Double Overtime Holiday Special

Firstly, in order to get it out of the way and with no interference from jammed mobile networks-happy new year to everyone who reads regularly, occasionally or even if you've just stumbled on here by mistake...:)

Now, as promised-a review of the holiday period now that the last glass of mulled wine has been drunk, the last turkey sandwich eaten and the last Alka-Seltzer popped to cure the New Year hangover...

Basingstoke: The Bison have very much stuck to "same old, same old" as far as the form-book goes-wins and losses alternating...although considering the injury bug bit hard over the period, with the team reduced to ten skaters at one point, a perfect Christmas is perhaps just a little unrealistic. Picking up points against Manchester and Hull will have helped in the battle for the last playoff place, and there's no disgrace in losing to the Steelers while short-benched. With players fast recovering and another to come in shortly according to owner Tomas Enerston, 2008 looks like getting off to a decent start in Hampshire...
Grade: B

Belfast: The Giants had a perfect festive period, only conceding one point to their opponents as they needed overtime to beat Newcastle on the 23rd, so it appears that all is well in Northern Ireland, not least thanks to a double-header win over Cardiff last weekend. The league title is realistically out of the Giants' reach unless they go on a Cardiffesque winning streak, but playoff glory is definitely a possibility if the team can continue this recent trend of self-belief and playing hard behind the goals of Ed Courtenay and Peter Campbell through the coldest months of the year and into spring. Much as this should pain me, being a Blaze fan, a perfect record deserves nothing less than...
Grade: A+

Cardiff: Ouch. Poor Devils. Phil Osaer injures himself just in time for the busiest period of the season, and with the revolving door of British fill-ins such as Mike Brabon and Gregg Rockman has come a lean period for the South Wales side..no festive cheer here aside from the seven-four win in Manchester on the 23rd. Despite this the Devils have continued to fire pretty well on offence, and if they can get Osaer back then perhaps they can get back into the title race. However, at the moment, it looks like a tough few weeks ahead at the Big Blue Tent...
Grade: D

Coventry: Festive wobbles hit the Midlanders on Boxing Day in Nottingham, but aside from that and the overtime loss in Belfast the Blaze have kept rolling on with the fire that has kept their fans warmed up and roasted opposition teams all season. With Curtis Huppe and Sylvain Cloutier now back from injury, Blaze fans will be hoping the only changes occuring at the Skydome will be on the calendars...
Grade: B-

Edinburgh: Two wins against Hull were a timely Christmas present for the Caps as they've now cut the gap to just four points at the bottom. This was followed up by a Hogmanay special 7-3 mauling of Newcastle-a result which few would have even dared mention in September for fear of being hauled to the hockey asylum. A friend was suggesting the other day that the Scots have the ingredients for success-all that is needed is a re-jig of the lines, with Christiansen playing with Hemingway and Wires and Stutzel-Cingel-Garside forming the second line. I can't see it myself-but the win against the Vipers shows the talent is there, and when all else fails...
Three wins out of six earn the Scots...
Grade: C+

Hull: New Year, same hopeless Stingrays. You can talk all you like about grit, effort and even Rick Strachan's way with words as he bores us all with more platitudes in press releases, but on the scoreboard, as ever, the Humbersiders just aren't getting it done this season. With Troy Neumeier coming in in order to shore up the defence, maybe the flood of shots will slow slightly, but 2008 has to be better than last year for the Stingers because there's no way it can get worse...is there?
Grade: F

Manchester: The Phoenix are cruising along as they chase a playoff place in the lower reaches of mid-table, winning three out of six including a double victory against Newcastle over Christmas which sees them settled in seventh, five points ahead of their nearest rival but eight points behind the teams above them. This team won't set the world alight, but if the season continues the same way it has up until now there'll be postseason hockey in Altrincham, and at the end of the day, that's what every team wants as a minimum out of the league season. The grade this time is....
Grade: C+

Newcastle: "Don't panic! DON'T PANIC!" The words of Corporal Jones are ringing loudly in the ears in the North East-two points from a possible eight, and even those thanks to Hull, mean that life at the MRA is not as rosy as the league position would suggest, not least because the Vipers are only 6th thanks to an eight-point cushion over Manchester, and are in danger of being isolated from both the teams above them and those below. The grade reflects the poor return over Christmas, though...
Grade: E

Nottingham: Two losses, including one in overtime, balance a win against Coventry on Boxing Day for the Panthers as they cling on to the coat-tails of the leaders. The Panthers still need new blood before the end of January brings the transfer deadline...however, Christmas wasn't too bad, so they earn...
Grade: B-

Sheffield: And finally, the Steelers, who came within two points of the lead before being summarily destroyed by the Blaze on Sunday, coming out on the wrong end of a seven-one scoreline. With Ashley Tait still injured and likely to be a little tentative when he returns from concussion, the Steel City will be hoping his team-mates can pick up the slack and continue the good form shown over Christmas, which also included a win against deadly rivals Nottingham, and earns...
Grade: B+

And there you have it. Now on to 2008, with the first game of the year seeing Edinburgh take on Coventry in Murrayfield tomorrow (2nd January)...
Keep keeping your eye on the puck...