|
Post by humbucker on Oct 2, 2017 15:22:59 GMT
hockey8. An interesting post and a good attempt at a balanced view. I think that there are a number of elements in the piece that I consider valid but not being a coach just a watcher, as perhaps you are yourself, I do try to stay clear of any attempt at offering a prescription as a cure for the 3rd period outcomes. I am no expert but do think there is an awful lot that can be worked on and maybe some of the issues that you highlight might form part of the way forward for the team. I do think that given that the Lions were a 5th placed Div 2 team last season they have made tremendous strides with more to come as they develop the strategies to hopefully grab a few points as the season progresses They are indeed showing all of the qualities required of the team to compete and more, and as you intimate they have to have enough left in the tank to close out the games and put a few markers on the conference board. Keep on posting it was a good and positive informative read. I do not manage to get to every game and rely on others for information when putting together a brief write up for the Cage Forum. Could do with more contributors to ensure that balance is achieved. For me it is difficult to give an unbiased view and I do attempt to avoid overt criticism if I can, therefore my reports will lack some balance, but someones got to do it. Shaggy puts some short pieces on now and again and the Lions newly formed media team do some good write ups on the Lions website that put to shame my brief postings somewhat.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 6, 2017 16:10:10 GMT
Weekend Games: Saturday: Telford Tigers v Blackburn Hawks, Solway Sharks v Solihull Barons, and Sheffield Steeldogs v Billingham Stars.
Sunday: Whitley Warriors v Telford Tigers, Hull Pirates v Billingham Stars, and Solihull Barons v Nottingham Lions. The Lions are on the road again as they meet with their old rivals the Barons for the first time since the 2014/15 season when the Solihull team took the conference by a good margin and were promoted. I feel sure that the very warm and welcoming Barons fan base will heat up the atmosphere at the Hobs Moat Rink to near fever pitch on the night. The Barons will be looking to move from their uncharacteristic low position in the conference, whilst the Lions will be seeking a point or two to get their season moving from the foot of the table. The Lions have shown that they can compete to date but positive results are hard to come by in the conference as a number of teams have already found including our own team.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 7, 2017 20:36:17 GMT
Tonight's Results: Telford Tigers 7 Blackburn Hawks 0, Solway Sharks 4 Solihull Barons 2, Sheffield Steeldogs 6 Billingham Stars 2. Telford strengthened their position at the top of the conference with a convincing win over the Hawks. Solway made hard work of defeating a short benched Solihull scoring two power play goals in the last ten minutes of the game to take the honours. Sheffield continue to make steady progress with a good win. On Sunday the Lions will meet a more than determined Solihull Barons team looking to bag something from the weekend so the Nottingham team will need to prepare for a real battle at the Hobs Moat.
|
|
|
Post by hockey8 on Oct 8, 2017 14:15:53 GMT
Barons V Lions tonight must be considered the best opportunity of the season so far for Lions to pick up a point or 2, plus the consideration that Barons had the long round trip to play Solway last night. Hopefully Lions will be at full strength for their only game of the weekend.
|
|
Shaggy
Forum Moderator
Am I a cynical idealist or an idealistic cynic?
Posts: 10,995
|
Post by Shaggy on Oct 8, 2017 19:51:11 GMT
The Lions get their first win of the season, away to old 'friends' the Solihull Barons!
