Tuesday Morning Skate...

Welcome to another November day in the hockey world. On we go with the daily round-up, including more NHL dirtyness, a prospective Panther, a potential new arrival in Hull and one more new arena in London...

Panthers looking at another returnee: Brandin Cote, who was a huge hit for the Panthers three seasons ago, is the latest Panthers rumoured target to replace PC Drouin after the Canadian was reported yesterday as leaving SG Cortina in Italy. The gritty centre would be an ideal fit on this years roster, and with Mike Ellis appearing to prefer players who have worn Panthers shirts before over newbies in his recruiting this season, he could be a very likely option if not wishing to return to North America...

Stingrays looking for inspiration: Hull are another team looking to inject some new blood into their lineup, with one likely candidate being ex-London Racer Trevor Baker, who spent last year in the Central Hockey League. Firstly, though, the Stingers need to release an import...

Banzai-Swedish style!: Another week, another controversy in the NHL. This time it's the Vancouver Canucks Mattias Ohlund, who channels his inner samurai in this vicious slash on the Minnesota Wild's Mikko Koivu, which has left the Finn with a broken leg. Ohlund earned himself...four games, or about a week's suspension. Hardly a deterrent, really.

Sixty Second Preview: Challenge Cup Semi Final First Leg (tonight)
Why the Panthers will win: Sean McAslan. If Johan Molin or indeed any other Panthers player can feed him, the Panthers captain will score for fun-particularly as this weekend Ryan MacDonald has finally been shown to be mortal in conceding twelve goals. Vipers are coming into this game while not in the best of form, so if Panthers get at them early and force penalty trouble, the high-powered forward line can win it on the powerplay.

Why the Vipers will win: Nottingham, in the words of Corporal Jones, "don't like it up 'em". And up 'em is just where the Vipers like to play, throwing hits around like confetti, snarling and spitting on the forecheck, and bullying their way into the ascendancy. The Vipers also have a fairly strong back line (when it's on form) so denying the fast-skating Panthers the space to play will also be a priority.

Prediction: I'm absolutely awful at predicting scores, and indeed have made a running joke this season out of just how bad I've been. However, I can see the Panthers nicking this in front of their home crowd, but the tie will still be very much alive either way at the end of the first sixty minutes.

And still on the Vipers...: After my weekend review yesterday, "greenfox" commented "A nightmare for Newcastle who need to turn up for big games against the Blaze. It was a poor show this weekend and we were out played in every aspect of the game. Sunday saw another very sorry looking Vipers team playing the dump and chase style hockey."
This does surprise me-in the times I've seen the Vips this season they've played anything but dump-and-chase, preferring to carry it across the blue-line and then put all sorts of pressure on the nettie with people in front of him. It's interesting also as an indication the different reactions shown by different fan-bases, though-this was a very reasoned criticism, whereas Blaze's weekend last week was met with comments like "what's the point of (insert player here)" or "shocking show-not a single player turned up". This after winning 16 of seventeen? Some people are just never satisfied-maybe those who criticise the Blaze should take a leaf out of the North East's book...

London's new home-in Croydon?: Plans have been announced for a new 12,500-seat arena in Croydon, and as usual there is the wondering whether a new hockey team can be set up to resuscitate the London EIHL franchise. However, with work not even having begun on the site, this is very much a work in progress.

And that's you up to date this Tuesday...more tomorrow, and keep keeping your eye on the puck...

Wednesday Wisdom...

And so here we are midweek, with more fun happening in the EIHL. Although we begin this round up with a mea culpa...

In my defence, I don't watch much TV...: I'm informed by Iowerth Jenkins that Rob Brydon, contrary to what I said yesterday in the lookalikes section, was not in fact involved in writing Gavin and Stacey-for some reason I was convinced he did have some part in it. But many thanks for the correction-if you spot any other factual errors on here (or indeed just want to debate any opinions I have) then feel free to let me know through the comments button or the email address at left...

...except when it's hockey: NHL hockey is back on our (terrestrial) screens-which means more late nights for me. Although I still gripe that they don't show my Pens enough, except if I get in from my traditional Wednesday night out early enough to catch the pre-game round-up.

