This week’s entry to the “things you never saw coming” club: Belfast Giants 3, Hull Stingrays 6. Be honest-how many of you would have predicted that before the start of the weekend? I predicted that Hull would run them close, but that’s a fair bit better than that..
And from the “Muppet Awards”: Jade Galbraith, who, after scoring the second shot in the penalty shots competition in Coventry on Sunday to put his Nottingham team ahead, decided to skate in front of the whole Blaze bench (and the crowd behind, who are notorious for giving the opposition players a warm welcome) with his finger to his lips. Needless to say, Sylvain Deschatelets scored the next penalty (cue a few return “shush” gestures) and Adam Calder then proceeded to win the shootout after Tessier, Moore and Molin all missed. And did the Panthers winger get reminded of his cocky gesture moments earlier? Yes, by a few thousand people. Jade, not only do you have a silly name, not only do your own fans think you’re fat and slow, but you made yourself look a prize pillock as well. Congratulations, sir. Andre Payette couldn’t have done it any better.
“the chances are a million to one…yet still, they come”: With apologies to Jeff Wayne’s “War of the Worlds”…the Manchester Phoenix. Now up to third, three points off the lead, with two games in hand on second. True greatness is seldom noticed until it’s too late…
It’s the Cage Forum equivalent of “bread and circuses”: Surprise. The Panthers lose in Coventry, and rather than discuss the game (which wasn’t bad at all, by the way) the Cage Forum are pontificating about just what scumbags Coventry fans are in general, and how their delicate ears are offended by the voice of the Blaze’s pet DJ John Dalziel, with the usual suspects coming up with the usual bile about the city, the education system, the people and God only knows what else. Now, I freely admit that there’s a minority of the Blaze fanbase which gives us a slightly chequered history, and there are still people in the Skydome who don't exactly conduct themselves well (just like everywhere else) but good God, Nottingham, please give it a rest now. Or come to the Windmill pub on Spon Street before a game-the Panthers fans surrounded by Blaze fans in there seemed to be enjoying themselves perfectly well...or does that not fit the stereotype?
Complain to the club, loud and often, make them listen (as they do already, to be fair) rather than all being Monday morning stewards, and get over it.
Interestingly, this has even overshadowed discussion of their win against Manchester, which despite nicking them points showed more problems with their rearguard, the inconsistent Davis Parley in particular. But hey, as long as the masses can blame another fanbase for their troubles, it saves them acknowledging that Nottingham is perhaps not the hockey centre of the universe.
But then, I’m clearly just a scumbag chav who has only just learned to walk upright and can only speak spitting expletives at defenceless women and children supporting the opposition. I must be, because that’s what people on the Cage Forum think of Coventry fans, and they never generalise, do they?
If your team leaks goals, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire…Pasi: The Finnish Bear has done it again up in Edinburgh...well, along with Jeff Hutchins. Only this time, he's not even playing. Coming in as backup to Michel Robinson, suddenly the beleagured Caps starter has earned himself two MoM performances in two days, first only being worn down in the last ten minutes against Sheffield for a scoreline which by all acounts was unfairly lopsided based on his play, and secondly leading the Caps to a 6-3 win against Newcastle.
Too little, too late, Michel...
Ill-Judged Fashion Statement of the Week: Johan Molin’s skates. Click the link, and it's the third pic on the top row. Proof that when it comes to making people question your sex-life while playing ice-hockey, the Swedes have no equal. After all, they did this too…which incidentally may be the greatest incidence of heckling ever, as well as the only time you'll see the words "dildo", "obscene banner" and "giant inflatable penis" in a hockey match report.
Well, unless you're reading the Cage Forum reporting on a Panthers/Blaze game at the Skydome, perhaps.
Hutchy Watch, or Oxymoron of the Week: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Jeff Hutchins being described as modest. (it's about halfway down the page) In other news, hell has just frozen over.
Yes, I know it's a fairly short review, but so be it. After all, I didn't particularly want to kick the Bison when they're down...
Keep keeping your eye on the puck...
