WalesonLine Article - Ice Time

[ASHIPP]

www.walesonline.co.uk

This short interview with Stevie Lyle does not read too positive. It sounds like the Devils may not have been able to get as much ice time for practice as they wanted this week either. Doesn't actually say if they have found ice elsewhere for training - when is the Blue Tent available again for them?
Although Ritchie is being re-assessed this week, it doesn't mention whether there is even a slim chance he might play. :?

 

[Kipper]

The Devils were back training on the ice this afternoon.

 

[DevilDom]

Not wishing to be too negative.............but I do find it perplexing that with all the off ice advances the Devils have been making that some basics seem to have gone amiss. Its all very well making excuses for losing performances, however these are things that should be within the control of the management, despite the hindrence of Planet Ice.

1. We should have booked plenty of ice time at near-by rinks (Bristol, Basingstoke, Swindon) to compensate.

2. Players should not have been turning up 2 days before we played our 1st game - the squad was sorted out early in the summer and there should have been more than enough time to sort visas out (other teams managed it with shorter notice).

3. We should have played more warm-up games to ensure we hit the ground running.

I know 2 points from 4 away from home is an "ok" start and I know it sounds like we battled hard and could have won the 2nd game, but I think if all the talk of challenging for trophies is not just that (talk) then we should be expecting more than excuses of being under prepared.

There rant over. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we don't have a chance of trophies, I just wish we weren't cooming up with excuses that were within our control. (the injury curse will be next one rolled out!).