I think the nicest thing you can say about Darnell's performance tonight was that he managed to turn a pretty awful game into a fairly exciting finish.
Devils started the game well with Birbraer in particular throwing some big checks. On the PP, Jarvis' shot was only half saved and it fell kindly to Latulippe who took his time to flick the puck into the half-empty net.
Devils 1-0 Vipers.
Devils continued to create chance after chance and it looked like it would be an easy win. When Robinson once again drops the initial shot, the puck falls loose and as the Devils knock the puck back in, Darnell blows up as he is the only person in the tent to lose sight of the puck.
Minute later and the Vipers get their own PP. Vipers shoot and to me it looks like there is a player in the crease. Lyle can't hold onto the puck and it drops to the ice. This time Darnell can see the puck and the Vipers eventually knock it in.
Devils 1-1 Vipers
Second period, and Ben Davies gets called for interference, even though it was a trick the Vipers had got away with most of the first period. And for the rest of the second period. And all the third. On the PP the Vipers counter-attack quickly and Berry gets a breakaway on Lyle, fooling him enough to score on the back-hand.
Devils 1-2 Vipers
Devils are still the more dominant team though and Latulippe the best player on the ice. After forcing the Vipers back into the own zone, Latulippe fires the puck across the ice to Hill who deflects the puck into the net with his stick/skate although I'm not sure how much he knew about it.
Devils 2-2 Vipers.
A minute later and after the Vipers are called for offside, one of their players shoots the puck at Lyle after the whistle. Voth goes up to him, taps him with his stick and then when he turns around gives him a shove in the chest and has a word or two with him.
Voth gets called for Slashing. :huh: The wierdest 'slash' I have ever seen as it was more a poking action. Later in the game one of the Devils has his stick slashed so hard it snaps in two. No penalty called.
Into the final period, and to be honest up to this point the game has been pretty dull dull dull. One of the Vipers skates through two Devils players and as it looks like he has worked himself a breakaway, Voth comes in from the side and nails him mid-ice. Voth gets called for interference. :huh:
After killing off the penalty, Voth is back out on the ice. Chasing a loose puck behind the net, a Vipers player stumbles and Voth pushes him out of the way and to the ice. Despite the fact he pushed him with the palm of one hand, Voth gets called for cross-checking!?!?!??!?!
Vipers PP, but from the face-off Miller collects the puck and starts to breakaway, but is grabbed around the shoulder and pulled back, allowing one of the Vipers D to win back the puck. No penalty. Finnerty chases the defenceman and checks him hard into the boards. Finnerty gets called for Boarding.
5-on-3 for the Vipers for 90 seconds. Eventually the Vipers score, even though it looked like there was a Vipers player lying in the crease before the puck was shot.
Devils 2-3 Vipers.
10 minutes to go and Darnell's bizarre calls have finally woken up the Devils crowd. Towe feeds Miller and he beats Robinson on the near side.
Devils 3-3 Vipers.
It looks like the Devils are back in control, but a quick counter-attack gives Kralj a chance and he beats Lyle with less than 8 minutes to go.
Devils 3-4 Vipers.
With 4 minutes to go Darnell calls his first penalty against Newcastle since the 9th minute. Chance after chance goes begging, but with two minutes to go, Hill and Romfo cycle the puck around to Miller, who has all the time he needs to take his shot and he fires it into the top corner past a screened netminder.
Devils 4-4 Vipers.
That same line stays out for another shift, and just 27 seconds later Hill gets into the Vipers zone and fires a perfect pass across the ice to Miller to slide the puck past Robinson and into the net for his natural hat-trick and the GWG.
Devils 5-4 Vipers.
As I said before, a boring 50 minutes followed by an exciting final 10 minutes. Latulippe was excellent but was beaten to MOTM by Miller and his hat-trick. I don't know what rulebook Darnell was using but it couldn't have been an Ice Hockey one. I'm starting to think he just doesn't like us and is looking for penalties to call against us. And if there aren't any there he will make one up. If the EIHL had a proper Head of Referees the video of the game should be sent to them and try to see if he can work out what the heck Darnell was doing.
