The Offical British Ice Hockey Thread

Post by **getzlaf15** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:10 pm

Apparently, this will be his last year...

Post by **Calv** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:04 pm

Still the highest scoring brit in the league...

Post by **batdad** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:19 pm

That is like being the highest scoring Canadian in the World of Soccer isn't it?

Nah..Tony rocks!!! I know.

Post by **Calv** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:41 pm

It's a sad state for Ice Hockey in Britain when the best player is a 41 yr old, our league won't even cancel all of the games this weekend despite players missing due to GB's Olympic quali's, our national team having 90 minutes of practice before the Olympic Pre-Qualification games - the most important for our national team in quite a while...

Post by **archibalduk** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:16 pm

Yes, you are right about it being worrying that the best British player is 41. The problem is, and always will be, that hockey isn't a big sport in the UK. Football, rugby, cricket and tennis are always going to be the big sports in our country. Those sports are played in school and they are cheap to play - how much does it cost for skates, sticks, armour, etc compared to football boots and a ball, or trainers and a tennis racquet?

However, on the plus side, the EIHL is in a much better position than the old ISL with far more British players playing. When the ISL folded a few years back, there were only two British players in the league.

It does suck that the league didn't re-schedule the games. Phoenix had to sign two goalies for this weekend. A very poor result yesterday - I know it was Sheffield, but to concede seven goals is not good.

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:29 pm

3-3 going into the final period against the Steelers with fewer men out due to GB duty than them and having taken more shots in the first 2 periods left me a bit disappointed that we didn't win really, 2 quick fire goals in the 3rd thanks to some bad defending left us with no chance

Apparently Wall will want a couple of the goals back, however he is an EPL goalie at best so it should've been up to the d-men to stop the goals.
Phoenix lost Mulherin in the first period to a nasty shoulder injury and looks like he won't be playing tonight either. The only thing we did win last night was the first fight:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gPTeoJ6wvWw - ignore the annoying woman speaking over it...

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:31 pm

Results Saturday 8th November 2008:
bmibaby Elite League:
Basingstoke Bison 5-6 Cardiff Devils
Coventry Blaze 2-0 Newcastle Vipers
Hull Stingrays 1-6 Edinburgh Capitals
Sheffield Steelers 7-3 Manchester Phoenix

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:14 pm

team gb are 7-1 up in the third period against Romania

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:12 pm

11-1 to GB
Goals:
4:55 Weaver - Myers & J.Phillips
5:45 Shields - Weaver & Chambers
7:23 Cowley - Sample & Richardson
17:12 Clarke - Chambers - 5 on 3 PP

22:43 Tait - Chambers & Lyle
36:15 Owen - Shorthanded
37:43 D. Phillips - Chambers & J. Phillips

46:01 J. Phillips - Myers
48:03 Clarke - Tait & Walton
52:30 Richardson - Clarke & Tait - 5 on 4 PP
58:09 Jamieson - Sample & Cowley - 5 on 4 PP

Post by **getzlaf15** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:15 pm

Too bad the Romania game didn't come before Japan. The momentum of a huge win could have helped us through. The way it goes, Japan had that momentum.

Ice time is another issue into the popularity of the sport. A father brings his young daughter (non-contact here of course) to the session's that we have on a saturday night at 10:30pm because that's the only chance she has to play hockey, obviously public skates can help skating, but... That aint good at all.

But without media coverage and income from that and mega sponsorship deals like football. How will the sport ever grow in the popularity... It's a vicious cycle.

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:20 pm

Results Sunday 9th November 2008:
bmibaby Elite League:
Edinburgh Capitals 2 Cardiff Devils 6
Manchester Phoenix 4 Sheffield Steelers 5
Newcastle Vipers 1 Coventry Blaze 4

Exhibition Game:
Nottingham Panthers 2 Geneve Servette (Switzerland) 5

crosby87 · Post by **crosby87** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 9:44 pm

archibalduk wrote:Yes, you are right about it being worrying that the best British player is 41. The problem is, and always will be, that hockey isn't a big sport in the UK. Football, rugby, cricket and tennis are always going to be the big sports in our country. Those sports are played in school and they are cheap to play - how much does it cost for skates, sticks, armour, etc compared to football boots and a ball, or trainers and a tennis racquet?

However, on the plus side, the EIHL is in a much better position than the old ISL with far more British players playing. When the ISL folded a few years back, there were only two British players in the league.

It does suck that the league didn't re-schedule the games. Phoenix had to sign two goalies for this weekend. A very poor result yesterday - I know it was Sheffield, but to concede seven goals is not good.

