be coming to town! Turns out we may even have Max back! Let's Go Devils!
Saturday 17 September 2011
Cardiff Devils vs Sheffield Steelers 17/09/11
Devils 4, Steelers 0 - Final
The boys are back! After being shot out in the shoot-out last weekend, the Devils sure did show the League what they are made of tonight! With former captain Ryan Finnerty back in the BBT with his new team, the Steelers, it was sure to be an interesting night; it definitely didn't disappoint.
From penalties to goals, fights to saves, this game had it all. From earlier on it was clear that the guys in red meant business. For most of the night, every Devils' fan in the BBT was on their feet. Just three minutes into the game, power forward Phil Hill started the ball, or puck, rolling. With the help of Canadian Brad Voth, Hill managed to give the Devils a one-goal lead. The next ten minutes saw a couple of minor penalties, before the Devils hit out again. The second goal, also scored by the British silver medalist Phil Hill, came in the twelfth minute of the first period. After a couple of interference penalties on Sheffield, Cardiff soon found themselves on another power play. Thankfully, after a couple of extra practices last week, the guys have got their PP skills back up and took advance of their extra players. Third goal came from number 93, Jeff Pierce, at 19:46 in the first.
While the first period saw the majority of the goals, the second saw the first of the interesting penalties. After witnessing former-Devil Ryan Finnerty have words with new signing Scott Dobben in the first, everyone knew this would be a physical game. With Voth not having dropped the gloves yet this season, it will only be a matter of time. Unfortunately for all fans who wanted to see the two toughest guys in the league go at it, Voth stayed clear of the fighting majors tonight, although he did get a few hard checks in through the night. No, in tonight's game, it was all about Frank the Tank. And let's just say that Frank was tanking it out there on the ice. Him and the Steelers' King both got five minutes majors in the second, although the fight did not look over by any means. Not evens ten minutes later, they were both back in the box, after dropping the gloves for a second time in the second. No goals came in the second, so the period finished 3-0 Devils.
After dominating the first forty minutes, the Devils were not going to let anything get in their way. With their lead already at three, the Devils sought to get just one more to cement the victory. Their wish was granted at 43:01, when Brad Voth slid a fourth and final goal past DeCaro. Final score: Devils 4, Steelers 0.
Collecting the much needed two points has put Cardiff back on track, and Brad Voth collected the Devils' MOM award. All in all, a great night for the Red Army. Let's hope that Wales don't disappoint tomorrow morning. Next game is tomorrow night, up in Sheffield, for the rematch! Check it out on http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/match-night-live/ from 4pm (face-off at 5pm). Let's Go Devils!
The boys are back! After being shot out in the shoot-out last weekend, the Devils sure did show the League what they are made of tonight! With former captain Ryan Finnerty back in the BBT with his new team, the Steelers, it was sure to be an interesting night; it definitely didn't disappoint.
From penalties to goals, fights to saves, this game had it all. From earlier on it was clear that the guys in red meant business. For most of the night, every Devils' fan in the BBT was on their feet. Just three minutes into the game, power forward Phil Hill started the ball, or puck, rolling. With the help of Canadian Brad Voth, Hill managed to give the Devils a one-goal lead. The next ten minutes saw a couple of minor penalties, before the Devils hit out again. The second goal, also scored by the British silver medalist Phil Hill, came in the twelfth minute of the first period. After a couple of interference penalties on Sheffield, Cardiff soon found themselves on another power play. Thankfully, after a couple of extra practices last week, the guys have got their PP skills back up and took advance of their extra players. Third goal came from number 93, Jeff Pierce, at 19:46 in the first.
While the first period saw the majority of the goals, the second saw the first of the interesting penalties. After witnessing former-Devil Ryan Finnerty have words with new signing Scott Dobben in the first, everyone knew this would be a physical game. With Voth not having dropped the gloves yet this season, it will only be a matter of time. Unfortunately for all fans who wanted to see the two toughest guys in the league go at it, Voth stayed clear of the fighting majors tonight, although he did get a few hard checks in through the night. No, in tonight's game, it was all about Frank the Tank. And let's just say that Frank was tanking it out there on the ice. Him and the Steelers' King both got five minutes majors in the second, although the fight did not look over by any means. Not evens ten minutes later, they were both back in the box, after dropping the gloves for a second time in the second. No goals came in the second, so the period finished 3-0 Devils.
