Devils Vs Giants - League - 20th Jan 23 - 19:30 FO

[Diafol]

"It felt like a 60 minute powerplay for the Giants."
Don't know if I'd say 60 minutes, more like 40 !
The first 10 minutes we were fantastic.
Belfast didn't know what hit them.

That first period was probably the best I've seen us play all season.

However, the second and third periods we seemed to be constantly defending an onslaught from the Giants, camped in our own zone most of the time which was a worry.

Credit to the guys for riding it out and getting the win, and Kozun showed why he deserves to be starting in net.

 

[august04 2.0]

I don't really get these responses.

I took the post from @Finny as being a bt of a joke at some of the other threads we've had on here lately. If anything, Finny is normally the one defending the forum when the same old accusations are made that there are less posts to a thread where we win, than there are to one where we lose...

As it is, at least from my POV there will probably be a longer post from @Finny the day after the game going in to a bit more depth and more along the lines of his match reports which I certainly value.

But whatever, we appear to have won and looking at the table on the eliteleague website that puts us 5points behind the Flames, 2 points behind Steelers with us all having played 32 games? So another 20-22 games to go I guess and it looks like we're i a much improved position from earlier this season?

I stand by my comment.

 

[BostonBart22]

Awesome display all round, that first 10 mins was superb until keefe stepped in for the expected timeout, those giants players were shaking in their skates after keefe tore them apart, fair does to whistle as well we had 3 grade A chances still in that first period to put belfast to bed ..how we hung on in that 2nd period is beyond me, kozun gotta be the best nettie this season in the lge end 2nd his save % was 96.667. Don't say good things much about our coaching team , but the game plan worked a treat..just 1 gripe when our side were battered in that 2nd period a little timeout could've gave our team a much needed breather..officials missed a lot but made it a better game I thought. Hats off to hogarth though having a quiet word with fournier as he was itching to have a scrap with roach inside the last 2 mins, and I'm not sure if thus rule stands any player intent on starting a fight and going ahead with it is an instant ban for the next game, in my mind it was all panto stuff anyway ..well done devils, but tonight is gonna be as tough as they come, I will settle for a point, anything else a bonus . Good luck all

 

[E.D.S.]

"It felt like a 60 minute powerplay for the Giants."
Don't know if I'd say 60 minutes, more like 40 !
The first 10 minutes we were fantastic.
Belfast didn't know what hit them..

Shall we call it 50mins and split the difference?? The boys did start very well. That tempo and commitment is impossible to play against sometimes.

 

[lloyd_jeff]

I’ll echo everything that everyone has already said in these few pages as it’s pointless repeating what has already been written, frankly I couldn’t summarise as well. My only disappointment is we didn’t do it in the Conti.

 

[TL91]

I wouldn’t say a 60,50 or 40 minute power play personally. There was 10 mins at the start of the second which was backs to the wall - no surprise either after Giants’ first period and maybe another 5-10 minutes in spells in the third. Great performance - hell of a pace to the game and really enjoyable from my perspective.

 

[Finny]

I don't really get these responses.

I took the post from @Finny as being a bt of a joke at some of the other threads we've had on here lately. If anything, Finny is normally the one defending the forum when the same old accusations are made that there are less posts to a thread where we win, than there are to one where we lose...

As it is, at least from my POV there will probably be a longer post from @Finny the day after the game going in to a bit more depth and more along the lines of his match reports which I certainly value.

But whatever, we appear to have won and looking at the table on the eliteleague website that puts us 5points behind the Flames, 2 points behind Steelers with us all having played 32 games? So another 20-22 games to go I guess and it looks like we're i a much improved position from earlier this season?

Thank you Chris. I thought it would have been obvious that my comment was a joke but next time I’ll put some emoticons so the perennial offended don’t get confused.

Sadly there won’t be a match report from me as I was unable to attend the game (and might not be able to do so for several weeks). I had hoped to watch the stream but by the time I’d managed to sit down we were 3-0 up and due to superstition I refuse to join a game that we‘re winning.