Vychodil joins Basingstoke: Another change at the Silverdome, as David Vychodil makes the Bison (rather than the Capitals as rumoured) his third EIHL club in two seasons, replacing the concussed Dean Melanson, who leaves after playing injured the past few weeks. This is a good signing-Vych was just starting to find his feet in Coventry before being (unluckily) released for KC Timmons, and will get an almost immediate chance to prove he shouldn't have been when the Bison come to the Skydome this Sunday. If he gets that Biblically powerful shot of his on target, there'll be the odd anxious moment for the Blaze defence...

In Coventry, the end of the world is always just a loss away: Tonight's EIHL game sees Newcastle facing Edinburgh, both of whom beat Coventry last weekend despite being at opposite ends of the table. A Caps win and they pull off their second shock in three days-the Vipers win and they go top on their own with the chance to cement that lead as the Blaze make the return trip to the MRA on Saturday. Either way-if you read the reactions of some Blaze fans to the weekend, you'd think that the team were in serious trouble rather than having finally lost a game (or two) in regulation two-and-a-half months into the season. After, by the way, riding high at the top almost unchallenged since September. If Blaze suffer another winless weekend (or even if they only win one) then you get the feeling some fans with short memories will give themselves RSI from jabbing the panic button...

In other news, Blaze still have "no plans" to milk every cash cow for all its worth and then some: Despite saying they had no plans to appeal, the Blaze have today lost their attempt to be reinstated into the Challenge Cup at the expense of Belfast and Cardiff, both of who iced cup-tied players during the group stages, for which they were both fined. Thank heaven. The Blaze are unpopular enough already-had they gone on to win the cup despite being knocked out because they played badly, it would have really taken the gloss off the victory, and left a giant asterisk in the minds of many...

Hoch, hoher, Haie!: Just a quick DEL update-my Cologne team are doing a Belfast at the moment injury-wise...they always seem to have someone missing. Still, they're nicely settled in fourth, five points off the lead, despite losing to Mannheim 3-1 on Sunday.

In other news, press releases are just so much paper: If I were a Stingrays fan I'd begin to wonder about just where priorities lie in Hull...every day brings yet another player saying "we're nearly there" or "last weeks loss showed that there was something to build on", and yet still the team lose, and there's no real evidence of improvement out on the ice. If the league were decided on effort expended on PR then the Stingrays would be well up near the top, but it isn't...at the moment the Humbersiders can well be summed up just like Macbeth viewed life...
"It is tales told by an idiot-(they are) full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing".
Although, saying that...having read a few of the Blaze press releases or views over the past few seasons, one could equally say that, at least in the game of getting your team noticed in the EIHL, the Witches had it right, or at least Macbeth did when commenting on them..."Fair is foul, and foul is fair"...
We will see this weekend, yet again, if the talking finally stops and the doing starts in the north-east...

And that's your Wednesday...I am working again tomorrow, so Round the Rinks will appear in time for Friday morning...

Keep keeping your eye on the puck...

Double Overtime, 12th November

This week we look back on a weekend which saw the title race get closer, form teams keep going and the return of the Bison...here's the team-by-team review for the 12th November:

Basingstoke: What a difference a new owner makes. Nine goals (including a shutout win on the Saturday), a win away in Manchester and a new mood of optimism at the Silverdome. The Bison, if not likely to challenge for the title just yet, have at least turned the corner. With Curtis Cruickshank returning, Mikko Puntorakanen making what was by all accounts an impressive debut weekend, and Danny Stewart and Steve Thornton carrying the goalscoring load, coach Ryan Aldridge can now show what he can do with a team of settled and happy players-it will certainly be fun for the Bison faithful...A four-pointer this weekend earns them...
Grade: A

Belfast: Here's another team whose fortunes are on the turn for the better. A win against the Steelers in the Odyssey was followed by a gutsy win in Hull, with the Stingrays taking them to a penaly shoot-out before falling in the tenth round of shots. With Scott Cameron the first to return from the Giants long injury list and playing well in his return to action, there is finally optimism in the Northern Irish camp. As for the grade, you can't argue with four points, even if two of them are against the slumping Stingrays, so the Giants earn..
Grade: B+

