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This is what it all boils down to
And so it comes down to one weekend, one weekend where the destiny of the 2011 Elite League title is decided. Will it head back to Northern Ireland and to Belfast Giants for the first time since 2006, will Cardiff Devils land their first championship since 1996 or will be in Sheffield again for the second time in the space of three years. One of them is bound to celebrate, consigning the others to despair and thinking what might have been if it wasn’t for a certain part of the season.
Naturally as you know I am a Steeler, so I want to be the one dancing with joy this forthcoming Sunday evening. But if we don’t then we will look back and see where it all went wrong, the three game spell near the end of season. Belfast have had their rocky spell too, around Christmas, and Cardiff will point to the five game absence of Tylor Michel as their jittery period. Excuses aside, the three sides in the race are the best in the country by far this season and one of them will be deservingly crowned as champions.
As the table stands, Steelers are on top due to more regulation wins than Cardiff, with Belfast just a point behind. Therefore no room for error on any team’s part, a loss could quite easily sound the death knell of the title dream. You really in fact could not have scripted this any better; it’s a Hollywood director’s dream - a real nerve jangler and one that has you gripped firmly in anticipation to what is going to happen next.
So let’s look at the games left for each side, and pure theatrical style - we’ll do it in reverse order so that means Belfast first (sorry Pete). Before the weekend, the Giants have a small manner of the second leg of the Challenge Cup Final against Nottingham to contend with and with a 3-1 deficit to pull back. I think they will do this as the “O” will be rammed with noise to make Doug’s boys succeed. However, looking at their weekend fixtures, it isn’t easy. Saturday night in Nottingham and then a Sunday in Coventry. Both opponents have major points to prove in front of their own support, and particularly if the Giants have won the Cup then the Panthers will be out for revenge. It really is one of hell of a task.
Now onto Cardiff. On paper, they have the easiest of the three. Coventry in the Big Blue Tent and then away to the unfortunate Capitals in Edinburgh. Yet they struggled to break down a Panthers side minus four imports this weekend, and the question is will Coventry be out for redemption after that gubbing live on Sky Sports the other week? It really does depend on which Coventry team turns up, the one that is awesome or the one that slunks down into a corner when the chips are down. The Devils will win on Sunday though; you really can take that as a given.
Finally, the Steelers, who have a double header against Braehead. Again not easy opponents and I’m sure that Bruce will have his men well up for these games; after all he is an ex-Panther and will love to upset the folks in Sheffield as much as he did when he wore the black and gold. Brendan Cook will be a goal threat as will former NHL star Jordan Krestanovich so the Clan cannot be underestimated at all. The fact they have blanked out the Steelers in the own barn, 4-0, and a 7-1 home thumping of Cardiff indicates they have the ability to ruin anyone’s dreams in their first season at Elite League level.
So will win it then? I still believe Steelers will clinch it but it’s going to take a home win to do it on regulation wins as they and Cardiff will not be separated on points. Belfast, although as much as I love their tremendous support and people over there, will falter away after Nottingham have got revenge for a Challenge Cup loss in the NIC. But then again I might be wrong; it’s such a tight call that nobody would have predicted happening way back in September when the first puck dropped. As for the play-offs, don’t even get me started on them yet although I have started growing my beard much to the annoyance of the two most important women in my life - namely the missus and my Mam. Things I do for hockey….
Follow me also on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/hockeybhoy
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 |
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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
