Right, for all those "Glynn M" fans out there (yeah right
) I have decided to use this thread as my one and only post on last nights game.
Firstly I haven't had time to post sooner, but reading the cage and the Steelers forum has been intresting stuff.
I would like to say that Simmsy and Hockeymoose on the Steelers forum have summed up my thoughts and feeling pretty well.
www.steelersihc.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4078 I have to agree with all or at least most of what they have written. I also read in tonight's Star that Blaiser was dissapointed but gave credit to Nottingham and thought that maybe it was just their turn to win something, which is again a fair and reasonable point to make.
Personally I was dissapointed in us losing, dissapointed in Hanson's refereeing, some calls and lack of calls were really bad (although I do not blame him for us losing). I was dissapointed that some of our guys were not playing their "A" game last night, it was more like a "B" or "B-" game, wheras Craighead, Sundberg and mainly their defence played their "A" or "A+" game. For the 1st time this year I thought the Panthers probably did enough to just scrape the victory that they got.
They actually surprised me a little in how they played a mainly "clean" hockey game (including Craighead), in fact I was also a little surprised that Blaiser didn't get our guys to try and wind up the Panthers a bit more and try to draw a few more penalty minutes from them, as I thought that was the only way to get back on top of the game, but all thats history now.
Ron's Rocket of a goal should definately stood as I could clearly see more of the Blue line to the left of the puck than to the right of it when Ron shot it. I just think that Folka was badly positioned behind Shudra and unfortunately he called it as he thought he saw it (but he was wrong), nevermind eh. In the end we have to live by what the ref and lino's call.
Myself and many other forum members (and plenty of Steelers fans in general) stayed to watch the Trophy and medals being presented, to watch the Panthers fans actually have something to cheer about for a change (
) and to applaud the Challenge Cup Winners.
I thought there were many more Steelers fans willing to stay and congratulate the Panthers than vice versa on previous occasions, But I'm not wanting to go into that debate again.
In a strange way I was starting to feel a very very small bit sorry for Panthers always coming 2nd best to the Steelers and IF there was one Trophy I was willing to lose this season then the Challenge Cup was it.
I did for some peculiar reason feel happy enough that the Panthers fans had something to cheer about (well the vast majority of them - any numpties excluded).
Craighead IMO played with the skill and passion that we know he has, without too much need for his "antics". I thought he was quite gracious in victory for a change, his hug with Blaiser seemed a bit OTT but I guess it was a well planned sign of professional respect to each other. I even noticed him looking subdued and appaluding our guys and supporters as the team left the ice. Well done JC :clap
The post-game auction for game worn shirts was a little quiter than originally expected, but I was pleased with my successful bids for Shudra and Bolibruck's shirts
Despite our "bad night" on the ice, it was nice to have a post game drink in the pub with BDS, his family, the rest of the 218/Girls on Tour gang PLUS our special guest BJ and the delightful Yorkshire Panther (who keeps tugging on my horn every time I see her :shock: )
Well, Congrats again to the Team and Supporters of the Nottingham Panthers on winning the Challenge Cup this year, Gary Moran and Paul Adey seemed a bit happy (Moran was well OTT, but I can understand why he was and is IMO his antics were on a par to Simmsy's usual celebrations).
Hope you all Cherish the moment as much as us Steelers want to forget about it (even though our guys lost by the narrowest of margins).
I'm confident we will bounce back from this, lets hope that Play Off Trophy returns to it's rightful place next to the League Trophy in OUR Trophy cabinent, via the Roof of the Steelers team bus and the legendary "Balcony" outside the Sheffield Arena on the 4th April.
I think thats it, for now, unless I've forgotton something!?