Newcastle Vipers v Cardiff Devils - Sat 6:30pm Chat/Updates

[Huskie442]

Im not sure Lyle was a weak link as seems to bebeing suggested above, (Giants had a high GAA last year and we have conceeded 8 in 2 games), Lyle is the only link there.
It seems clear (from the game sheet and from Franny's comments), that it was a lack of practice and a lack of discipline that let us down, not Stevie who was always up against it with our weakened and messed about defence and our high penalty count (particularly the Misconducts) , which we could have avoided.

I agree that we may well have a higher GAA than last year, but we will be more attacking al round the team, I think we have the team to keep the defence pretty tight and the forwards to score enough goals.

For these reasons I still think we should have won both games in Newcastle and with better discipline we would have, but the team will recognise this and we will be fine.
Roll on this weekend, when we can put it all right.

 

[ASHIPP]

As far as the Devils defence is concerned, it certainly was swapped about on Sunday after Mark's injury! They were also disadvantaged with Stoney missing. Thankfully, this situation will only get better in the next week or so - and Scott looks like a gem of a signing too.
From what everyone has said, Stevie played well - but it does show how much pressure a netminder is put under with a compromised defence. :?
The Guys will feel they are making progress when ice time becomes available again in the Blue Tent - Wednesday, isn't it? I certainly didn't realise that some of their practice time on the Basingstoke rink had fallen through and they went to Newcastle not having practiced as a full squad.

 

[scottydoesntknow]

I only class Newcastle as being a mid-lower team based on a lot of peoples predictions, including my own. With such a small league, that isn't necessarily a hard thing to do, when you look at teams like Coventry and Nottingham, I think there is a clear difference in quality compared to Newcastle.

Also, We are being tipped to potentially break into the top 3 come the end of the season, by loads of fans, not just our own.
So based on all this, I would've expected us to win both games this weekend, or at least equal the amount of points Newcastle received.

 

[Gazza272]

I only class Newcastle as being a mid-lower team based on a lot of peoples predictions, including my own. With such a small league, that isn't necessarily a hard thing to do, when you look at teams like Coventry and Nottingham, I think there is a clear difference in quality compared to Newcastle.

Also, We are being tipped to potentially break into the top 3 come the end of the season, by loads of fans, not just our own.
So based on all this, I would've expected us to win both games this weekend, or at least equal the amount of points Newcastle received.

Again though Scotty i ask the questions, will all other 6 teams in the league win ALL 4 games in Newcastle this season? i dont think they will. so in that case as long as we wn the other two games in Newcastle it wont be that much of a disaster will it?

 

[scottydoesntknow]

No fair comment, I guess I just expected a lot more, coming out of that excellent home friendly against Coventry..

 

[Gazza272]

No fair comment, I guess I just expected a lot more, coming out of that excellent home friendly against Coventry..

I think its a testament to the enthusiasm of of the fans this season that we all thought we could get 4 points out of Newcastle, equally i assume the newcastle squad and fans were all expecting 4 points this weekend also.


I dont have any doubt this team we have this year can beat any team in this league. I think the test is going to come Christmas time and beyond, a run of form then from any team will see this league won imo.

 

[ASHIPP]

I only class Newcastle as being a mid-lower team based on a lot of peoples predictions, including my own. With such a small league, that isn't necessarily a hard thing to do, when you look at teams like Coventry and Nottingham, I think there is a clear difference in quality compared to Newcastle.

Also, We are being tipped to potentially break into the top 3 come the end of the season, by loads of fans, not just our own.
So based on all this, I would've expected us to win both games this weekend, or at least equal the amount of points Newcastle received.

Newcastle may not neccessarily do consistently well in the league, but who's to say they won't do well in the cup or the playoffs? On the other hand, Nottingham might win the league but get nowhere in the cup or the playoffs! How can either team be judged as better or weaker? Last season Belfast didn't break the top 3 positions in the league (injury blighted their campaign) but had a quality team and won two cups. The teams seem much closer in style this year and already they are all winning and losing to eachother - except Nottingham so far! :mrgreen: This could all change of course and anything is possible!

 

[bubbles]

As far as the Devils defence is concerned, it certainly was swapped about on Sunday after Mark's injury! They were also disadvantaged with Stoney missing. Thankfully, this situation will only get better in the next week or so - and Scott looks like a gem of a signing too.
From what everyone has said, Stevie played well - but it does show how much pressure a netminder is put under with a compromised defence. :?
The Guys will feel they are making progress when ice time becomes available again in the Blue Tent - Wednesday, isn't it? I certainly didn't realise that some of their practice time on the Basingstoke rink had fallen through and they went to Newcastle not having practiced as a full squad.

We were 3-1 down in both games with Richardson there and G playing defence for Stoney. In the first game the Vipers had 27 shots at our goalie. In the second game they had 36 (evenly spread across 3 periods) totaling 63. I know we had 64 across the 2 games. My reasoning behind this is that if we give on average over 20 scoring opportunities to teams of a higher calibre we are going to be in trouble. Fingers crossed we can get the D sorted. Get the D sorted and we can win the league with our fire power.

