Sadly another Thursday night game, another gig for me and another gig spent checking my phone every 5 minutes! The Phoenix have had a run of so called 'easier' games recently, however games against the Bison/Stingray's and Cap's are never easy! They are fighting for the remaining playoff spots so need the win just as much as the Phoenix! So while I would expect the Phoenix to win this one, I expected a tough fight from the Caps!
First Period: After some good early pressure it was not until the 9th minute when Tony Hand, yes Tony Hand took a shot and scored! How I wish he would shoot the puck more! Despite the early goal and the Phoenix shading the pressure they came up against the excellent Raitanen in the Caps goal.
Second Period: After just three minutes in the second the game sprung into life, a shot from the point from Alex Dunn was tipped in by Brett Clouthier. This goal going to show the value of getting bodies on the net and shooting! Things will always happen! Especially with Brett in the way! The Phoenix then got into penalty trouble giving the Caps a 5 on 3 and in the 26th minute Mark Hurtubise brought the score to 2-1 Phoenix. Towards the end of the period Mr Hand managed to get a 10 minute misconduct penalty. This seems to have been dreamt up by Mr Coenen the ref, as no one in the Dome saw why? Edinburgh had previously got away with a tripping penalty behind the Phoenix net, and all Mr Hand had to do to get the misconduct was shake his head! Madness!
Third Period: Despite a number of early chances in the third period the Phoenix let the Caps back into the game. Taylor Christie scored the Scots equalizer at 54mins. Thankfully this spurred the Phoenix into action, and thanks to the Elite League's leading scored Mr Beauregard the points were secured. Beauregard's first of the night came, as so many have done, when the Caps defence left the French-Canadian free at the back post! The 4th goal and second in the last four minutes when Beauregard pounced on a free puck in the Phoenix goal to shoot into the empty Caps net. Netting his 55th of the season and making the score 4-2.
Verdict: As I was not there I cant really comment much, other than to say another tricky match negotiated and two points collected! Now a away trip to Hull awaits before the big one! The home 1st leg of the Challenge Cup final versus the Giants.
Attendance: No idea really but as it was a midweek game id guess it was around the 1,000 mark!
Another tricky couple of games completed, but now the business begins! The first cup final games are on us, and the second round of cup games soon to be decided!
Go Phoenix Go!
Phoenix TV Highlights:
MEN Article
Showing posts with label Edingburgh Capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Edingburgh Capitals. Show all posts
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Phoenix v Edinburgh 11th December Game Review
This was the first mid-week game of the season (I think) and crikey was it cold! The visit of the Caps saw the Phoenix take to the ice for the second game in five days! As always against the Caps I expect the Phoenix to pick up the two points at home, but the games are never easy ones!
First Period: Good start from the Phoenix saw the home side take the lead after 1min and 5 sec through a Fulgham goal. It was clear from the outset that the Phoenix should win the game. The only un-known was by how many! It took a while for the Phoenix dominance to press home, but at 16min 28seconds Nathan Ward buried the puck into the top right corner!
Second Period: Hmmm the Phoenix either took the foot off the gas or the Caps found their skating boots! The second was a much more even affair. Having said that it was the Phoenix who lit the light next through a welcome return to the goal for Bruce Mulherin at 24min 25sec. This prompted a response from the Caps who finally got on the board at 30min 49sec through Rajcak and then again at 44min and 4seconds through Bowie.
Third Period: The early Phoenix pressure seemed to have gone in the Third and the Caps fought their way back into the game! The Phoenix finally but more breathing space between themselves and the caps thanks to a vintage one-on-one from Beauregard who raced away and buried the puck! All was well! Unfortunately during this period both teams discipline seemed to desert them and both sides made frequent trips to the penalty box. The Caps made the final minutes tense with their third goal at 57min 50seconds through Hurtubise. Then with Kenton Smith in the box at 58minutes and 6seconds for a debatable tripping penalty, the Caps pulled the keeper and lay siege to the Phoenix net! Thankfully the hockey gods were on our side and except for a Caps shot riccoceing from post to post the home side held on for the two points!
Verdict: On a chuffing cold night, it was not pretty, it was not easy! It never is against the Caps, it will certainly not go down as a stellar Phoenix performance, but what the hey, two points is two points!
Attendance: A number of reasons conspired to create possibly the smallest crowd of the season. A mid week game, just before Christmas, aforementioned cold weather and a massive pile up on the M56 saw around 600 brave souls make it to the Dome!
