Proud of British Ice Hockey

by Seanna Murdock

Blog from Door 19

Things were looking good, I had come out of the Odyssey on Saturday evening with overwhelming pride in British ice hockey and our league, so I was excited to return there on Sunday. It was funny to see all the hockey jerseys around Belfast, the looks of utter confusion as people read them and tried to work out what they were. So I got to the season ticket door and got my card scanned and queued up for my new jersey. Pulling on my white Mason shirt I grabbed a drink and went to the bridge to watch the warm up. After my car accident on Friday I was trying to put off sitting down for as long as possible so Peter and I stood and discussed our opponents.

Most impressive players on the roster, for me are David Beauregard; who so far this season has 12 points from 8 games played. He is a fantastic player who really made an impression on me when he played next to Tony Hand on the Phoenix side of 2008/09 with 79 points from 54 games played. David 'Dave Clarke 5,' who so far this season has 10 points from 8 games played, born in Peterborough he is playing at the level of an import on one of the league's top teams. Clarke has proven season after season with the Panthers that he deserves regular ice time with 62 points from 55 games in the 2009/10 season and 40 points from 35 games in 08/09. Jonathan Zion a round four draft pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1999, his points tally is impressive and his performance on Saturday against the Boston Bruins has bumped him up in my estimation. I was impressed with him last season playing for the Sheffield Steelers with 25 points from 23 games, he is an excellent defender and it was nice to see him in Giants colours on Saturday evening.

The match started off on a promising note with Peaks scoring with 14 seconds on the clock. Craig Peacock has become increasingly frustrated with being picked on by the rougher guys in the league and this was apparent when he'd had enough of being pushed around by Belfast's new apparent favourite Panther Corey Neilson (based on the comments from his fan club). Peacock clattered him so hard they both ended up on the ice. Guillaume Lepine evened up the scores and killed the atmosphere surrounding the Giants fans, the fantastic Panthers contingent seemed elated. Lachowicz and McDonald set up a goal for Sproat seven minutes into the first. It was apparent that this match was going to be difficult to win. We were minus Brandon Benedict (knee injury) and Jeff Mason (hand injury) and it was looking as if we weren't going to be able to gain and maintain a lead against the Panthers.

As I had mentioned in previous blogs I could see the absolute frustration in Shieldsy's face as he was seemingly having a nightmare living up to the points that he had scored last season; in the 2009-10 season he accumulated 87 points from 56 matches. Shields had scored his first home goal of the season on Sunday, the utter delight and relief in his face was visible; so far this season he has 10 points from 9 matches and is shaping up to have another fantastic season. The score was 2-2 to the Giants and there was an audible sense of relief, the clock ticked down to the end of the first and it looked as if the home side could put the puck past Kowalski and have a lead going into the second. That's until Danny Meyers netted a goal with 5 minutes left on the clock. I spent the interval negotiating the queues for the 50/50 tickets and hoping the Giants could claw back another goal.

The second period was scoreless, the highlights being the scuffle between Graeme Walton and Matthew Myers. Whether it was general distaste for the Panther's team, he was sick of being shoved around the ice or he just couldn't stand Myers' utterly ridiculous hairstyle; Wally took a swing and silenced the Cardiff born forward who had been throwing his weight around for 25 minutes.

The third period was nail biting to say the least, 40 minutes into the game the Panthers seemed to have a strangle hold on their lead and were letting it go for nobody- enter Mike Bayrack with an awesome goal set up by the Selects Brett Hemingway and Colin Shields, the crowd were on their feet, it was exciting, the better late than never comeback to get the crowd going. Shieldsy was on a roll with a minute and a half left on the clock netting another goal, putting the score at 4-3 to Belfast. The panic tactic was played and Kowalski was pulled. I faced a lot of criticism in damning the pulling of the goalie and I said I have never seen it work.... well Sunday was no exception as the empty netter goal machine Mike Bayrack (2 for 2!) once again proved me right. The final score sat on 5-3 to Belfast cementing their place at the top of the Elite League where they belonged.

What a weekend it was, one that will live long in the memory. Bruins at home, beating the Panthers... much better than sitting in and watching the soulless fixed "Singing Contest" on ITV1, I tell you. I have to say I am looking forward to this weekend too with the unveiling of our new signing Brad Smyth. His experience at the highest level and his 400+ games in the AHL make him an exciting prospect and will make up for the lack of (good natured) Voth bashing we're going to miss with him out injured.

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Cardiff	0-3	Basingstoke
12th March 2006 19:00
Coventry	5-3	Sheffield
12th March 2006 19:00
Edinburgh	4-5	Belfast
12th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	1-4	Nottingham
12th March 2006 19:00
Basingstoke	4-4	Cardiff
11th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	2-4	Coventry
11th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

Chelmsford	5-8	Telford
19th March 2006 19:00
Hull	5-1	Wightlink
19th March 2006 19:00
Romford	4-1	Milton Keynes
19th March 2006 19:00
Slough	5-2	Swindon
19th March 2006 19:00
Solihull	3-7	Bracknell
19th March 2006 19:00
Sheffield	1-1	Guildford
19th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

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