Devils Vs Blaze - CC - 9th / 10th Oct 2021
- Thread starter James
- Start date
Maybe just me but that for me was a total borefest, no physicality and very little clever hockey, we never really looked too interested compared to the high intensity this team usually show, and to be honest I could have dropped off a few times. TheSkydome was more like the Cremdome for atmosphere, hopefully we go to the other end of the thrillometer next Saturday. Safe journey home all.
This is definitely a CHL hangover.
There was a distinct lack of energy. You can see how hard Dixon works to Energise the team but it’s a tough ask on his own. This is where we miss McNally and a Faryna type. Dixon took his goal well and Lammons was the icing on the cake of his performance tonight. Sitting behind the goal in the away section and looking at the ice from a new perspective makes the game very different. Dixon, cox and Davies worked hard tonight but there was a lack of energy every where and agree with Wannabe, least physical game against the Blaze in a long long time. Plenty of teams will lose at the Sky Dome this season, not an easy place to go. It’s not the league so no biggy.
Carruth was great again but MOM for me was Lammon.
I’d say the Dome was 2/3rds full, if that. No atmosphere.
I urge those who bemoan our build up and choice of music to come to the sky dome. It’s like a library, woeful entrance and awful mid game music but for me if feels like a covid hangover with not much money around to invest in it, they tried there best but you had a Scorch firing t-shirts out of cannon that didn’t work, tennis balls thrown into the crowd with numbers for the first scorer on. Proper budget stuff but they are trying.
As for Blaze…. Danny Stewart is a stand out coach for me. He does so much with so little. Blaze are a well drilled and organised team. They will be a massive pain this season.
There was a distinct lack of energy. You can see how hard Dixon works to Energise the team but it’s a tough ask on his own. This is where we miss McNally and a Faryna type. Dixon took his goal well and Lammons was the icing on the cake of his performance tonight. Sitting behind the goal in the away section and looking at the ice from a new perspective makes the game very different. Dixon, cox and Davies worked hard tonight but there was a lack of energy every where and agree with Wannabe, least physical game against the Blaze in a long long time. Plenty of teams will lose at the Sky Dome this season, not an easy place to go. It’s not the league so no biggy.
Carruth was great again but MOM for me was Lammon.
I’d say the Dome was 2/3rds full, if that. No atmosphere.
I urge those who bemoan our build up and choice of music to come to the sky dome. It’s like a library, woeful entrance and awful mid game music but for me if feels like a covid hangover with not much money around to invest in it, they tried there best but you had a Scorch firing t-shirts out of cannon that didn’t work, tennis balls thrown into the crowd with numbers for the first scorer on. Proper budget stuff but they are trying.
As for Blaze…. Danny Stewart is a stand out coach for me. He does so much with so little. Blaze are a well drilled and organised team. They will be a massive pain this season.
Last edited:
In all fairness it's a ridiculous format.
All these games with only one team eliminated.
They'd be better off just going straight to semi final with top 3 going through and highest points ranked as the fourth.
If your team is good enough you only have to coast through games to get through even with losing a couple.
Also even though Saturday was a sell out there were allot of empty seats in the arena.
All these games with only one team eliminated.
They'd be better off just going straight to semi final with top 3 going through and highest points ranked as the fourth.
If your team is good enough you only have to coast through games to get through even with losing a couple.
Also even though Saturday was a sell out there were allot of empty seats in the arena.
Last edited:
As horrid as this to suggest, given the win on Saturday i hope they completely switched off Sunday knowing we have Lukko on Wednesday & 2x league games this coming weekend against Belfast & Nottingham.
The league is in dire need of a major revamp with it's format, starting with POFW becoming the CC finals weekend & then an actual playoff format March/April to decide an overall winner.
From what I can tell, there are 36 games of hockey to be played in the cup just for 1 team to be eliminated & we go to a final 8, that is absolutely ludicrous & given Fife have played 5/8 games, and have 0 points, it's basically mathematically impossible for us to be eliminated already (We've played 4/8 games, 6 points) so the final 4 cup games for the Devils in the group stages I've no issue with losing every one if it means we can keep players fresher. & win the league games that surround the CC games.
The league is in dire need of a major revamp with it's format, starting with POFW becoming the CC finals weekend & then an actual playoff format March/April to decide an overall winner.
From what I can tell, there are 36 games of hockey to be played in the cup just for 1 team to be eliminated & we go to a final 8, that is absolutely ludicrous & given Fife have played 5/8 games, and have 0 points, it's basically mathematically impossible for us to be eliminated already (We've played 4/8 games, 6 points) so the final 4 cup games for the Devils in the group stages I've no issue with losing every one if it means we can keep players fresher. & win the league games that surround the CC games.
The positive of the Challenge cup is revenue from home games, that's it.
The cup itself as I've said before is the Caraboa Cup of hockey.
League title brings with it CHL, Playoff weekend brings Continental Cup, Challenge cup brings...........nothing, the revenue is the only positive thing about it.
The cup itself as I've said before is the Caraboa Cup of hockey.
League title brings with it CHL, Playoff weekend brings Continental Cup, Challenge cup brings...........nothing, the revenue is the only positive thing about it.
Last edited:
Jeez , when you see it in black and white like that, it does hit home. Guess the primary driver is revenue (as if we didn’t know). More games for the punter and better value season ticket but it’s actually delivered a weaker product. A weaker and meaningless product. Perhaps it’s a COVID hangover and a knee jerk response by the league. Let’s hope it’s better next year.
Love the idea of a proper playoff series like the old days but there’s a millions reasons why that hasn’t happened for a while. Unfair on the clubs that don’t make it I guess but surely financially it’s better for them. Shorter season, less outgoings. No idea really but a rethink is required, in more settled times hopefully.
Love the idea of a proper playoff series like the old days but there’s a millions reasons why that hasn’t happened for a while. Unfair on the clubs that don’t make it I guess but surely financially it’s better for them. Shorter season, less outgoings. No idea really but a rethink is required, in more settled times hopefully.
The format was dire & almost identical when it was 2x 5 team mini-leagues, with only the last place team eliminated. But the league have an extra headache this year with Glasgow opting OUT, meaning they couldn't run a mini-league with 4 teams (as all 4 would automatically qualify).
Unfortunately they've then had to split it 3x3 out of fairness
and also unfortunately while trying to help teams with travel (Coventry-Guildford-Cardiff) (Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham) the 3rd group is terrible, with both Scottish teams having to lug back and forth to Belfast (Geographically this makes sense, but financially they are the 2 teams that need it least).
Also, Belfast get to play Fife & Dundee for 8 games & no disrespect to either of those teams, but any team in the league would take their CC draw over playing Coventry/Guildford, or worse - being Manchester and having to play Sheffield/Nottingham every other week for the first couple of months of the season.
Unfortunately they've then had to split it 3x3 out of fairness
and also unfortunately while trying to help teams with travel (Coventry-Guildford-Cardiff) (Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham) the 3rd group is terrible, with both Scottish teams having to lug back and forth to Belfast (Geographically this makes sense, but financially they are the 2 teams that need it least).
Also, Belfast get to play Fife & Dundee for 8 games & no disrespect to either of those teams, but any team in the league would take their CC draw over playing Coventry/Guildford, or worse - being Manchester and having to play Sheffield/Nottingham every other week for the first couple of months of the season.