In total I think Sheffield lost 6 games in regulation time and 7 in o/t (which still scores a point). Looking at all the teams, I think most have gone for scoring power, so I think the teams with the best D's will be taking the honours.

 

[devils900]

Got back from newcastle yesterday after a brilliant weekend up there. If anyone is thinking of going to one of the other games and making a few days of it i totally recommend it as the nightlife was awesome.

To the games, - the first game we played well and played ok in the second just made stupid mistakes in both and the stupid penalties that we gave away in the second game cost us. 2 stupid misconduct penalties (I know hanson is an idiot and i judt didnt understand some of his calls) and miller and smith gave away stupid hooking and tripping penalties when we had just gone on to the powerplay.

For those blaming lyle, it wasnt his falut we lost the game on sunday, on saturday the first line just wasnt firing and on he sunday, the players just took stupid penalties that need to be cut out. In my opinion the only players that played extremely well on both days were romfo, michel and richardson

 

[Chris]

At the risk of being accused of not supporting the team again...

The team certainly didn't play like the home game against Coventry, but with the way Hanson was reffing I guess it's kind of understandable, more worrying was our lack of passing ability again, we might not be able to play physical, but we should be able to pass...

For those expecting 4 points from this weekend, Newcastle are an entirely different team from last season it would seem, they were quick going forwards and quick on defence, they may not have the size but they battled for the puck and took their chances.

Whilst it may have only been the 4th game, i'm not sure what I think of Lyle, he's clearly got the ability, but he doesn't seem to control the puck all that well and i'm not sure our players know how to deal with that just yet, it's sure to improve and we've shown we can do it previously.

Our new signings and brits are looking good though, probably better off reading Rempel16's post either on this thread, or the sunday game thread for a blow by blow account

The big issue was our lack of physical play, with the loss of Boniface to the league, what are the chances of Hanson reffing more games down here, and if he does are we going to get pushed around again? Most telling was Smith getting floored and not one of our players doing anything, we can't allow that to happen to our 1st line players, especially considering how good they can/will be.

Smith needs to get skating fast again, on the Sunday night we had a breakaway and almost every player on the ice caught him up, saying that the linking up between the 1st line was starting to appear a little more.

As for Hanson, what an absolute joke. He was often so far behind the play that the Vipers players would go crashing onto the ice knowing that our players would receive a tripping penalty for a poke check because Hanson would only see the Vipers players falling down.

He didn't seem to receive a whole lot of stick from the fans that were there, mostly because we were all resigned to the fact we'd be getting a penalty for anything we did, but the fact not one Devils player shook Hansons, or the linesmans hands at the end of the game is perhaps an indication as to just how woeful they were.

Hopefully we'll see a different team on Sunday against Hull what with a big home crowd cheering them on...

Chris.

 

[phil PLT]

The big issue was our lack of physical play, with the loss of Boniface to the league, what are the chances of Hanson reffing more games down here, and if he does are we going to get pushed around again?
Chris.

What's happend to Bonehead this season then?

As regards Hanson reffing games down here, can't see that happening as that would be extra expense for the league which they can ill ifford. More likely to see Smith, Darnell and Hicks

 

[James]

What's happend to Bonehead this season then?

As regards Hanson reffing games down here, can't see that happening as that would be extra expense for the league which they can ill ifford. More likely to see Smith, Darnell and Hicks

Hes reffing EPL. Same reason for not getting Hanson down here. He (like Clouts) lives on the south coast, where there are lots of EPL teams locally.

 

[BLOCK 3 DEVIL]

What's happend to Bonehead this season then?

As regards Hanson reffing games down here, can't see that happening as that would be extra expense for the league which they can ill ifford. More likely to see Smith, Darnell and Hicks

Hes reffing EPL. Same reason for not getting Hanson down here. He (like Clouts) lives on the south coast, where there are lots of EPL teams locally.

Absolutely gutted that Nigel will not be around this year ! Referee baiting is only fun if the ref in question bites and by God does he bite.

No more Nigel, Nigel, Nigel chants.....

No more Block 2 hands up for penalties.....

What are we going to do at the back of block 2 without him ? :lol:

Suggestions on a postcard please.

 

[schulersagoodun]

Also, We are being tipped to potentially break into the top 3 come the end of the season, by loads of fans, not just our own.

Just which two from Coventry, Sheffield, Nottingham and Belfast .......are "loads of fans, not just our own".......tipping to finish below us??????

 

[Finny]

Also, We are being tipped to potentially break into the top 3 come the end of the season, by loads of fans, not just our own.

Just which two from Coventry, Sheffield, Nottingham and Belfast .......are "loads of fans, not just our own".......tipping to finish below us??????

Loads of Coventry fans reckon that both us and them will finish in the top 3.
Loads of Sheffield fans reckon that both us and them will finish in the top 3.
Loads of Nottingham fans reckon that both us and them will finish in the top 3.
Loads of Belfast fans reckon that both us and them will finish in the top 3.