Giants Vs Devils - Challenge Cup Final - 16th March 22
- Thread starter Wannabe2
- Start date
400 devils fans 7,000 Giants fans.
I can kind of understand why some of the teams when for a 19 player roster with the level of uncertainty around returning to hockey and the ongoing COVID situation at the time.
Lots of unknowns, would the fans be able to return, would fans want to return, would the season be stop start with enforced breaks, would games be cancelled etc.
I guess for some clubs (particularly the smaller ones) it was another way of slightly reducing their costs and risk.
It hasn’t been ideal and I’m sure there is enough certainty to return to bigger rosters next season.
I can kind of understand why some of the teams when for a 19 player roster with the level of uncertainty around returning to hockey and the ongoing COVID situation at the time.
Lots of unknowns, would the fans be able to return, would fans want to return, would the season be stop start with enforced breaks, would games be cancelled etc.
I guess for some clubs (particularly the smaller ones) it was another way of slightly reducing their costs and risk.
It hasn’t been ideal and I’m sure there is enough certainty to return to bigger rosters next season.
Thread starter
#146
Now that the dust has settled and we are all rested, what a great game last night, that’s what finals are supposed to be like, and instead of being a huge let down that really was something else. This morning I feel extremely proud to be a Devils fan, our boys went thru a few brick walls last night showing pride, guts, determination, and hwyl by the bucket loads. Thanks guys watching you face a huge uphill battle like you did last night was truly a joy, yes we would have loved to have won it, yes we so nearly did, but in the end it came down to a pure lottery, if we had been fully fit we would have taken that game. We may have lost the game but these lads won the hearts of everyone of us,and for that we thank you all, so it’s onwards and upwards now folks let’s show the boys on friday just how proud we are of them.
A great game of hockey last night - I think I went through every emotion possible yesterday.
First period, I thought the Giants threw everything they had at it and did everything but score.
Second period, the Giants were woeful to be fair. Devils took their chances and probably deserved more than their two goal lead - the Giants never looked like scoring.
I'm not sure what fire Keefe lit under them in the second intermission, but it worked. The Giants looked a lot sharper and actually put the puck on net. Once the first Giants goal went in the ice tilted the other way and, to be honest the Devils looked (understandably) tired. Devils had a massive chance in the dying minutes of regulation, but Besko pulled off a massive save.
Overtime, the Giants dominated but with sudden death anything could happen, so glad we pulled it off in the end.
Fantastic match - fair play to the Devils players and fans - a great game and atmosphere.
First period, I thought the Giants threw everything they had at it and did everything but score.
Second period, the Giants were woeful to be fair. Devils took their chances and probably deserved more than their two goal lead - the Giants never looked like scoring.
I'm not sure what fire Keefe lit under them in the second intermission, but it worked. The Giants looked a lot sharper and actually put the puck on net. Once the first Giants goal went in the ice tilted the other way and, to be honest the Devils looked (understandably) tired. Devils had a massive chance in the dying minutes of regulation, but Besko pulled off a massive save.
Overtime, the Giants dominated but with sudden death anything could happen, so glad we pulled it off in the end.
Fantastic match - fair play to the Devils players and fans - a great game and atmosphere.
proud of the devils efforts last night well done we certainly wasn't embarrassed and done themselves proud.i would like to think that in the summer we will rethink wasting an import spot on a goalie on the bench.i woder how much of a difference that would have made last night and throughout the season.next season if we want two import goalies i hope we scratch one every night and have a british back up on the bench.we've gone from having a british goalie starting and having a extra imoprt on the ice to having two import goalies on the bench and losing a import on the ice,i really think this has an affect on us throughout the season in our ability to be consistant and puts extra pressure on our imports too.hopefully the stupid 19 man squad will be gone and things are back to how they were before covid.
Kozun would be silly to come back here next season. I don’t think he’s been in the best form of late but he’s shown over the season that he could be a number one goalie for a few teams in this league. Or he could go to another league and be a number one.
It’s a tricky one. I feel very safe and confident with 2 North American goalies but it’s not the ideal situation.
It’s a tricky one. I feel very safe and confident with 2 North American goalies but it’s not the ideal situation.
For me it’s not a wasted spot to have an import goalie on the bench too. I’ve loved our goaltending options this year, as strong as we’ve ever had for me. The league just need to get rid of the absurd 19 player roster limit and restrictions on signing spares around that. That was a decision which defied belief in a year likely to be effected by Covid, and has effected the league standard so badly this year. It set our league back years in my opinion. If any ‘smaller’ teams insist on sticking with that next year and threaten to walk if the big boys don’t follow, then let them clear off.
We definitely need full size rosters next year.
As for 2 import goalies. I can see both sides of the argument. Having a brit backup frees up another import slot which would be useful but could we get one with the quality of Kozun? We don't want to end up overplaying one goalie and burning them out.
All decisions for next season.
As for 2 import goalies. I can see both sides of the argument. Having a brit backup frees up another import slot which would be useful but could we get one with the quality of Kozun? We don't want to end up overplaying one goalie and burning them out.
All decisions for next season.