Final score is Solihull Barons 4 - 5 Nottingham Lions
No scorer details yet, but netminder Tom Hovell got Mom.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 8, 2017 21:52:00 GMT
Tonight's Results: Whitley Warriors 3 Telford Tigers 6, Hull Pirates 11 Billingham Stars 1, Solihull Barons 4 Nottingham Lions 5. Telford maintained their winning run when they beat the Warriors with a much reduced bench strength. Billingham Stars ended a weekend to forget with a disaster at the hands of the Pirates. We have points and move up two places with a win at the Hobs Moat against the Solihull Barons. The Lions romped to a 0-3 lead in the first period but then all of their hard work appeared to desert them as the Barons hit back with 3 short handed goals in the second the period ending at 4-4 and the Barons sniffing blood. The Lions recovered their earlier composure and although under pressure broke the deadlock at 49.42 and saw out the game to take the points. I had spoken with Matt Bradbury a little while ago asking him the teams he might target to get a few points and he felt that the Barons were one team that his Lions might run close over the season. I am sure although happy with the win the short handed goals scored by the Barons really teed him off no end. The Barons after the first period were there to be taken but were let back in during a really dismal second period. The Lions showed in the third what was required to finally close out a game. Period Scores: 0-3/4-1/0-1. Scorers: Ruskin Hughes 1+2, Joe Humphries 1+1, Marc Levers, Ondrej Pniok, Richard Slater all 1+0, Jakub Pniok, Cameron Pywell both 0+2, Jamie Hovell 0+1. Tom Hovell MOM with stats of 91.84.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 11, 2017 20:57:34 GMT
Dan MacKriel stepped down as the Solihull Barons Head Coach at last night's team training. He intends to focus life on his young family rather than ice hockey. The team will be coached by the existing members of the coaching staff at this weekend's game against the Hull Pirates.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 14, 2017 9:04:33 GMT
Weekend Game: Sunday: Deeside Dragons v Blackburn Hawks, Solihull Barons v Hull Pirates, Billingham Stars v Whitley Warriors, and Sheffield Steeldogs v Nottingham Lions. No Saturday games in the Moralee Conference. The Dragons although at home might have yet another uphill battle on their hands as they face a strong Hawks team, so points will be hard to come by for Scott McKenzie's team. The Barons will be looking for a turn around in fortunes as they face the Pirates and having lost their Head Coach this past week. The Barons grabbed the points up at Hull at the start of the season in a 3-4 game but the Pirates have definitely put that one to bed with a run of strong results going into this game. Whether or not the Barons have recovered from the unexpected result at home against the Lions will be revealed after what could be a tense evening at the Hobs Moat. The Lions come up against a strong Steeldogs team looking to improve their present mid place in the conference. The ex EPIHL team are showing that they are a force to be reckoned with given recent results therefore the Lions will have to give 100% on every shift in this one, as any lapses will be punished, and that's for sure. Hopefully the lesson from the second period in the Barons game will have been taken on board for this one. James Hadfield ex Steeldogs netminder may have a warm homecoming as he takes to the ice on Sunday.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 15, 2017 11:57:04 GMT
The Nottingham Lions hit the road once more as they head for Sheffield. This team will be an entirely different proposition to the Barons as the Steeldogs appear to have greater depth within their squad. The Lions will need to be at their very best in all departments to avoid being the proverbial 'dogs dinner'.On their day the Lions do have the ability to make any team in this conference earn points as we have witnessed already to date and to take points when given the opportunity, as with last weekend.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 15, 2017 20:25:28 GMT
Tonight's Results: Deeside Dragons 2 Blackburn Hawks 7. The Hawks lost the first period 2-0 but turned the game with 7 goals without reply. Solihull Barons 9 Hull Pirates 8. The Pirates had a gruelling cup game last night against the Sheffield Steeldogs that went to overtime and the Pirates taking that game 4-3. This Barons v Pirates game must have appeared crazy as they both leaked goals. Barons now move above the Lions with the Dragons now occupying the bottom slot. Billingham Stars 3 Whitley Warriors 4.
The Lions lost out to the Steeldogs 6-2. Period Scores: 1-1/3-1/2-0. Scorers: Cameron Pywell 1+0, Jakub Pniok 1+0, Joe Humphries 0+2, and Adz Andrews 0+1. Jakub Pniok picked up his first goal tonight. MOM Cameron Pywell. The Lions were massively outshot by the 'Dogs' who were determined to stamp their authority on the game and that they did by a ratio of 3 to 1.
Steeldogs (with 2 games in hand) now move into the top three just 1 point behind the Hawks in second place who are 4 points adrift of the leaders the Telford Tigers.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 20, 2017 18:03:11 GMT
Weekend Games: Saturday: Solway Sharks v Blackburn Hawks
Sunday: Blackburn Hawks v Telford Tigers, Solihull Barons v Deeside Dragons, Billingham Stars v Sheffield Steeldogs, and Nottingham Lions v Whitley Warriors.