So I nervously ‘watched‘ the updates via Twitter and once the game was over came on here, looking forward to reading how we played. Joking to myself that because we won there would hardly any comments……oh.

The sad fact is that when we do lose the game threads tend to be 10+ pages long.

Thanks to those who are posting game reports.

 

[Devils86]

Credit where it's due someone who I think has vastly upped his game in the last few weeks - quietly getting on with his job, is Blake Thompson. Maybe because he doesn't seem to be getting forward as much as before?

Kelly, again another performance where he didn't look out of place. Batch solid. Penny and Brittain showing why DuPont/Kelman wanted them. Plenty of others mentioned by other posters...

But Justin Crandall, again, he's like another Joey Martin and he makes such a difference at key points. When he plays well (rarely has a bad game) the momentum aids us, and we miss him when he's quiet (which can happen).

A great start last night which was completed unexpected for me - was thinking that Giants buoyed from their midweek win at Flames would run right through us if we were flat after Angers.

But we got a good lead - in hindsight a great TO by Keefe - and then had to grind out the remaining time and try and hit them on the break. We played well and nobody had a bad game.

One of those games that good teams can deliver when needed.

But, I didn't think it was possible but the stripes are getting worse aren't they?

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

Credit where it's due someone who I think has vastly upped his game in the last few weeks - quietly getting on with his job, is Blake Thompson. Maybe because he doesn't seem to be getting forward as much as before?

Kelly, again another performance where he didn't look out of place. Batch solid. Penny and Brittain showing why DuPont/Kelman wanted them. Plenty of others mentioned by other posters...

But Justin Crandall, again, he's like another Joey Martin and he makes such a difference at key points. When he plays well (rarely has a bad game) the momentum aids us, and we miss him when he's quiet (which can happen).

A great start last night which was completed unexpected for me - was thinking that Giants buoyed from their midweek win at Flames would run right through us if we were flat after Angers.

But we got a good lead - in hindsight a great TO by Keefe - and then had to grind out the remaining time and try and hit them on the break. We played well and nobody had a bad game.

One of those games that good teams can deliver when needed.

But, I didn't think it was possible but the stripes are getting worse aren't they?

Some crazy no-calls but thankfully it didn’t affect the outcome.

 

[Earnie]

I am still smiling after last night.
However one lady is not. She had her precious car window smashed down yacht club lane. NEVER leave items on view.

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

Great win last night.
We came out of the blocks flying with a fantastic, high tempo forecheck coupled with speedy entry into the Belfast zone.
Belfast couldn’t cope and we completely swamped them in the 1st 10 minutes of the game. Best period of hockey we’ve played this season in my opinion. The really pleasing thing for me was the the way we scored our goals and by that I mean that we scored 3 dirty goals in and around the crease. All brought about by the heavy forecheck and net front presence that has been sorely missed for much of this season.

The Fournier- Waller - Brittain line was unplayable and if Keefe hadn’t called a time out and given his team a bollocking the game would been over as a contest. Credit to Belfast, they regrouped and took the game to us for the rest of the period and it was nail biting stuff for the remaining 50 minutes.

Kozun with another superb controlled performance without looking over stretched. In fact his positional play and his rebound control was again so good that apart from a couple of saves where he 'flashed the leather' he made it look like the pre- match warm up!

Shout out to the D- corp, 'boxing out' in front of Kozun and for the most part keeping them to the outside and allowing Kozun to dominate his crease.

Belfast spent an incredible amount of time in our zone but ultimately they couldn’t translate pressure into goals and we looked dangerous on the breakout so it was no surprise to me when we got the ENG.

Great performance, great win, more of the same tonight please!

 

[Swarley]

I didn't think it was possible but the stripes are getting worse aren't they?

They missed more calls last night than a teenage girl avoiding her boyfriend.

And they wonder why they get so much stick from fans, myself included with my clown wig and ref jersey.

