weekend review

Continental cup glory for panthers... 

The Nottingham panthers this weekend played in the international hockey tournament: The continental cup. Round two was hosted in Nottingham with 4 teams attending: HYS The hague; Bipolo Vivatoria; Riga Dinamo Juniors and the panthers. Game one of the tournament on Friday was The hague vs Riga in which Riga thrashed them 8-3. Highlights here:  

That night was panthers opening game of the tournament which saw them beat Bipolo 5-3. A game which panthers led 5-1 at one point, Bipolo almost made a shocking comeback but panthers hung on to win their first continental cup game. Highlights here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_YMRcYafsE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUyon6AP_RAh7pl4K0lK1hBA

Onto Saturday and it was an afternoon showdown as Bipolo took on Riga. And it was Riga who once again dominated the scoreboard with a 7-2 win. Highlights here: 

Saturday night, panthers second game was a great one vs Hague. Hague took a one goal into the first break but at the second, panthers had leveled 1-1 through Matt Francis. It was a low scoring tight game at this point. But a shocking SIX goal third period including a Matt Francis hat trick and despite two goals for  The hague, it wasn't enough to stop the mighty panthers. Highlights here:

Final day was Sunday and the second to last game of round two saw Bipolo take on HYS the hague and it was The hague who got their first win of the tournament and only win edging it 5-3. Highlights here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6S-AQPkz50&feature=c4-overview&list=UUyon6AP_RAh7pl4K0lK1hBA 

Final game of the round was a big one, riga vspanthers. both teams had won all their games so far so one team would loose their first game of the continental cup! However, the winner would go through to the next round in Italy. Matt Francis scored a breakaway for 1-0, then David Clarke scored a tight goal for 2-0 but late on in the first a well worked goal from Riga saw a tight 2-1 lead for panthers after the first period. Chance after chance in the second came but both goalies weren't letting anything get past them and that would result in a scoreless second setting up a vital third with a place in Italy at stake. Both teams played their hearts out and it would be a great goal from Leigh Salters to seal the win and panthers got their place in history for another weekend of writing the history books. It was one of the best weekends in panthers history and they've made British ice hockey proud. Here is one of the fights in the game and underneath is full highlights:

 

Full highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRMMaf71jNA#t=646

Sheffield finally have  4 point weekend...

Sheffield have had it hard this year, with rough losses and major injuries that have cost them. This weekend they did something about it, beating Fife flyers 4-1 on Saturday followed by a fantastic 2-1 win over Belfast Giants! It was Saturday night away in Fife and steelers scored once in the first through Rob Siriani and took a 3-0 lead into break two and despite Flyers breaking Doyles shutout steelers sealed the win late on in the third. Onto Sunday and an impressive victory over Belfast would bring confidence galore into the locker room. Giants opened the scoring but steelers were level by the end of the first. A scoreless seconds would put a big third up. Steelers got the only goal of the period to clinch the win. 

Devils dominate rivals blaze twice... 

A double header weekend for Cardiff Devils and Coventry blaze saw Devils win both games against their big rivals! Saturday night was in Coventry and Cardiff stunned blaze scoring 4 goals in the first to take a 4-0 lead into the 2nd. The home side were looking for revenge and broke the shutout midway through and it was 4-1 at break two. It was a tight third but the end result would see Blaze 3-5 Devils. The travelling fans were the ones going home happy. The next day blaze looked for revenge but devils wouldn't let them get it, they won 4-0 in a shutout win for goalie Dan Lacosta. Saturday stats: http://www.eliteleague.co.uk/stats/official-game-report.php?game_id=1675 Sunday highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p_lbXEYCbI#t=16. 

Dundee try to reclaim top spot with great 4 point weekend...

Dundee are really trying to get back to their top spot after a great 4 point weekend with 

victories over Hull away and a home victory over Braehead. Saturday night in Hull was a high scoring action packed game. It went one way then another but Dundee won 5-4 in a shootout. Highlights here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhjF5YQf6zQ

Next day and it was back home against Brahead clan who had backup goalie Mike Will between the pipes. It was a tight game throughout but an early third period goal from stars gave them a 2-1 win. Highlights here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsLzxSw-ah8&feature=c4-overview&list=UUPkKGWPFn8EF5-dFEHT5Qlw 

Flyers have mixed weekend but finally get first win...

Earlier in this write up, we told you about Sheffield beating Fife, but it was Sundays game which was special for Flyers as they got their first win of the season beating Edinburgh Capitals 4-3 away. Caps scored once every period and so did flyers apart from one extra goal midway to give Fife their first win.

Clan have great weekend despite only one win...

Braehead clan, as we said earlier, had a 2-1 loss in Dundee on Sunday,but Saturday night was a home shootout win vs Edinburgh capitals. Caps had control for most of the time but Clan kept  trying and took the game into OT and won in a late shootout goal.

EIHL TABLE AFTER THIS WEEK

Pos	ELITE	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS
1	Belfast	11	8	3	0	0	16
2	Dundee	12	8	4	0	0	16
3	Sheffield	8	5	2	0	1	11
4	Nottingham	6	5	1	0	0	10
5	Braehead	8	5	3	0	0	10
6	Coventry	6	4	2	0	0	8
7	Cardiff	9	3	6	0	0	6
8	Hull	8	2	5	0	1	5
9	Fife	7	1	4	0	2	4
10	Edinburgh	9	1	7	0	1	3

Posted by RhysWilliams