Cardiff: The Devils are seriously hot right now. 12 wins from 13 games after another two this weekend makes them the team to fear at the moment, and the two this weekend were good ones, beating Manchester away before dismantling the Panthers with six goals at home on the Sunday. Mike Prpich opened his account, and Max Birbraer is finding the scoring form of last season, so it's hard to bet against this run continuing, which is bad news for the three teams above them...The Devils continue to be among the top grades with...
Grade: A

Coventry: It's amazing what two losses can do...sections of the Blaze fanbase (maybe those with short memories) are now in outright mourning because their team has been proven to be mortal this weekend. Summing up their reactions-the home loss against Newcastle on Saturday was greeted with "OK, we can just about accept that" but losing up in Edinburgh on the Sunday has seen the big red PANIC! button pressed by some as they look for a scapegoat. Admittedly it wasn't the most pleasant weekend of hockey ever from a Sky Blue City perspective, but already players are being lined up for the chop by some fans-notably Barrie Moore. The Blaze will have an immediate chance to bounce back as they face Newcastle away next Saturday-doubtless there will be some harsh words spoken in training this week after two listless performances, which combined earn the Blaze a...
Grade: C-

Edinburgh: Meanwhile, north of the border, there are calls for a public holiday after the Caps finally broke their losing streak. And what a way to do so-beating the league leaders 3-1 after a shutout loss in Basingstoke the night before. They are still anchored to the bottom of the table, but the Capitals will take a huge boost from last night's result as they look to get their league campaign off the ground after a nightmare start. The win against the league leaders bumps up their grade to a...
Grade: B-

Hull: On the other hand, Hull would love a boost from somewhere. Two more defeats mean the Stingrays are still in free-fall as the nights darken...the one positive is the point gained in Belfast. More press releases are flowing from Rick Strachan this week saying that things will have to change soon, but is anyone reading them any more? The Stingrays, I'm afraid, are still down at the bottom with a grade...
Grade: D

Manchester: What has gone wrong in Altrincham recently? The Phoenix lost both this weekend despite Joe Tallari having a five-goal weekend-trouble is he still isn't getting any real help putting the puck in the net, at leasy not on a regular basis, and while this state of affairs continues the Phoenix will always be beatable. Losing to the Bison and the Devils, both at home, is not the best way to cement your playoff ambitions...thus, they earn themselves a...
Grade: C

Newcastle: An up-and-down weekend for the Vipers as a superb and well-earned win in Coventry on Saturday was followed by a 4-1 loss in Sheffield which dented their chase for the Challenge Cup and mean they'll face Nottingham in the semis. Actually, that's not such a bad thing at the moment, given the teams respective records...The Vipers can go top by themselves if they beat the Capitals on Wednesday, before returning to face the Blaze at home next Saturday. The win against the Blaze alone, however, is enough to earn the Vipers a...
Grade: B

Nottingham: Just when is the Panthers' title challenge going to start? Seriously? A win against a slumping Stingrays (fairly predictable) was followed by a tanking down in Cardiff (also fairly predictable). The Panthers aren't really the best side if you're looking for consistency, but then, if you've watched ice-hockey in the UK for any length of time, then you'd know that already. Admittedly, the Panthers have an import forward to come in to replace the temporary measure that is Mike Ellis, and should that be Dan Tessier (or someone equally creative) then things may change for the better, but at the moment the inconsistent Panthers get...
Grade: C

Sheffield: At least the Steelers have confirmed their Challenge Cup qualification after beating Newcastle on Sunday-a fact which will be some consolation after their loss in Belfast saw them drop to third in the league. There's some in Sheffield who are caling for changes-and Dave Matsos was apparently seriously unhappy with the result and indeed the performance in Belfast-could changes be on the horizon? The qualification for the CC Cup bumps up their grade a little, but the Steelers still only earn themselves...
Grade: C

This week, the midweek game is Vipers vs Capitals, as Newcastle have a chance to go top by themselves...It could be interesting to see if there are any changes in any other teams this week-it's not exactly been quiet on the player-movement front so far...

Check back tomorrow evening for more hockey chat, and keep keeping your eye on the puck...