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The battle for the rapid Solicitors Elite League title goes on between Belfast and Sheffield, with Giants now holding a seven point lead but Steelers still have the vital four games in hand. It is just about getting to the stage where Steelers cannot make any more slip up’s and remember they are in a heavy schedule of fixture right now, so perhaps Giants would still have to be favoured – especially with the two teams having those two games to play in the Odyssey Arena on the 16th/17th of March, not forgetting the game in Sheffield next Friday 2nd March.
Whatever, it has been a real battle with Nottingham only falling away over the past couple of week and we still refuse to be certain just who will be lifting the trophy sometime in the next few weeks.
We have mentioned before all the other agenda’s that continue to focus the minds of the rest of the Elite League teams. Cardiff, Braehead and Coventry continue their quest to finish 4th to 6th and while Hull look fairly secure now to gain 7th spot there remains a real battle between Edinburgh and Dundee for the final place with Fife still in it but with an almost vertical mountain to climb now.
So to the games since last we spoke.
Last Wednesday Fife made the long trip down to Wales to take on Cardiff and were looking good after the opening period, where they built up a 2-0 lead. But Devils lie down to no one in their own barn and the fight back started late in the second period and ended with the home side winning 4-2 in the end.
Thursday night saw Sheffield in Dundee and if truth be told they were rather fortunate to come away with a 5-4 win, playing far from their best but seeing that man Jeff Legue coming up huge yet again with a game winner with 70 seconds of regulation remaining.
A Friday night date for Hull in Belfast was not one they will remember fondly. They were tied 1-1 after the opening session but overpowered by Giants after that as Doug Christiansen’s men skated to a 6-1 win. The shot count of 50 to 13 tells the story here with Giants ‘D’ Jeff Mason scoring 3+1 and big Mike Hoffman 2+1.
A four-match programme on Saturday with Giants at home again and picking up a second successive win under little pressure. Fife were the victims this time on the wrong end of a 7-1 result and in fact they only broke the shut out hopes of Messrs' Murphy and Dickson with a penalty shot by Steven Gunn with 9 seconds remaining. Sheffield found their schedule perhaps starting to catch up with them as they were soundly beaten 5-1 in Nottingham in front of another huge crowd of nearly 7,000. Steelers actually took the lead but Panthers were ready for this one and eased to victory with David Clarke notching a brace.
Braehead and Coventry were meeting both nights in the weekend and the first match in Scotland saw Clan win 4-3 with Jade Galbraith scoring twice and Dundee travelled to Edinburgh and won an important two points with a 6-3 victory that had Jarrett Konkle and John Dolan pick up doubles.
On to Sunday and the return fixture between Blaze and Clan and welcome to the Jade Galbraith show. The Elite League’s top points scorer simply dominated the whole game, posting 3+2 as Clan skated to a 6-4 win and overtook Blaze for 5th spot in the standings. Edinburgh were at home for the second straight night but probably regretted it as Nottingham simply took them apart with a 6-0 third period going towards a 9-0 win. 24 saves for Craig Kowalski, 2+2 for Matt Francis and 0+5 for Sami Rhyanen as Corey Neilson’s men completed a fine weekend and in the final game on Sunday it was Cardiff over Hull on the road by 5-3 with skipper Stuart Macrae scoring twice as his side continue to make 4th spot their own.
Bringing you right up to date now with Tuesday night’s Sheffield v Fife clash at Ice Sheffield and it was Steelers back in form as they easily won 5-1. Geoff Woolhouse was given the nod between the pipes and had 23 saves, only losing out to a strike by Steven Gunn with less than 6 minutes remaining. At the other end Neil Clark had 2+1 as Steelers picked up the vital two points.
MILESTONES –
Sheffield's fifth goal against Dundde on Thursday 16th February 2012 was 1600th all-time EIHL league goal.
Robert Dowd of Belfast scored his 100th all-time EIHL competitive goal against Hull on Friday 17th February 2010.
Nottingham first goal against Sheffield on Saturday 18th Februarey 2012 was their 1700th all-time EIHL league goal.
Coventry's 4th goal scored against Braehead on Sunday 19th February 2012 was their 1100th all-time EIHL competitive goal scored at home.
Nottingham's second goal against Edinburgh on Sunday 19th February 2012 was their 2000th all-time EIHL competitive goal.
Jonathan Weaver of Coventry dressed in his 400th all-time EIHL competitive game on Sunday 19th February 2012 at home to Braehead.
Mark Richardson of Cardiff dressed in his 400th all-time EIHL competitive game on Sunday 19th February 2012 away to Hull.
Ryan Campbell of Braehead dressed in his 100th all-time EIHL competitive game on Sunday 19th February 2012 away to Coventry.
Jonathan Phillips of Sheffield dressed in his 500th all-time EIHL competitive game on Tuesday 21st February 2012 at home to Fife.
Ryan Finnerty of Sheffield dressed in his 300th all-time EIHL competitive game on Tuesday 21st February 2012 at home to Fife.
Player of the Week now and we cannot ignore that man Jade Galbraith. For the second time this season we ask the Braehead Clan number 13 to skate forward and accept his applause. Jade scored 5 of the 10 Clan goals in their weekend wins over Coventry to help his side move to 5th in the standings and is currently no fewer than 18 points clear in the overall points scoring race this season.
