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Some you win, some you lose
Coming out of the House of Steel on Saturday night felt like the proverbial train wreck. But then again it was going to happen sometime, it’s not as if we hadn’t been warned. Nobody is going to steamroll everyone else in the League, and although Cardiff did try to do that, the Elite is so balanced that anyone can beat anyone and anywhere on a given night. That’s exactly what happened on Saturday against Hull for the Steelers.
Looking back in hindsight, we had made hard work of a Dundee side that has improved remarkably since that terrible 0-15 start they endured in the early part of the season so maybe the warning signs were already there. You can ill afford to take an off night if you are chasing Championships, unless the points cushion is so comfy. With teams below you having games in hand, it’s imperative that you keep on winning and make it mathematically impossible for them. That’s what Steelers have to do now.
It’s now become a three horse race after the Dundee win ruled out the Panthers chances for another season. Steelers are still in the box seat, five clear of Belfast and eight ahead of Cardiff. Both chasing clubs have matches in hand, the Giants one and the Devils two. Come this weekend, these games in hand will be gone as Hull go to both South Wales and Northern Ireland and underachieving (I think that is an apt phrase) Coventry entertain Cardiff live on Sky Friday night. Should the chasers win these games, the gap shortens again to three ahead of Belfast and four ahead of Cardiff but it will be a level playing field.
I’m compiling this bog before Hull’s visit to Cardiff so excuse me if this looks lopsided after the result there. Hull I think will have a point to prove to themselves mainly when they go to the Big Blue Tent though, the 12-0 loss will be in the back of their minds and redemption is paramount. They probably think they owe Cardiff one and if they play like they did against Steelers then they have a chance to win as Cardiff are not the force as they were when they were on that remarkable run. It’s all about bringing your A-Game onto the ice and they certainly brought that last Saturday.
Saying that, Steelers also contributed to their own downfall in probably the shock result of the weekend. Passes going astray, chances being tossed aside and of course picking dumb penalties up. When you run into penalty trouble, you are facing a mountain in front of you. Seeing two of the powerplay unit ejected too further adds to the woes, the remaining guys have to pull major rabbits out of the hat if you are going to keep the W. Sure some of the decisions made by Mr C baffled people but when you are seasoned pros like Legue and Sarich then you have to just try and keep cool even though you feel hard done by. Credit to Sylvain Cloutier though on a great win for a side that almost didn’t take to the ice at all this season.
So onto Belfast and Nottingham we go, and for me – the former as a road trip. Yup, I’ll be in the “O” Saturday night hoping for the right result. We’ve won in both barns this season so there is no reason why we can’t do it again. We have it in us to make it happen and get across the finishing line first, and that would be the mantra I’d preach into the players if I was Ben Simon. Winning both games will be massive, it will be on a par with the Cardiff wins a fortnight ago and if it does happen then the Hull loss will be a distant memory. We simply are in control of our own destiny; it’s up to us to make sure.
Please follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hockeybhoy but yours as always in hockey on here.
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
