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The snow has all gone
The snow had all melted and after a long week at work it was finally hockey night. There had been updates during the week on the injured players; Benny and Garside are at least two weeks away from playing, Colin Hemingway is training but there is no date set for his return as he is still in a leg brace and unfortunately Rich Seeley is out indefinitely. Once again Hoff headed home due to family illness and I'm sure I speak for the majority of the fans when I wish him and his family well. Ross Dalgleish was also missing from the line up but will be back against the Caps.
The addition of Simon Lambert, who I was dying to see in a Giants jersey at the beginning of the season was an exciting prospect, as I didn't see him last week against the Caps in Edinburgh and after seeing him, Fussey and Garside carve up defences last year, I was really looking forward to seeing him skate on home ice. We were also getting a look at a home grown player, Gareth Roberts, who has been training with the Giants through the opening of the season. Dougie has recognised the importance of nurturing local talent and Roberts was given a fair crack of the whip on Saturday. He played a blinder too; he almost scored a goal (denied by a glove) and he checked Makway showing that he meant business and that he can't be pushed around.
I got to the Odyssey quite early, grabbed a pint and despite being asked for my permission to put my Jim Graves article in Top Shelf, and chasing it up for a week until I agreed, it was mysteriously absent from the magazine (what a waste of someone else's time). Heading to the bridge we watched the warm up; Roberts looked to have gelled well with his team mates as they hit the puck at both goal tenders. He said in his UTV interview that his legs were 'like jelly' but it didn't show. Lambert missed the puck a few times but he was just getting warmed up. I was quite hopeful for a Giants win. I was pleased with the abscence of Hicks as I saw Smith was playing football with the two linos at the zamboni entrance.
Taking my seat the 'Giants Radio' belted out some festive fayre and it was nice to kick back and relax knowing that I had all my xmas shopping done and all I had to do was look forward to a hockey packed holiday season. The Stars skated onto the ice and then expecting the usual opening video I was stunned into hysterical laughter by the Giant's choreographed Mariah Carey video ( watch it as you like at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzad9-Z0oTU) - you have to check it out. It's inspired! The highlights include Hoff in a very tight elf costume, Peaks stealing the show leading his dancing troop and Danny Welch rocking the moon walk to a single spotlight. It had Stars nettie Kudrna stunned and rooted to the blue line, I guess he was expecting it as much as we were. It was a brilliant start to the match and the good feeling and giggles continued through the whole match.
Craze was in goal for the Giants that was good to see; not only does it give Murph a well deserved rest, it also gives Craze a game to prove that if something was to happen to Murph he would be more than capable of stepping up and guarding the Giant's goal. For the most part Craze did well. Yeah he conceded three goals, but he saved twenty shots and helped the Giants along to two points and keeping the top spot.
Bayrack quickly scored into the fourth minute of play and it was looking good, the atmosphere was palpable and the Giants fans could feel that the home team were gunning for a win. As the horn blared for the goal, cuddly toys rained onto the ice, bundled into trolleys and shipped off to the children's hospital. Both sides helped the clean-up which was nice to see. For laughs, a few stray toys hit the Stars that had taken refuge at their bench and Bayrack helping a frustrated fan who was desperately trying to throw a massive teddy bear over the plexi.
Fourteen minutes in Danny Welch netted a second, a third was added in the dying minutes of the first by Peaks. I do love Craig's celebrations, it's clear to see his utter delight it means so much to him that he can perform so well for a team that he totally loves. The period ended and I went to get my 50-50 ticket getting the hard sell from Big Ted (of 'cookie time' fame) for a Top Shelf that I still declined. The second period was a turning point, Nathan Craze's shut out hopes were spoilt by Brent Hughes at 22.59 and the dominant Giants were shaken slightly. Peaks quickly answered this with his second goal of the match less than a minute later on the next shift. Jeff Mason increased the Giant's lead three minutes later to 5-1, it was one of those high scoring matches that could either end in triumph or heartbreak, this was evident as Dan Ceman and Makway looked dangerously close to pulling back the lead the Giants had built up bringing the score to 5-3. In the final seconds of the second period Jacobsen added a Giants goal to again extend the lead and restore the three goal buffer.
The third period was frustrating for Peaks as he desperately tried to get a hat trick, and sadly the elusive third goal never materialised and he ended up smacking the plexi in frustration with his stick. The only other goal coming at fifty six minutes from Bayrack. 7-3. Nice one.
All in all the game was good fun and a convincing win from the better side on the night, Seven days to wait until the Caps are in town, wonder if I'll have my Tyrone Timberframes jersey that I won weeks ago by then...? Either way, maybe by then it won't be just Mariah Carey spreading the word about the 'video'!!
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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