After dominating the first forty minutes, the Devils were not going to let anything get in their way. With their lead already at three, the Devils sought to get just one more to cement the victory. Their wish was granted at 43:01, when Brad Voth slid a fourth and final goal past DeCaro. Final score: Devils 4, Steelers 0.
Collecting the much needed two points has put Cardiff back on track, and Brad Voth collected the Devils' MOM award. All in all, a great night for the Red Army. Let's hope that Wales don't disappoint tomorrow morning. Next game is tomorrow night, up in Sheffield, for the rematch! Check it out on http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/match-night-live/ from 4pm (face-off at 5pm). Let's Go Devils!
Saturday 10 September 2011
Cardiff Devils vs Belfast Giants 10/09/11
Devils 3, Giants 4 - SO Final
It was Hockey Night in Cardiff tonight and it was sure to be
a good one, with the Belfast Giants coming to town. With both recent transfer Jon Pelle and our
very own Max Birbraer out with injury, it was certain that both teams would struggle a little
without key players on the ice. Despite
this, both teams managed to accumulate three goals and fought their way
through three regular periods, one overtime period and a shootout.
Unfortunately, shootouts are not a Devils’
strong point and Belfast came away with the extra point.
With it being the ten-year-anniversary of
9/11 on Sunday, the BBT was silent for two minutes prior to the singing of the
national anthem, but this extra time seemed to get the Devils pumped up extra
tight, because, just short of a minute in, up-and-coming Brit Sam Smith shot
the puck into the back of the net. New
import Jeff Pierce, who had a tremendous game last Sunday, netting two of the four goals against the Panthers, followed Smith’s lead,
and doubled the Devils’ lead to two. This put them 2-0 up before two minutes of
play had even passed.
However, not wanting
to feel left out, the Giants pulled it back to a one goal game, when Craig
Peacock shot one passed Lyle. The Devils’
own giant, Canadian Brad Voth, obviously didn’t like this, as he came back with
the Devils’ third goal, at 13:48 in the 1st. To round off the 1st, Matzka got
himself ten minute misconduct.
Now the 1st
may have seen an onslaught of goals, the 2nd brought an onslaught of
penalties. Everyone knows that Cardiff is
the tallest, and most probably the heaviest, team in the league and they weren’t
afraid to use their size tonight.
Whether it was coming from Voth who, at 6’5”, is intimidating to just
stand next, or Smith, who doesn’t usually dish out the hits, the Giants will
definitely have some ice-shaped bruises in the morning. Some were even self-inflicted…
With Belfast getting
a goal halfway through the 2nd, the score was 3-2 going into the 3rd,
which served to be one of the calmer periods of play. Most of the handbags were thrown in the 2nd,
so everyone was now focused on getting that extra goal. Unfortunately for Devils' fans, the goal came for the Giants, when Garside pushed on passed
Lyle. Due to neither side being able to
get a lead in the last few minutes, although both sides came pretty close, the
game went into overtime.
Just like throughout the rest of the game, the overtime period saw penalties and near chances, but nothing played out for either team. Finally, it came down to the shootout. Belfast shot first, missing, with our own Captain following in the same. The next two shooters, one Giant and one Devils, both missed. Scott Matzka stepped up and had his saved by Murphy. Coming up for his second shot, the Giants’ Douchet managed to post one in the back of the next. If our final shooter failed to score, it was game over. And, boy, did that fat lady sing when MacRae’s shot missed its target.
Just like throughout the rest of the game, the overtime period saw penalties and near chances, but nothing played out for either team. Finally, it came down to the shootout. Belfast shot first, missing, with our own Captain following in the same. The next two shooters, one Giant and one Devils, both missed. Scott Matzka stepped up and had his saved by Murphy. Coming up for his second shot, the Giants’ Douchet managed to post one in the back of the next. If our final shooter failed to score, it was game over. And, boy, did that fat lady sing when MacRae’s shot missed its target.