Solway and Blackburn have played two cup games with honours even but this is the first conference game between these two. With Blackburn having a home game against the conference leaders Telford Tigers the following night this could be a real turning point for the Lanc's team with their second place in the conference at stake. The Barons will be looking to build on their result against the Hull Pirates last Sunday with a Dragons team struggling for points. The Dragons did manage a 4-3 home win against the Barons earlier in the season. The Stars will be seeking an upturn in their fortunes as they take on the Steeldogs. Whitley Warriors sitting comfortably mid table and having already defeated the Lions come to Nottingham on Sunday hoping to grab another couple of points. The Warriors were 4-1 winners the last time these two met. Led by a real Whitley legend David Longstaff and with some real depth in the squad overturning the Warriors will prove a tough but not an insurmountable task for the home team.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 21, 2017 21:20:35 GMT
Tonight's Result: Solway Sharks 7 Blackburn Hawks 6. The Sharks move to second place in the conference.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 22, 2017 12:52:55 GMT
For those Panthers fans not heading for the 'land of song' you will be very welcome to the Nottingham Lions v Whitley Warriors game with the earlier face off time of 6.00pm. Bring the kids, for free, it's a half term treat and the bonus of no school tomorrow.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 22, 2017 21:40:27 GMT
Tonight's Results: Blackburn Hawks 2 Telford Tigers 8, Solihull Barons 15 Deeside Dragons 3, Billingham Stars 3 Sheffield Steeldogs 4. Telford remain unbeaten and top of the table. Billingham although 3-1 up at the end of the second period were unable to close the door and the Steeldogs took the points with an overtime win. The Barons had a goal fest at home against the luckless Dragons. The Lions missed out once again as the Warriors experience allowed them to control the game. David Longstaff's team took all three periods 0-1/1-2/1-2 and the game 2-5. The Lions do hold these well established Div 1 teams for long periods but lack that finishing touch required whereas their opponents have that vital ingredient to win their games. The Lions are losing games, as expected and predicted, by the pundits before the season commenced but I do remember the Sheffield Senators when promoted to Div 1 a couple of seasons ago went the whole season without a point and a massive goals against tally. The Lions overall, to date, are not suffering to the same extent but realistically the wins are potentially few and far between. The Lions just might cause the odd shock on their night and that will be most welcome. Lions scorers: Ruskin Hughes 1+1, Ondrej Pniok 1+0, Elliot Perrin 0+1, Jamie Hovell 0+1, Joseph Aston 0+1. Lions MOM Jakub Pniok.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 27, 2017 14:21:59 GMT
Weekend Games: Saturday: Blackburn Hawks v Whitley Warriors, Hull Pirates v Solihull Barons, and Solway Sharks v Telford Tigers. Blackburn Hawks will be eager to get back to actually winning a game having actually (On the ice that is) lost 2-8 to Telford Tigers last weekend the Hawks were then awarded a 5-0 win due to no non playing level 2 coach on the Tigers bench. Tom Watkins Head Coach was playing. The Pirates and the Barons are both sitting mid table with the Barons holding the edge having won both of their encounters by the odd goal both wins, 7-6 and 9-8, coming in overtime. Solway and Telford meet for the second time this season the Tigers having won the home game 5-3. Hopefully this weekend the Tigers remember the rule relating to the requirements regarding the level 2 bench coach otherwise they might log their second defeat of the season again by default.