So the Phoenix march on to the weekend, trips to Coventry away (a point would be great!) before a home game vs the Bison (hopefully another two points!)
First Period: Good start from the Phoenix saw the home side take the lead after 1min and 5 sec through a Fulgham goal. It was clear from the outset that the Phoenix should win the game. The only un-known was by how many! It took a while for the Phoenix dominance to press home, but at 16min 28seconds Nathan Ward buried the puck into the top right corner!
Second Period: Hmmm the Phoenix either took the foot off the gas or the Caps found their skating boots! The second was a much more even affair. Having said that it was the Phoenix who lit the light next through a welcome return to the goal for Bruce Mulherin at 24min 25sec. This prompted a response from the Caps who finally got on the board at 30min 49sec through Rajcak and then again at 44min and 4seconds through Bowie.
Third Period: The early Phoenix pressure seemed to have gone in the Third and the Caps fought their way back into the game! The Phoenix finally but more breathing space between themselves and the caps thanks to a vintage one-on-one from Beauregard who raced away and buried the puck! All was well! Unfortunately during this period both teams discipline seemed to desert them and both sides made frequent trips to the penalty box. The Caps made the final minutes tense with their third goal at 57min 50seconds through Hurtubise. Then with Kenton Smith in the box at 58minutes and 6seconds for a debatable tripping penalty, the Caps pulled the keeper and lay siege to the Phoenix net! Thankfully the hockey gods were on our side and except for a Caps shot riccoceing from post to post the home side held on for the two points!
Verdict: On a chuffing cold night, it was not pretty, it was not easy! It never is against the Caps, it will certainly not go down as a stellar Phoenix performance, but what the hey, two points is two points!
Attendance: A number of reasons conspired to create possibly the smallest crowd of the season. A mid week game, just before Christmas, aforementioned cold weather and a massive pile up on the M56 saw around 600 brave souls make it to the Dome!
So the Phoenix march on to the weekend, trips to Coventry away (a point would be great!) before a home game vs the Bison (hopefully another two points!)
Monday, 17 November 2008
Phoenix v Belfast 16th November Game Review
This week I cant do the usual game review, as due to other commitments I was unable to attend the Phoenix V Belfast game. I would like, however, to make a comment or two based on reading the Phoenix forum and the Manchester Online website.
It sounds like it was a close game, with the Phoenix coming up against a determined Belfast team. The Giants were the opponents for the only other Phoenix game I have missed this year, so yours truly has yet to see them. But from all accounts it seems like the Giants are one of, if not the best team to have taken to the ice at the Dome. It is also a marker of how far this team has come, going into this game many people, myself included, thought the Phoenix could get something from this game. Last year we could not have expected that!!
So its not surprising that many fans are gutted we did not get at least a point, 23 seconds to hold on!! Gutted! But that's Hockey, you can win or loose a game in 3 seconds!
So with that the Phoenix are on a loosing streak but hopefully only a short one, we have games versus Hull and Edinburgh next weekend, and while tough, I would expect a 4 point weekend from the guys to get back on track!
With that ill end, normal service should resume by the weekend! Plus the possibility of a new banner being revealed at the game! That's a point ill take a picture and post the current banner that hangs at the back of block 4 most games!
It sounds like it was a close game, with the Phoenix coming up against a determined Belfast team. The Giants were the opponents for the only other Phoenix game I have missed this year, so yours truly has yet to see them. But from all accounts it seems like the Giants are one of, if not the best team to have taken to the ice at the Dome. It is also a marker of how far this team has come, going into this game many people, myself included, thought the Phoenix could get something from this game. Last year we could not have expected that!!
So its not surprising that many fans are gutted we did not get at least a point, 23 seconds to hold on!! Gutted! But that's Hockey, you can win or loose a game in 3 seconds!
So with that the Phoenix are on a loosing streak but hopefully only a short one, we have games versus Hull and Edinburgh next weekend, and while tough, I would expect a 4 point weekend from the guys to get back on track!
With that ill end, normal service should resume by the weekend! Plus the possibility of a new banner being revealed at the game! That's a point ill take a picture and post the current banner that hangs at the back of block 4 most games!
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Elite League Money Problems.....
Right, I was intending to post the first of my thoughts on the Phoenix season so far tonight, but reading the local paper and events over the weekend have prompted a change, so what follows is my take on the troubles at the Bison and Caps along with my idea of a solution!
