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Can the Devils win the league?
There is one team in the Elite League that is playing better than anyone else, and that’s Cardiff. The fact they have now won 12 matches on the spin is the sign of a team that really is playing without fear, they just are so supremely confident that they can beat anyone who is put in front of them, and to be fair that’s a position that any team would love to be in. So can win they win the league?
The last time that Cardiff Devils won a league title was way back in 1996-97 season, and for a team that had only been formed ten years previous then this seems a lifetime ago for the passionate South Wales hockey fraternity. Ups and downs have happened since, but now in his third full season in charge former Sheffield Steelers, London Knights and Edinburgh Capitals defenceman Gerad Adams seems to hit on a winning formula with the players at his disposal and perhaps the drought for them is possibly coming to an end.
So what has Adams done to make the team unbeatable? He’s just got them playing in a style that makes it so hard to overcome. Quite surprising really to see considering the majority of the team in the Devils uniform had been humiliated 5-1 on opening night in Sheffield, but Adams could be the man that becomes a new legend in club folklore if he brings success. One of the reasons why the Devils have been so unbeatable recently could be their home rink; very seldom does a visiting team go to the “Big Blue Tent” and be successful.
This confidence at home has transmitted itself into the road trips, and you just can’t see them being beaten at the moment. Even apart from the odd moment of madness from players such as Brad Voth, it’s a team that is just playing on their on the top of the game and that’s down to Adams’ astute recruitment of new faces such as Jon Pelle, Scott Matzka and former NHLer Craig Weller - all who have become firm fan favourites in their own right.
So do I think they can do it? Well, why not is what I say. They have the players to win a championship, Ryan Finnerty, Max Birbraer, and in Stevie Lyle: one of the best British netminders around alongside Belfast’s Stephen Murphy so it’s quite conceivable that they can do it. So what can stop them? Too much over-confidence and predictably injuries to key players which is something that they haven’t hit too much yet. Mark your cards now, they will be part of the shake up and Adams should be proud of what they have achieved so far. The best could be yet to come for all we know.
Mark
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-3 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-5 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
1-4 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
2-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|
5-8 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-2 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
3-7 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
1-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|
- Adam Walker
- Alex Birch
- Andy Pierce
- Chris Gent
- Christopher Beal
- Craig Simpson
- Dave Simms
- Elliott Stanley
- Gareth Chalmers
- James Broughton
- James Gordon
- Katy Madgwick
- Luke Catterson
- Mark Briggs
- Mark Duell
- Mat Young
- Patrick Smyth
- Promotion
- Russ Morrell
- Seanna Murdock
- Stephen Dowson
- Stewart Roberts
- Tom Forster
- Vicki Smart
- William Lyon