 

[Wannabe2]

Great game last night it was pure enjoyment, well played lads haven’t stopped thinking about that game and still am. Kozun was truly untrue and played out of his skin, when this lad plays as he can he is superb, we played as a team last night, and yes we spent long periods under the cosh but dealt with each threat superbly and had a brick wall as our last defence. Brandt was a warrior, Fournier is truly a nut job, Brittain is playing better than ever, our Joey was superb the list just goes on and on, that was a true team display last night against a very strong team. Last night really stamped for me why we love our nights at our gaff, edge of seat thrilling moves, big hits, great saves,digging deep and playing for the shirt, the club, and the fans. It was a pure joy being there last night, and a pure joy watching us play like we can, I’m still buzzing thanks guys that was truly awesome. Happy Hockey Days.

 

[Earnie]

Nothing better than a happy Wannabe2!
(Warning - liable to get grumpy at times)

 

[fridaysfingers]

Great game last night it was pure enjoyment, well played lads haven’t stopped thinking about that game and still am. Kozun was truly untrue and played out of his skin, when this lad plays as he can he is superb, we played as a team last night, and yes we spent long periods under the cosh but dealt with each threat superbly and had a brick wall as our last defence. Brandt was a warrior, Fournier is truly a nut job, Brittain is playing better than ever, our Joey was superb the list just goes on and on, that was a true team display last night against a very strong team. Last night really stamped for me why we love our nights at our gaff, edge of seat thrilling moves, big hits, great saves,digging deep and playing for the shirt, the club, and the fans. It was a pure joy being there last night, and a pure joy watching us play like we can, I’m still buzzing thanks guys that was truly awesome. Happy Hockey Days.

“Truly untrue”

You’ve excelled yourself with this saying wannabe ;-)
Can’t work out if it’s a double positive type of double negative
I’m confused lol

 

[moggy#9]

I didn't see last night's game, so I'm not going to comment in detail. Given the start the team has though, it sounds like they came prepared. This time it seems like it was Keefe who got out coached. Long may it continue.

 

[jenks33]

Credit where it's due someone who I think has vastly upped his game in the last few weeks - quietly getting on with his job, is Blake Thompson. Maybe because he doesn't seem to be getting forward as much as before?

Kelly, again another performance where he didn't look out of place. Batch solid. Penny and Brittain showing why DuPont/Kelman wanted them. Plenty of others mentioned by other posters...

But Justin Crandall, again, he's like another Joey Martin and he makes such a difference at key points. When he plays well (rarely has a bad game) the momentum aids us, and we miss him when he's quiet (which can happen).

A great start last night which was completed unexpected for me - was thinking that Giants buoyed from their midweek win at Flames would run right through us if we were flat after Angers.

But we got a good lead - in hindsight a great TO by Keefe - and then had to grind out the remaining time and try and hit them on the break. We played well and nobody had a bad game.

One of those games that good teams can deliver when needed.

But, I didn't think it was possible but the stripes are getting worse aren't they?

I’m glad somebody mentioned Crandall as I thought he was great last night. There were 2 or 3 times during that game that he showed excellent vision, particularly at this level. In my opinion though we probably didn’t see enough of that from him during the first half of this season. I’ve never really questioned his effort and he’s always gritty but I think we saw much more quality from him last season. He’s been too quiet for me at times. Let’s hope these performances continue

 

[Gisland]

Good Win.. Well played. Cardiff. Now the best result tonight would be a Cardiff win..

 

[Gavevs88]

Great win, Kozun fantastic yet again. Brittain and Waller continuing to impress and Fourns is an absolute manic and I love it.

Shocking display from the stripes yet again, thought Crandall had his best game of the season, seemed to be everywhere and an utter nuisance.

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

I’m glad somebody mentioned Crandall as I thought he was great last night. There were 2 or 3 times during that game that he showed excellent vision, particularly at this level. In my opinion though we probably didn’t see enough of that from him during the first half of this season. I’ve never really questioned his effort and he’s always gritty but I think we saw much more quality from him last season. He’s been too quiet for me at times. Let’s hope these performances continue

Brodie Reid remains a concern for me as he seems to be off the pace, particularly when 5on5. Not criticising his work rate but he isn’t getting the grade A chances you’d expect from your top line goal scorer!