Nottingham double up in Belfast

by Seanna Murdock

Blog from Door 19

Nottingham Double Header; Friday 14th January

The Nottingham double header last season had an amazing atmosphere and it was great to start off a new tradition between Belfast and the Panthers. The great time that I had last season built up massive expectations and writing this on Saturday morning I have thus far not been disappointed! The Giants in a nut shell played a very scrappy game for two periods and couldn’t buy a goal, but the third had me on my feet, jumping up and down, almost in tears, feeling elation, heartbreak and wanting to slap Darnell (as usual); I can't remember the last time that I enjoyed myself this much at a match and I just hope the second match yields a better result and that there's another amazing atmosphere there on Saturday.

My tickets for WWE and my very first away match had been booked and all arrangements had been made. After nearly two weeks with no hockey I was really looking forward to the weekend. Getting home from a hard day at work looking after 18 kids I pulled on my new jersey and headed to the Odyssey. Still no sign of my Rockies article in the Top Shelf; I just thought that the Giants Organisation would have liked to show some support to a major sponsor and to someone who was supposedly running the Giant's official sports bar- All I'm saying is that I did my part and showed my support.

Anyway, it was great to see Colin Hemingway back and the team was looking strong. Of course everybody’s favourite defenceman and Coach (that God forbid anyone would say a bad word about or hundreds of Belfast fans start posting their love for him) Corey Neilson was warming up for the game, falling over several times as usual. Not surprising as he does ice himself for sixty minutes a game. Taking our seats it was great to see the away block filled, there would be a really competitive atmosphere with the fans trying to out-cheer each other. The Zamboni had done it's rounds and out skated the officials- Darnell was presiding over the double header- suffice to say a lot of his calls were inexplicable as usual and he seriously needs to crack open that Elite League rule book that's probably still in it's shrink wrap.

The Panthers fans exploded into applause as their team took to the ice, but the Giant's fans were louder. Both teams looked strong and neither had a short bench. The match started (and continued for two periods) to be dominated by the Panthers. D.A. Beauregard scored after thirteen minutes and Bellamy scored halfway through the second doubling the Panther's lead. Contrary to Peter’s predictions, Guillaume Lepine was very quiet, not antagonising as the visitors weren't losing. The second period ended and it looked as if the Giants were going to leave once again with no points and a demoralising loss. Its times like this that the crowd should get behind their team, not boo them as they leave the ice, booing them is hardly going to drive them forward to push ahead and come back.

The third period consisted of a revitalised Giants side and a desperate Panthers side holding on for the win. Whatever Christiansen said in the locker room worked a treat and the Giants came out stronger than ever pushing for a goal, this came in the form of Mark Garside 52 minutes into the match. The Giants were on their feet and the Panthers fans were silenced, they truly did look like a wounded animal, while the Giants looked like a completely different team, full of grit and determination. Dave Clarke 5 missed the open goal which would have put the game out of sight and then Bellamy was given a slashing minor at 59.40. With Murphy on the bench it would make it a 6 on 4 power play opportunity for the Giants. That is until the Panthers’ fatal mistake came in the following face offs as Myers (get your hair cut!!) was desperately trying to win the face off and get rid of it. This was after Neilson had already been kicked out. Myers kept interrupting and Darnell (eventually) threw him in the box for a two minute delay of game penalty. It was 6 on 3 with twenty seconds on the clock. I was watching through my fingers, I couldn't watch, the Giants deserved the equaliser the way they played in the 3rd.

With seconds to spare, Jacobsen and Benedict set Lambert up for a beautiful goal and the crowd erupted - the home team had pulled off an amazing comeback. And the goalie pulling worked for once... 6 on 3. Call me back when it works 6 on 5. We had taken them to over time and at the very least we were going to take a point. Five minutes of overtime yielded no goals but it did become apparent that good players were panicking and playing dirty; Beauregard felt the need to try and pull a Giant down onto the ice by the face. But there were no goals and the match had to go to penalties.

C-Way got the Giants off to a great start with a goal against Kowalski, the crowd were on their feet. I groaned as I saw Jade (is a girl’s name) Galbraith taking position to shoot against Murphy, knowing his record in shoot-outs. However, his shot was saved and it was looking good for the Giants. B-Way was unable to net a goal against Kowalski, Billy Ryan however scored his. Lambert took his position to take his penalty, but it was saved. Our last hope was the Panthers missing their penalty but Beauregard held his nerve and killed the Giants hopes of a win by beating Murphy. I don't know what was more sickening; the smug faces of the Panthers, Galbraith shouting abuse at C-Way during the shootout or the slightly creepy show of Bromance in a hug between Neilson and Meyers. Neilson enjoyed that tender embrace so much that his helmet fell off - skin crawling but each to his own, right?