So this post concerns the recent developments at the Bison and the Caps. It seems as though both teams, despite encountering financial difficulties, should make it to the end of the season. But the main thing that worries me is…what happens then?
It seems as though, in both cases, promised sponsorship money has not been forthcoming, also the collapse of Zoom did not help matters. Surely when these sponsorship contracts are drawn up some consideration must be given to making them legally binding? (of course this is where my complete lack of understanding on these matters is shown up!) How can a company, who promises to sponsor a team, simply walk away? That’s what baffles me!!
I consider the Bison/Caps along with the Phoenix as, in the grand scale of things in the Elite League we are all ‘small’ teams. So whenever I hear of other teams having trouble I have to admit to worrying about my team! Thankfully I think no news is good news in terms of the Phoenix! We managed to get all (bar a couple) of players in before Zoom went bust. Our team are playing well so hopefully sponsorship money is continuing to come in, and crowds are up (I think!). Whilst I hope the Phoenix continue to flourish I really hope, come the end of the season, sensible heads can be put on and a long-term future for the Bison/Caps can be found.
My own thought (though probably had by someone else already!) could be to have a central pot, where any profits from the clubs who make money could be shared out to those less fortunate. A bit like the NFL (I think!). I know this idea may not sit well with Giants/Panther/Blaze and Steeler fans, but surely they would prefer to be playing 9 other teams as opposed to 7? That would get very boring very quickly! I can see a hole in that plan already in that, its not a given that the ‘bigger’ teams make a consistent profit (as you never see any financial results) but as the league is run by the club owners surely they can get round a table and thrash something out?
Every new season along with praying for a hard working Phoenix team, I always pray for a full season with every club making it without any wobbles. Again this seems not to be the case for 08/09. So please, Elite League, lets get this sorted for the good of Elite hockey in this country!
p.s. reading through today’s MEN it seems that the future development in Altrincham, which, would have included a new 3,000-seat arena for the Phoenix, has hit difficulties. One of the developers behind the project has filed for administration, I really hope this doesn’t put an end to the project, as our beloved Ice Dome is only a temporary facility. I just hope it doesn’t become a permanent temporary facility!
As always your comments/thoughts are appreciated!
So this post concerns the recent developments at the Bison and the Caps. It seems as though both teams, despite encountering financial difficulties, should make it to the end of the season. But the main thing that worries me is…what happens then?
It seems as though, in both cases, promised sponsorship money has not been forthcoming, also the collapse of Zoom did not help matters. Surely when these sponsorship contracts are drawn up some consideration must be given to making them legally binding? (of course this is where my complete lack of understanding on these matters is shown up!) How can a company, who promises to sponsor a team, simply walk away? That’s what baffles me!!
I consider the Bison/Caps along with the Phoenix as, in the grand scale of things in the Elite League we are all ‘small’ teams. So whenever I hear of other teams having trouble I have to admit to worrying about my team! Thankfully I think no news is good news in terms of the Phoenix! We managed to get all (bar a couple) of players in before Zoom went bust. Our team are playing well so hopefully sponsorship money is continuing to come in, and crowds are up (I think!). Whilst I hope the Phoenix continue to flourish I really hope, come the end of the season, sensible heads can be put on and a long-term future for the Bison/Caps can be found.
My own thought (though probably had by someone else already!) could be to have a central pot, where any profits from the clubs who make money could be shared out to those less fortunate. A bit like the NFL (I think!). I know this idea may not sit well with Giants/Panther/Blaze and Steeler fans, but surely they would prefer to be playing 9 other teams as opposed to 7? That would get very boring very quickly! I can see a hole in that plan already in that, its not a given that the ‘bigger’ teams make a consistent profit (as you never see any financial results) but as the league is run by the club owners surely they can get round a table and thrash something out?
Every new season along with praying for a hard working Phoenix team, I always pray for a full season with every club making it without any wobbles. Again this seems not to be the case for 08/09. So please, Elite League, lets get this sorted for the good of Elite hockey in this country!
p.s. reading through today’s MEN it seems that the future development in Altrincham, which, would have included a new 3,000-seat arena for the Phoenix, has hit difficulties. One of the developers behind the project has filed for administration, I really hope this doesn’t put an end to the project, as our beloved Ice Dome is only a temporary facility. I just hope it doesn’t become a permanent temporary facility!
As always your comments/thoughts are appreciated!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)