Sunday: Whitley Warriors v Solway Sharks, Deeside Dragons v Solihull Barons, and the Nottingham Lions v Sheffield Steeldogs. Solway will not be at all happy journeying to Whitley after the Saturday game and the Warriors could take this one. Fortunately the Warriors will have had an equally tough night at Blackburn but I still think this game swings Whitley's way. Fitness levels will prove vital for both teams. Now interestingly the night after the Barons won at Hull in overtime they travelled the next night to play the Dragons and lost 4-3 after a miserable performance. The most obvious question has to be, will history repeat itself? Deeside will be desperate for something to cheer up their pretty despondent fans having seen their team clinically taken apart 15-3 by the Barons last weekend. Should really be a Barons win as long as they have something left in the tank after a weekend on the road. The Lions have, once again an uphill task against an ever more confident Sheffield Steeldogs. Last time out up at Sheffield the dogs ran out 6-2 winners with messrs Kolena and Palak adding to the Lions discomfort on the night. Tying up these two will be job enough but the dogs do have good British depth also to round off a formidable combination. It will be all out hockey for hopefully both teams because to date the Lions have not just rolled over when faced by the big budget teams.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 28, 2017 21:49:39 GMT
Tonight's Results: Blackburn Hawks 6 Whitley Warriors 2, Solway Sharks 0 Telford Tigers 3, Hull Pirates 8 Solihull Barons 7. Yet another overtime game between the Pirates and the Barons but with the Pirates taking the game on this occasion.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 29, 2017 22:52:53 GMT
Tonight's Results: Whitley Warriors 4 Solway Sharks 2, Deeside Dragons 1 Solihull Barons 11, and the Nottingham Lions 0 Sheffield Steeldogs 6. Solway's first blank weekend as they fell to the Warriors of Whitley who at least managed one win from their two outings. Deeside Dragons were looking to gain something from a Barons team that had been in a real battle on Saturday night but it was not to be as the Barons put the Dragon to the sword. The rampant Steeldogs came to Nottingham with high hopes of continuing their climb up the conference and achieved that hope with a solid win over the Lions. It would seem, rather ominously, that the big guns of the ex EPL are getting the measure of the NIHL and flexing their muscles by despatching teams with greater ease as the season develops. Next Sunday's opponents the Solihull Barons will, no doubt, head to Nottingham eager for retribution following the shock result against the Lions in their first meeting at the Hobs Moat rink. The Barons have rattled in 42 goals in their last four games since that home defeat to the Lions. The Barons will be looking to inflict maximum damage on their Nottingham visit having set out their stall with two recent wins against an ex EPL team. Although it might be seen as a fairly hopeless task facing the Lions this season I think that I would rather watch the guys playing the better standard teams in the Moralee Div1 Conference than in the Laidler. I have been keeping an eye on the situation in the Laidler Div 2 Conference, from where the Lions moved, and although I had massive reservations about the Lions decision to make the move I am now of the firm opinion that the decision was the right one.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 29, 2017 23:47:01 GMT
Lions v Steeldogs: Period Scores: 0-3/0-2/0-1. MOM Ondrej Pniok. A big turning point in this game has to be the 5 minute penalty for a high stick and the 3 pp goals that followed. As expected Steeldogs Palak and Kolena caused most of the damage particularly during the major penalty and later in the game. Looks as though Scott MacKenzie Head Coach of the Deeside Dragons has paid the price of failure as he has gone, mind you he was on good money. I assume that Mickael Brodin (import) and Assistant Coach will take over, for now anyway as it might be the cheaper option? At the Nottingham Club, of course, the management, coaching staff, and players share an even playing field as noone is paid to play, coach or manage.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Oct 30, 2017 14:12:33 GMT
Announced by Telford Tigers today that Scott MacKenzie is back in Telford and will commence training with the team this week. Formally with Telford before moving on to Widnes Wild as Head Coach and player. From Widnes he moved to take over the newly promoted Deeside Dragons but things did not go, I am sure, as he had planned as the Dragons narrowly avoided relegation in their first season and presently are the bottom club in the Moralee Conference having suffered some horrendous losses. With Widnes he was a prolific goal scorer racking up around 100 points in that season, but we are talking Laidler Div 2 hockey and against some quite ill equipped teams player wise. Moralee Conference proved an entirely different proposition which he may have found a step too far and failure was proving to be the outcome. Scott just may have jumped ship before the axe fell, who knows? He was always a popular figure in the Telford set up from what has been coming out of the club and he should do ok as a player having offloaded the coaching mill stone in Wales.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Nov 3, 2017 12:26:46 GMT
Weekend Games: Saturday: Blackburn Hawks v Solihull Barons, Solway Sharks v Deeside Dragons, Sheffield Steeldogs v Telford Tigers. Blackburn are in second place in the conference and will be looking to consolidate that position when they face the Barons. Should be a home win but of late the Barons have been getting some solid performances and some good wins under their belt. Deeside face the unenviable task of trying to get a point or two up at Solway. Their recent showing would lean more towards another failure rather than a positive result. Ex Deeside Dragons Head Coach should have his first outing back in the black and orange of the Telford Tigers as a player having shed his coaching duties. Scott MacKenzie's inclusion back at his old club should bring added strength to an already confident and talented Telford side that should have just that bit to much for the Steeldogs to handle. The dogs are in third place with the Tigers sitting at the head of the conference at present and should still be there following this top of the table clash.