Saturday 15th January 2011

Despite the fact we didn't win on Friday, the atmosphere and amazing comeback from the home side made it a really fantastic hockey night. Booking our places in the morning training session and getting our tickets for the Johnson Testimonial we headed into the Odyssey. As usual we grabbed a pint we took position on the bridge to watch the warm up. Everyone was expecting a heated match with frayed tempers and aggressive play, but nobody expected the sheer amount of roughing and fighting that occurred. It was interesting to see that Galbraith was dressed but spent the match opening the bench door. Ian McDonald was barely played as well. Rumours are rife about their future at the Panthers with many fans on both sides citing an alleged “rift” with Strachan the night before. Rockies, allegedly, may have also made a healthy profit in the process. Allegedly.

Taking our seats I was buzzed, it was going to be a great match, I could feel it and I wasn’t disappointed. The Panther’s block was full again which was great to see, the now annual Panthers/Giants double header was still proving successful with the Midlanders making a weekend of it and enjoying the Belfast craic. That's twice now this season as they were here in spades for the Bruins weekend as well. The Giants came out with all guns blazing, a completely different approach than the beginning of Friday's match and there was a more determined and urgent style of play. The Giants had five shots on goal in the first, converting three, completely out performing the victors of Friday night.

After seven minutes Lambert, set up by Garside and Gleed put the Giants on the scoreboard and showed the Panthers that they meant business. Prudden and Peacock set Danny Welch up for the Giant's second goal ten minutes later extending the Giant's lead. The crowd were on their feet and loving the home team's resilience. It was also funny to see the Panthers' fans in stunned silence, this was exacerbated three minutes later on a 4 on 3 when Prudden set C-Way up for a short handed goal 17 minutes into the first while Danny Welch and Garside were both serving two minute penalties.

Jacobsen and Lambert set Benny up for the home side's fourth goal of the night eleven minutes into the second. It was looking like a whitewash and Welch's frustrations led to his second roughing minor as he and Lee both took a two minute penalty. Belfast's 'sweetheart' Corey Neilson gave the Giants a gift by gaining a two minute hooking minor and giving Belfast the man advantage, which was capitalised upon by Lambert set up by Shields and Benny. The home side were running away with the game and it was fantastic to see. I imagine we gained a few admirers in the Steel City too.

A small vestige of hope was offered to the Panthers with Ryan and Norton setting Bellamy up for their first goal 18 minutes in. The Nottingham fans erupted into cheers, but were quickly silenced as the ex-Capitals Welch and Garside setting Lambert up for his second goal just a minute later. The Giants were determined to keep the upper hand. As the fifth goal went in, Kowalski bolted from his goal, huffed down the tunnel and smashed his stick up in frustration - not a fun way to spend your birthday, being hung out to dry like that. He was showered and dressed shortly after leaving Dan Green to see the game out.

The third period was angry, with tempers frayed and the Panthers threw their toys out of the pram, not liking the fact that they were out classed and out played (what can you expect with a joke of a player coach who plays himself for almost sixty minutes a match refusing to play other more competent players? Bit of a clue for you Neilson the Panthers need to shake up their style of play and maybe then you'll not lose the league. Again.). But it won't be Neilson's concern next season if the Panthers' fans frustrations are to be heard. Anyway... Welch and Lee waited less than a minute to duke out their differences; Danny getting a five minute fighting major and Lee getting a 2+5+10 which lets face it, was deserved. A total mismatch, Lee won easily but Danny didn't disgrace himself.

It was hilarious to see Neilson getting punched by Bayrack, almost worth the two minute roughing penalty and earning a massive cheer from me and most of the North Tier in the process. The period continued, physically intense and the pressure for a home win was evident. Nine minutes in Walton and Bellamy gained double minor penalties for roughing, pumping up the crowd and intensifying the atmosphere. Colin Hemingway netted his second of the night 51 minutes into the game, it was a certainty that we had taken three from four points. Twelve and a half minutes into the third Mason picked up a two minute hooking minor affording the Panthers a man advantage letting Hereema and Beauregard to set Meyers up for a power play goal. The Panthers fans cheered, but it was half hearted, they knew their team had been beaten and the whispers about their situation dampened the mood, but the action wasn't over.

At 15.12 Hoff and Lepine had a scuffle, dropping the gloves and getting some of their frustrations thrashed out. A note to the guy who shouted 'Hoff you're useless all round': 1) He's not; he can actually play hockey and he has put up more points than the enforcers in the past few years (Rushton, McMorrow, Angelstad...) 2) You wouldn't say that to his face and 3) You weren't saying that when he was the top scorer and the main man for the Giants at the beginning of the season. As for the boos and the Christiansen bashing that occurred on Friday night; you changed your bloody tune when we won on Saturday. The whole we love you / we hate you attitude is getting really boring. The Giants are returning to form and deserved the win on Saturday rounding off two of the best nights of hockey in recent memory. The Blaze couldn't even do us a favour and beat the Devils but what can you expect from a highly underachieving, with Fussey, Lee and Smith out - a team that couldn't affectively defend their title?

Still, what a night. To the folks who stayed away fearing a defeat or went to the Ulster egg-chasing instead: You missed a cracker, but that's what happens to glory hunters. (Ulster egg-chasing covered in depth exclusively as always by Cool FM. Hockey news? Try U105.)

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