Yeah I remember we London Knights had David Clarke back then.. and played him about 5 minutes per game

At least London had a team then, in a decent arena too.

At least I got the Rats now

Post by **Calv** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:42 pm

Results Thursday 13th November 2008:
bmibaby Elite League/Challenge Cup B:
Nottingham Panthers 4-1 Cardiff Devils

Results Saturday 15th November 2008:
bmibaby Elite League:
Hull Stingrays 3-4 Cardiff Devils(after SO)
Basingstoke Bison 6-5 Edinburgh Capitals(after SO)
Nottingham Panthers 6-7 Belfast Giants
Sheffield Steelers 4-1 Coventry Blaze

Results Sunday 16th November 2008:
bmibaby Elite League:
Cardiff Devils 2-3 Sheffield Steelers(After Shootout)
Coventry Blaze 1-4 Basingstoke Bison
Edinburgh Capitals 7-3 Hull Stingrays
Manchester Phoenix 3-4 Belfast Giants
Newcastle Vipers 1-3 Nottingham Panthers

mark_htfc · Post by **mark_htfc** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:40 pm

Nice to see Manchester are doing alright this season, I have not been to a game yet this season but I will be in atendance next Saturday, after I went for my first ever time last saturday I ended up going to about 6 games for the rest of the season, one of the most memorable being when I went to Oldham to watch Huddersfield play there at 1 3pm kick off and flew straight over to Altrincham as soon as the game finished, Luckily we got there with enough time to spare.

I have so missed not attending any games this season but hopefully Saturday will be the first of many, but with me now having to pay for a house it makes hobbies hard work.

Post by **archibalduk** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 10:08 pm

Hey Mark! Nice to hear from you - it's been a long time! I've been to a couple of games this season and have been really impressed. They are so much better than the past two three seasons. They actually generate good opportunities on the PP, which is something they hadn't really been doing before. Though unfortunately they're on a bit of a losing streak at the moment - hopefully you'll see them win on Saturday!

mark_htfc · Post by **mark_htfc** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 10:17 pm

It has been a long time indeed, I keep dissapearing but this time wasn'y from my own back it was due to being too busy with work and not really spending any time on the computer at all. That was one thing if I am honest I always thought was a let down, the lack of scoring when on the PP, and not really generating many good chances, good to hear that has changed. I normally have good luck with Hockey, I think I was only in attendance to one game they lost last season, the other I think they won. Will you be in attendance for the game this weekend? If you are maybe we could meet up in the Arena for a drink beforehand?

Post by **archibalduk** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:05 pm

mark_htfc wrote:Will you be in attendance for the game this weekend? If you are maybe we could meet up in the Arena for a drink beforehand?

I'm afraid I wasn't. I moved down from the Wirral to Kent about 14 months ago so I don't often get to see them play. On the odd occasion when I am up north, I do try to go via my bro's in Manchester and catch a game. I think I've been to about three games this season. Invicta Dynamos play up the road from where I live now but I've only been to one game because it's awkward getting there using public transport (most of their games are on Sundays when the buses only run every hour).

Let me know how the game goes.

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:17 pm

4 points required tonight for Tony Hand to get his 4,000th career point!

Post by **getzlaf15** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:42 pm

Calv wrote:4 points required tonight for Tony Hand to get his 4,000th career point!

That's Amazing, I mean, I know it isn't the NHL but still...

Post by **batdad** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:00 pm

. 4000 points? What is the guy 50?

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:02 pm

Looks like a 41-yr old, plays like a 21 yr old...

Post by **getzlaf15** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:02 pm

Nearly, 41.

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:03 pm

Reults Saturday 22nd November 2008:
bmibaby Elite League
Belfast Giants 5-2 Edinburgh Capitals
Manchester Phoenix 5-0 Hull Stingrays

Challenge Cup Group A
Sheffield Steelers 4-6 Newcastle Vipers

Challenge Cup Group B
Basingstoke Bison 5-3 Nottingham Panthers

Continental Cup 3rd Round - Bolzano, Italy
Coventry Blaze 6-4 Dunaujvaros (Hungary)

Post by **Calv** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:04 pm

Coventry play hosts Bolzano tonight in the final Continental cup game. If they win they go through to the next round. Bolzano are the favourites but the Blaze have a chance

Post by **archibalduk** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:08 pm

Heh he's "only" 41! I reckon he could manage 5000 by the age of 50. He'd probably still be the best player on Team GB, too