Sunday: Whitley Warriors v Hull Pirates, Deeside Dragons v Sheffield Steeldogs, Billingham Stars v Solway Sharks, Nottingham Lions v Solihull Barons. Whitley at home definitely have the edge against the Pirates and are well able to take the points as Solway Sharks found out last Sunday when they were the visitors to the Hillheads rink. The Dragons have yet another tough game following on from their Saturday trip to Solway. The Steeldogs will definitely want this one as they continue their push to the top whilst the Dragons will be eager to end the drought that they are suffering at this time. Billingham Stars are a team with talent just looking to improve their form and struggling to get something going well the Solway Sharks will prove another real test for them and that's for sure. The Stars have the ability but only if all of the component parts pull together to make things happen, and they can, but whether or not that occurs on Sunday? It would be true to say that the Solihull Barons, the only team to lose to the Dragons and the Lions, will come to Nottingham looking to do to the Lions what they have since done to the Dragons. Since the Barons loss to Deeside Dragons they have met the Flintshire outfit twice scoring 26 goals and giving up only 4 in return and no doubt enjoyed the mayhem inflicted upon their hapless opponents. Retribution will no doubt hang like the executioners axe over the Lions in the minds of the Solihull team therefore we should prepare to light the blue touch paper on November 5th, and retreat a safe distance, as you might just observe a hockey explosion. Be there this could be good!
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Nov 4, 2017 23:51:49 GMT
Saturday's Results: Blackburn Hawks 1 Solihull Barons 2, Sheffield Steeldogs 3 Telford Tigers 2, Solway Sharks 14 Deeside Dragons 0. Telford lose their first game, other than by default, as the dogs continue their good run towards the top of the conference having moved up to second just one point behind the Tigers. With messrs Parsons, Brodin and Wainwright taking over the joint coaching duties at Deeside the team took on the Solway Sharks and suffered yet another heavy defeat. I bet the Dragons are really looking forward to meeting the Steeldogs at home on Sunday. It will take a real downturn by the dogs to lose this one but aye you just never know? The Lions had better take note as the Barons down the Hawks up at Blackburn. The Solihull team play their home games on a smaller ice pad but tonight they played on the larger ice and got their tatics right on the night to get the deserved win. The addition of the third Brittle brother, Adam, has further strengthened the Barons squad. Revenge in Nottingham will prove sweet, if achieved, so it will be up to our guys to try and put a stop to the Barons recent surge in form.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Nov 5, 2017 8:21:11 GMT
No Panthers game tonight as the team have a welcome couple of days off, games wise. The Lions face off at 7.30pm against the resurgent Solihull Barons who come to Nottingham following a remarkable result as they beat the then second placed Blackburn Hawks away from home. The Lions, earlier in the season, gained their first win 4-5 at the Barons Hobs Moat rink and after that game their Head Coach resigned. Since that infamous Sunday, as far as the Barons are concerned, their season has totally turned around and they are beginning to climb in the conference ranks. The Barons will be looking for a continuation in form and , I believe, their first four point weekend of the season. Can the Lions bring that run to an end?
