Signings galore!

WITHOUT looking it up I’m honestly not sure, but it seems like the first news of player signings is coming early this year. Several teams have made announcements already, and some have made a really solid start in building their teams for the next campaign.

I usually really look forward to this time of year. I like listening to the rumours swirling around about certain players and where they might end up. However, with Romford’s future still up in the air it’s hard to get as excited as I normally would. When I know one way or another what’s happening with the Raiders, I should be able to enjoy the wild speculation and various announcements much more!

The biggest news so far has to be the return of Jaroslav Cesky and Michal Pinc to Bracknell for next season, along with captain Terry Miles and new coach Gareth Cox. Securing the return of Cesky and Pinc is huge for Bracknell – those two are the only reason the Bees even got near a playoff spot last season, combining for a huge 228 points. They also scored about 48% of Bracknell’s goals between them. Securing them for another season gives the Bees an excellent base

Michal Pinc scores v Romford - Photo: Chris Callaghan

from which to build, and if they can sign a few better supporting players then they should be set for a much better season. I don’t know much about Cox but he’s off to a really good start here.

“It’s great to see a player stay loyal to his club.”

I interviewed Jaro Cesky not that long ago, and he has nothing but great things to say about the whole Bees organisation. He wouldn’t tell me where he was signing for the new season but from what he said a return to Bracknell was a fair guess. At a time when we often see foreigners come to the UK, have a good season and then leave to follow the money, it’s great to see a player stay loyal to his club.

Aside from Bracknell, Milton Keynes have made a solid start by re-signing no fewer than eight of last season’s championship winning team. The announcement was made at their end-of-season party that Lukas Zatopek, Leigh Jamieson, Lewis Christie, Michael Farn, Adam Carr, Matt Towalski, Adam Brittle and player/coach Nick Poole will all be returning.

“Lukas Zatopek is the best defenceman in the EPL.”

I’ve mentioned many a time that I think Lukas Zatopek is the best defenceman in the EPL, and Leigh Jamieson showed last season that he was one of, if not the best British defenceman. Christie and Farn are both very solid, and by signing those four they have kept most of the best defence in the league intact. Captain Adam Carr provides strong two-way play and puts up a decent number of points, as does Brittle, while Towalski is a valuable checker, and excellent on the PK. If they can add to this solid core the Lightning look in good shape to defend their title.

Martin Masa circles the net

A couple of other early re-signings to be announced are the return of Martin Masa to Guildford and Sam Oakford signing a new two-year deal with Basingstoke. Import forward Masa topped the Guildford charts in goals and points last season, meaning it was vital for the Flames to secure him for another season. At 36 he is past his peak, but still a very effective player at EPL level. Oakford on the other hand is a very promising defenceman who looks to have a great future. He was one of Basingstoke’s unsung heroes last season, and his two-year deal takes him up to the end of his degree at Southampton uni, after which it seems likely that he will make the jump to play in the Elite League.

Assemble your all-star team!

WITH the season finished now, I thought I’d spend a little time looking at the best players from the last year. I know some of the members of this blog are also THF members, so you guys might already have seen this game. For those that

Player-of-the-year Cesky on the verge of scoring v Romford - Photo: Chris Callaghan

haven’t or are not THF members, it’s pretty simple. Make your ideal EPL team from the rosters of last season, including two netminders, six defencemen and nine forwards. You’re only allowed four imports and your team has to include at least one player from each EPL side. Check out the team pages on the right-hand side which contain the complete rosters for each team if you need help.

This is mine: (* import)

NM: Barry Hollyhead (Milton Keynes Lightning)
NM: Mark Lee (Guildford Flames)

D: Lukas Zatopek* (Milton Keynes Lightning)
D: Leigh Jamieson (Milton Keynes Lightning)
D: Paddy Ward (Slough Jets)
D: James Morgan (Peterborough Phantoms)
D: Sam Oakford (Basingstoke Bison)
D: Tyrone Miller (Romford Raiders)

F: Ondrej Lauko* (Basingstoke Bison)
F: Jaroslav Cesky* (Bracknell Bees)
F: Blaz Emersic* (Slough Jets)
F: Tony Hand (Manchester Phoenix)
F: Adam Walker (Manchester Phoenix)
F: Joe Miller (Peterborough Phantoms)
F: James Archer (Sheffield Scimitars)
F: Joe Greener (Slough Jets)
F: Aaron Nell (Swindon Wildcats)

And I would probably line them up like this:

Lauko   –   Hand   –   Cesky
Miller   –   Emersic  –  Walker
Nell   –   Greener   –   Archer

Zatopek   –   Ward
Jamieson   –   Morgan
Oakford   –   Miller

For me Zatopek is the best Dman in the league, so he would anchor my first pairing with Ward. Jamieson and Morgan both take high penalty minutes but they provide a great blend of size, composure and offensive ability. On the third pairing Miller and Oakford are both solid in defence, while Miller’s speed and skill will help the transition of the team.

