Double Overtime: 20th October

You know the drill by now...let's get back to the on-ice stuff...

Things We Learned This Weekend:

However you call a game, there are some things that are just too blatant to miss: And for proof, I present, sadly not from the Belfast webcast of the game v Coventry, but still, fairly clear...Number eight, Malcolm MacMillan: Game for third man in.

Anyone who seriously doesn't think this is a rivalry to rival Sheffield v Nottingham, just hasn't been paying attention: It got pretty tasty last season too...

The Phoenix enjoy being ignored: Everyone seems to be talking about the perceived problems of the big teams (well, Coventry and Sheffield). Meanwhile, Manchester have gone up to third. Oh, and they beat Nottingham in the NIC (4-1) to do it, before sticking seven past Edinburgh. I'm looking forward to Saturday's visit to the Skydome already...

Meanwhile, the Panthers are mortal: Two games, one point. 4-1 loss at the NIC, followed by a 1-0 loss in Cardiff, has somewhat halted the charge from the East Midlands. Now we shall see whether they're a "sing when you're winning" team or whether they have the grit to pick themselves up from a bad weekend.

And as for Sheffield...: Why the panicking? Three points from four isn't that bad a weekend. Except when, like the Steelers fans, you're used to a regular diet of four...

When you're in a slump, any crumb of comfort helps: The Stingrays lose their franchise player, play an import down, and contrary to the wailing and gnashing of teeth, beat Basingstoke on Sunday. After, that is, the Bison pull out a win on Saturday. Suddenly, for many, the future looks a whole lot brighter. Erm...sorry, lads (Basingstoke in particular) but two points a week won't get you that far up the table. It definitely won't pay the bills. And Stingrays fans...no matter how many points you get, you've still got Rick Strachan as coach.

Cardiff need Brad Voth: Well, we knew that already. But I reckon beating the Panthers proves it, because this is a game that they couldn't have hoped to win without someone to steam in and hit anything that moved, while also being able to play a bit. And whatever you think of him, there's no-one who can argue that Brad Voth doesn't do both of the above pretty damn well. When he doesn't have the Steelers, their fans, and anyone who has the remotest connection to anything teal and orange trying to lynch him, that is.

Wounded snakes still have venom: Need proof? Newcastle Vipers. From a laughing stock a week or two ago, to running Belfast all the way in the Odyssey on Saturday, and then beating Sheffield at home on the Sunday. Would you have predicted either result a week or two ago?

Somewhere in an attic in Altrincham, there's a picture of Tony Hand withering away: Hat-trick in Nottingham on Saturday, and heartbeat of his Manchester team. At the age of 41. Enough said.
If Oscar Wilde had been alive today, he'd have called this classic the Picture of Tony Hand instead.

There you go-that's your reflections on another weekend in British hockey...

Tomorrow will see musings on the rise of fan-media (following the excellent post on Five Minute Major) and what it means for hockey, and in case that's too boring for you, there's your usual randomness too...

Keep keeping your eye on the puck...