Cardiff Devils vs Coventry Blaze 10/03/2012

  Hockey night in Cardiff and the Red Army welcomed (or not) the Coventry Blaze into the BBT for the usual fast, action packed game that occurs when these two teams get together.  The Devils were coming off a brilliant weekend, with an incredible win of the Braehead Clan on Friday, and a nail-biting 4-3 victory over the Dundee Stars.  On the other hand, we had Coventry, who were definitely flying after their four point weekend, two of those points coming from a thrilling 5-3 defeat over the Nottingham Panthers.  It was all to play for last night and neither team wanted to lose.

  Things started off slowly, with the majority of the first ten minutes being end to end play, both teams getting chances but not being able to capitalise.  We reached 6 minutes and the roof was lifted when, after Soderstrom was sent to the box for hooking, defensemen Kenton Smith shot the puck passed Hirsh, giving the Devils’ a one goal lead.  They managed to hold the lead until the 16^th minute, when Blaze’s MOM Kralj equalised.  With only a few minor penalties, the first finished 1-1.

  The second opened with a couple of penalties for the Blaze, though the Devils’ failed to convert any of their PP chances.  In fact, it was Coventry that got the next PP goal, with Devils’ Piggot in the box for slashing; the Blaze took the lead for the first time, with the credit going to Farmer. 

  The game began to heat up towards the end of the second, with Chris Frank starting the ball rolling by getting another 10 minute misconduct, this time for a check to the head.  With him off, you wouldn’t think there could be any more trouble.  But, at 34.25, Jurynec and Vanderveeken got into it.  No fighting majors were called but Veeks got 2 for roughing and Jurynec was awarded 2+5 for charging and a game for cross-checking.  Period finished 2-1 Blaze.

  Yet more minor penalties followed into the third, with neither side tallying.  The Red Army were starting to get desperate, until fledgling Adam Harding, currently playing on the top line whilst Burrows is out with an injury, scored the equaliser.  It was a tense final ten minutes, with both teams waiting for baited breath to see who would get the winner.

  In true Devils/Blaze fashion, the winner didn’t come until 61.47, when Devils’ Captain, Stuart MacRae, who is having a stellar second-half of the season, shot the puck passed Hirsh and gained the extra point for the Welsh side.

  The Devils’ are off to Sheffield tonight, heading towards a definitely showdown, as they try to catch third-place Nottingham and Sheffield battle to prove they are still in the title race.  Follow along at www.the-inferno.co.uk/match-night-live if you’re not travelling up to Sheffield, to see how the battle plays out.  Let’s go Devils!

Cardiff Devils @ Dundee Stars 03/03/2012

  Coming off a nail-biting win in Braehead the previous night, Cardiff were off to Dundee on Saturday night to continue their Scottish double header.  Fully capable of playing a four point weekend, the Devils were determined to show the Scots what they have got.

  Devils took the lead early on in the first, with MOM Stuart MacRae getting his first of three.  Unfortunately, Jarrett Knockle followed soon after, evening up the score.  McGoff followed after, getting the Stars second of the night on the powerplay, after both Gerad Adams and Chris Frank, who hadn’t played the previous night due to suspension, had been sent to the box; Frank for slashing and Adams for fighting after going a round with MOM Zarb.  The period ended 2-1 Devils, with words being traded between the two teams as they headed down the tunnel.

  Despite the tempo of the first period, the second passed with not much action, a few minor penalties at most.  Powerplays passed unsuccessfully and both teams were getting frustrated.  The whistle blew for the end of the second and the score was still 2-1.

  Teams came out for the third, and it seemed like the Stars were on a roll.  Within eight minutes of being on the ice, they were continuing the success from the first period, with McLean scoring Dundee’s third goal of the night.  But that wasn’t going to stop the Devils.  They were playing a clean, physical game (despite what was being said on twitter), and it was bound to pay off eventually.  The time came, and in great succession the Devils’ managed to level the score and finally take the lead.  With the Stars taking a succession of three penalties, the Devils’ were determined to take advantage, with Vanderveeken and MacRae tallying powerplay goals within minutes of each other.  

  With the score level, both teams were now pushing for that all important winner.  Things looked dim when the Devils’ took an unnecessary penalty, in the form of Josh Batch for hooking, but our top line was determined.  With just under two minutes remaining, Captain Stuart MacRae managed to score his hatrick goal, shorthanded, to win the game for Cardiff.

  Final score 4-3 Devils, and Cardiff now have a day off, and a full week to prepare for their clash with rivals Coventry Blaze on Saturday 10^th, when the Blaze come to visit the BBT.  Let’s go Devils!

Cardiff Devils @ Braehead Clan 02/03/2012

  It was a battle for fourth place on Friday night, and that is putting it lightly.  With all points crucial at the moment, it was a fight to the death between the Cardiff Devils and the Braehead Clan.  With the Devils’ travelling up north, being stuck on a bus for 10 hours, it was a question of whether we would see the normal first period action, of coach-legs, or if they would be a force to be reckoned with from the get-go.

  It definitely seemed like the Devils’ were gunning for blood throughout the first period.  If someone had predicted that Cardiff would be winning 4-0 at the end of the first, people would have laughed in their face… but that is exactly what happened.  American superstar, Jeff Pierce, welcomed the Devils into the game with a goal that came from nowhere, just 41 seconds in.  Linemate Stuart MacRae followed five minutes later, and Canadian defensemen Jamie Vanderveeken came out with Cardiff’s third goal at 14.26, with an incredible shot on the powerplay.  Just to round off the period, Matzka also slotted one home.  To give the period that extra bit of spice, Batch went for a round with Zajac, each getting 5 for fighting.

  Into the second, and it seemed that Braehead had finally woken up.  Much like the Devils’ had in the first, Braehead came out fighting and within less than a minute, had a pulled a goal back, courtesy of MOM Jordan Krestanovich.  Play went back and forth for ten minutes, with the Clan demonstrating just how awake they now were, before we entered some controversy.  At 29.35, Kevin Phillips shot the puck at Stevie Lyle, the puck going over Lyle’s right shoulder and seemingly rebounding off the cross bar.  Despite sighs of relief coming from Devils’ fans everywhere, the goal light came on and Phillips was off down the ice celebrating.  With Sky filming the game, the Ref, Hanson, went to video review.  Goal was given, with the puck clearly hitting the back corner before bouncing out, and it was 4-2 Devils.  No further goals followed in the second, and it was off to the third.

  After a quiet second period, the Devils seemed more into the game, coming out into the third.  They applied severe pressure but just couldn’t get the puck past Suomalianen.  Down at the other end, there was another debatable call, with Hanson disallowing a Clan goal, on the grounds that the net was off its moorings.  But this wasn’t going to slow the Clan.  At 43.58, Ryan Campbell brought the Clan within one, but they just couldn’t get that final goal to push the game into overtime.  Game finished 4-3 Devils, the Welsh side winning by the skin of their teeth and gaining those two extra points to push seven points clear of Braehead.