But never mind,
there’s always next time. Next game is next
Saturday, when former captain Ryan Finnerty returns to the BBT with the
Sheffield Steelers. Let’s Go Devils!
Sunday 4 September 2011
Cardiff Devils vs Nottingham Panthers 04/09/11
Devils 4, Panthers 1 - Final
Just like we all knew they would, the Devils served the Panthers their just desserts tonight. Revenge was sweet with a 4-1 final score, and the Panthers left buried in the boards were just a bonus. From the great defence to the aggressive forwards, Cardiff were a completely different team.
Although the first period ended scoreless, there were definitely some incredible plays made by both teams. At both ends, goaltenders Stevie Lyle and Craig Kowalski made some spectacular saves, with lightening fast gloves and pads, each earning themselves the corresponding man of the match award. Mark Richardson, number 17 for the Devils, demonstrated excellent defensive manoeuvres, using his body, stick and skates. As with the defensemen, the forwards were definitely playing a different game.
Unlike in last night's game, when he was described as timid, Phil Hill was one of the most aggressive players on the game, earning several trips to the penalty box. Also showing his somewhat aggressive nature was Canadian Brad Voth, who traded insults with Panthers' player Guillaume Lepine, who had been the thorn in Voth's side for most of last night's game as well. Although Devils' fans were spared from the refereeing of Mick Hicks for a second straight night, there were some unjust penalties called throughout the first.
The second saw the need fro the twine in the back of the net. With three of the five total goals being scored in the second, it was starting to heat up. The first goal of the night came off the stick Panthers' number 5, David Clarke. But, in light of the defeat handed to the Devils last night, they weren't going to let the rivals get too far ahead. Little over a minute later saw Devils' number 8, Tim Burrows, bury the puck in the back of the net behind Kowalski. With just over 10 minutes left in the second, new signing Jeff Pierce sent the puck into the twine to double the Devils' lead.
With the boys 2-1 up at the end of the second, there wasn't a Devils' fan in the Tent without a smile on their face. These gleeful smiles turned to full out grins when another new Devils' signing, Scott Dobben, added yet another goal. Jeff Pierce finished the night off with his second, with just 2:39 left in the game.
So with a win under their belts and a smile on their faces, the Devils saluted their fans before leaving the ice. The next match is against Belfast on Saturday 10th September, at the BBT. Let's Go Devils!
Just like we all knew they would, the Devils served the Panthers their just desserts tonight. Revenge was sweet with a 4-1 final score, and the Panthers left buried in the boards were just a bonus. From the great defence to the aggressive forwards, Cardiff were a completely different team.
Although the first period ended scoreless, there were definitely some incredible plays made by both teams. At both ends, goaltenders Stevie Lyle and Craig Kowalski made some spectacular saves, with lightening fast gloves and pads, each earning themselves the corresponding man of the match award. Mark Richardson, number 17 for the Devils, demonstrated excellent defensive manoeuvres, using his body, stick and skates. As with the defensemen, the forwards were definitely playing a different game.
Unlike in last night's game, when he was described as timid, Phil Hill was one of the most aggressive players on the game, earning several trips to the penalty box. Also showing his somewhat aggressive nature was Canadian Brad Voth, who traded insults with Panthers' player Guillaume Lepine, who had been the thorn in Voth's side for most of last night's game as well. Although Devils' fans were spared from the refereeing of Mick Hicks for a second straight night, there were some unjust penalties called throughout the first.
The second saw the need fro the twine in the back of the net. With three of the five total goals being scored in the second, it was starting to heat up. The first goal of the night came off the stick Panthers' number 5, David Clarke. But, in light of the defeat handed to the Devils last night, they weren't going to let the rivals get too far ahead. Little over a minute later saw Devils' number 8, Tim Burrows, bury the puck in the back of the net behind Kowalski. With just over 10 minutes left in the second, new signing Jeff Pierce sent the puck into the twine to double the Devils' lead.
With the boys 2-1 up at the end of the second, there wasn't a Devils' fan in the Tent without a smile on their face. These gleeful smiles turned to full out grins when another new Devils' signing, Scott Dobben, added yet another goal. Jeff Pierce finished the night off with his second, with just 2:39 left in the game.