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Nov 5, 2017 23:13:04 GMT
Tonight's Results: Whitley Warriors 3 Hull Pirates 4, Deeside Dragons 2 Sheffield Steeldogs 6, Billingham Stars 3 Solway Sharks 5, Nottingham Lions 1 Solihull Barons 6. Hull Pirates take the points in overtime against Whitley Warriors. Billingham Stars continue to struggle as Solway Sharks get the four point weekend and into third place in the conference. Deeside Dragons put up a determined performance against the Sheffield Steeldogs but still missed out in the end. The Lions continue to strike out at home as the Solihull Barons take home the points. The only saving grace is that the Lions have not yet taken the sort of beatings handed out recently by the Barons. Period Scores: 1-0/3-1/2-0. The Lions goal scorer Paul Stanley assisted by MOM Connor Hardy. The Steeldogs win tonight takes them to the top of the conference one point ahead of Telford Tigers and with one game in hand. At the other end of the conference we have Billingham Stars with 3 points, Nottingham Lions 2 points and in bottom place Deeside Dragons with 2 points but with a massive goal against difference.
|
|
|
Post by humbucker on Nov 10, 2017 18:24:13 GMT
Weekend Games: Saturday: Billingham Stars v Hull Pirates, Solway Sharks v Sheffield Steeldogs, Whitley Warriors v Nottingham Lions. Top of the conference the Steeldogs will be looking to consolidating that top position but will have it all on against the Sharks on home ice. The dogs have had a tremendous run of form and must fancy their chances but with another away game at Blackburn Hawks on Sunday they must also have something in reserve. More than likely a two point weekend I would have thought. The Billingham Stars definitely seeking some points have two games to play this weekend whereas their opponents have just the one game this weekend this has to be an all out effort for the Stars to kick start their flagging season. Hull know that it is against teams that are struggling that should they allow some complacency to creep in that they could come unstuck. Hull have registered two overtime wins with their last two games and this one could easily end up going the same way. The Stars will certainly be aware of Hull's recent form and will put them under a lot of pressure. Could go either way. The Lions travel to Whitley to once again meet David Longstaff's Warriors and this one is going to be hard work for our boys. Two meetings this season already and the Warriors have four points in the bag from those games so yet another mountain to climb. The Lions remain committed to giving all they can but know that the Warriors have put together a very experienced squad with a number of years under the belt in NIHL 1 and they certainly do not take prisoners. Hillheads in itself can be intimidating then add the Warriors and you have a tough old package to contend with on any night.
Sunday: Blackburn Hawks v Sheffield Steeldogs, Solihull Barons v Whitley Warriors, Deeside Dragons v Billingham Stars, Nottingham Lions v Solway Sharks. the Hawks only having the one game over the weekend will be somewhat fresher than than the dogs following their trip on Saturday to Solway. The Hawks are well able to grab the points, if they turn up the pressure? The Barons are on a remarkable turn around and face the Warriors full to the brim with confidence. On recent form I think the Barons should nick this one. Deeside Dragons put up probably their best battle last weekend against the Steeldogs and held them for most of the game and I think that the Stars better up their game because otherwise they might fall to the Welsh outfit. Certainly the Dragons will feel this might be a turning point for them? Solway Sharks pay their second trip to Nottingham having met the Lions twice this season and having pocketed the points. Martin Grubb has a good solid unit with this Sharks team and play some good open hockey that is a delight to watch. The danger of course is that they can certainly give teams the run around and often have done already. When down here the last time the Sharks took the game 3-5 but the Lions did hold the Sharks for two periods and the game ended with an empty net goal. Martin who is also a GB Coach was impressed with the Nottingham team and congratulated them on the effort and commitment shown by the Nottingham Lions. A team without the money to throw around have given teams such as the Sharks a good work out and that's good for them but it has not resulted in too many points on the board, as yet for the Lions. A lot of games still to come.
|
|
Shorty
Paul Adey
Still here for Private Messages
Posts: 6,636
|
Post by Shorty on Nov 10, 2017 19:42:04 GMT
Gospel will be playing for Hull on Sunday night.
|
|