So with a win under their belts and a smile on their faces, the Devils saluted their fans before leaving the ice. The next match is against Belfast on Saturday 10th September, at the BBT. Let's Go Devils!
Saturday 3 September 2011
Cardiff Devils @ Nottingham Panthers 03/09/11
Devils 1, Panthers 6 - Final
The season is finally upon us, and the Devils kicked off in spectacular fashion… with a spectacular loss. It was the theory circling the Red Army that, although we knew this opening weekend would be hard, this would be a chance to show that we can better the Panthers despite what the playoff final demonstrated. Unfortunately, we haven’t got off to the best of starts. With over three hundred fans making the long, tedious journey up to Nottingham, it was definite that everyone was excited to see the team play.
The season is finally upon us, and the Devils kicked off in spectacular fashion… with a spectacular loss. It was the theory circling the Red Army that, although we knew this opening weekend would be hard, this would be a chance to show that we can better the Panthers despite what the playoff final demonstrated. Unfortunately, we haven’t got off to the best of starts. With over three hundred fans making the long, tedious journey up to Nottingham, it was definite that everyone was excited to see the team play.
With the Devils in black, we knew they meant business. Despite missing number 23, Max Birbraer – thought to be due to a possible injury sustained in Wednesday’s preseason game against Coventry-, the team looked strong at the start; also missing from the bench was bench coach Neil Francis, who was served with a match penalty at the end of the playoff final. Additions to the line up came in the form of Adam Harding and Luke Piggott, who played in the 7-3 defeat to Coventry on Wednesday.
With the Panthers making two early trips to the penalty box, both before a minute had past, the boys in black were dominating the game. With newly appointed Captain Stuart MacRae coming extremely close, forward Sam Smith put the Devils ahead with a goal at just 2:20 into the game. From then the Devils stayed strong, even when coach and assistant coach, Gerad Adams and Scott Matzka took penalties within seconds of each other. The Devils managed to hold the Panthers back and successfully killed both penalties.
With the Devils’ lines taking a new form, everything started to go a bit haywire. We are used to seeing Voth with Hill, but tonight Voth played with Burrows and Davies. Phil Hill was even described to be looking a little timid throughout the night. Although I don’t personally think so, some people could put the first, if not all the Panthers’ goals down to the unfamiliarity of the Devils’ lines. But for whatever the reason, the Panthers came back with a goal of their own at 9:53 of the first period. The second came at 16:00, on the power-play. The first period ended 2-1 Panthers.
In the second period, the Devils’ defense was all over the place, with the forwards not far behind. On the power-play we got no shots and on the power-kill we conceded too many. We were able to fall back on the amazing skills of goaltender Stevie Lyle for a while, most fans hoping that things would pick up, but it was only a matter of time before Stevie folded. Third Panthers goal came at 30:55 on the power-play.
During the second, it looked like the Devils might be able to pull it back a little. Just before the third Panthers goal, Jeff Pierce broke away towards the net. Now, unfortunately for Devils’ fans, Mike Hicks was refereeing the game, and when Pierce was tripped from behind during his breakaway, Hicks called slashing and sent him to the box, instead of giving Pierce a penalty shot. If anyone was at the Cardiff/Nottingham game at the BBT in February, then you will know what it feels like to witness a game refereed by Hicks. This game was no different. Before the second period ended, Beauregard of the Panthers, who scored the second goal for the home team, managed to extend their lead to 5-1, gaining himself the two goals needed for a hat-trick.
Despite the quality of play throughout most of the first two periods, the Devils started the third strongly. For most of the last 20:00, both teams played an end-to-end game, with not much happening. However, despite the pick-up in play for the Devils, they were not able to hold back David Clarke from adding a final sixth goal to the tally, leaving the final score at 6-1 Panthers. Man of the match for Cardiff was number 17, Mark Richardson, with Jordan Fox getting the award for the home team.
Hope anyone travelling back from the game has a safe trip. The Devils play the Panthers at the BBT tomorrow night, puck drop at 6pm, and it is sure to be an interesting game… especially due to the change in referee!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)