My starting netminder Mark Lee saves v MK Lightning - Photo: Chris Callaghan

For the forwards, Lauko has easily been the best goalscorer in the league this season (63 goals in 56 games!), while Cesky is a great all-rounder. To utilise their scoring ability I would put Tony Hand between them – still the best passer in the UK, he finished with 101 assists for the season.

On the second line, Emersic is the anchor at centre due to his fantastic all-round ability, and he has two of the best British goalscorers on his wings. Walker and Miller finished with 89 goals between them this season, with Walker breaking 100 points as well.

The third line is centred by Joe Greener, both because of his passing ability (55 assists in 55 games) and bacause of his grit and size. My sole Sheffield representative James Archer is also a gritty forward with a decent scoring touch (51 points in 54 games), while Nell is a left-shooter with great size and has a talent for finding the net.

So that’s my team. Leave a comment with yours, or just tell me why you think I’m right or wrong!

Half right isn’t too bad…

Saturday

Swindon Wildcats   3-3 Milton Keynes Lightning
Slough Jets   5-1 Sheffield Scimitars
Basingstoke Bison   0-6 Guildford Flames
Peterborough Phantoms   3-3 Manchester Phoenix

Sunday

Milton Keynes Lightning   5-7 Swindon Wildcats
(aggregate: 8-10 Swindon)
Sheffield Scimitars   1-2 Slough Jets
(aggregate: 2-7 Slough)
Guildford Flames   2-2 Basingstoke Bison
(aggregate: 8-2 Guildford)
Manchester Phoenix   3-2 Peterborough Phantoms
(aggregate: 6-5 Manchester)

RIGHT, so we have our Coventry finalists then. If you’re a regular reader of this blog then you’ll know that the results didn’t come out exactly as I thought they would, but I wasn’t completely wrong so I’m happy with that! I’ll start with the biggest upset of the playoff games, league winners MK being beaten by 8th seed Swindon.

MK have been the best side throughout the season, but in recent weeks (after winning the title) they’ve taken their foot off the gas. I can understand why they rested their key players over the last two weekends of the season, but I wouldn’t have done it personally. I understand the need to avoid injuries,

Chris Douglas scrambles to make the save for Swindon - Photo: Chris Callaghan

but consistency was one of their greatest weapons throughout the season, and disrupting that over the final games seems questionable. A winning team finds a way to keep winning, and it almost seems like they threw themselves out of their own rythm and winning mentality. Having said all of that, huge credit has to go to Swindon. A few weeks ago they looked terrible, and were well out of the playoff places, but they’ve been excellent in the last few weeks of the season and just seemed to want it more than the Lightning. They deserve their place at Coventry, and who knows how far they can go? I don’t think they’ll win it, but if they keep up their fearless, attacking style, they will be a real handful.

So my MK/Swindon turned out to be quite wrong, but it wasn’t as bad as my prediction for the Guildford/Basingstoke games. I thought that it would be very close with the Bison edging it, and it went completely the other way!

“The Flames were a class above.”

I thought that Basingstoke’s experience would see them through, with their veterans having been there and done it all. As it turned out, both Basingstoke and I completely underestimated Guildford. The Flames were a

Picture of concentration: Tom Annetts in goal for Basingstoke

class above and strolled to the aggregate win. They have been playing extremely well for the last few weeks, and must fancy their chances in Coventry now. Basingstoke on the other hand…well, several spectators

commented that the veterans looked their age, perhaps tired from their strong end-of-season push in the league, and Steve Moria will have to consider whether he needs to change the formula a little when he builds his side for next season.

Finally I can come to a prediction that I got right! I said that Slough would have too much class for Sheffield in the end, and so it proved. The Jets stepped up a gear from last weekend, and produced some excellent hockey, particularly at home, where they effectively killed off the tie. Peter Jasik being back from injury (finally!) makes a big difference for Slough, and it’s a testament to their strength in depth that they’ve been so good with only three imports. Sheffield will be disappointed that they were beaten so convincingly in the end, but as I have mentioned before, the experience will have been excellent for their youngsters.

“The Phantoms are no pushovers.”

The final series was also the closest. Peterborough matched Manchester goal for goal until the end of the second leg (in Manchester), where the Phoenix finally won it. Despite only finishing in sixth the Phantoms are no pushovers, and beating them will be a huge boost for Manchester ahead of next weekend. With the two best British forwards (statistically) in the league in

Guildford's Rob Lamey

Tony Hand and Adam Walker, as well as a healthy amount of talented, enthusiastic youngsters, Manchester have the depth and talent to make a splash next week. While Peterborough fans will be disappointed, from a purely selfish point-of-view I’m pleased. The only times I’ve seen Manchester play this season are when they’ve been thrashing Romford, so it’ll be nice to see them as a neutral.

So from what I’ve been told, that means that the semi-final match-ups at Coventry will be Guildford v Swindon and Manchester v Slough. Both should be excellent games, and I have my own thoughts on who will win, but I’ll leave that for later in the week! Keep reading and comment if you agree/disagree with what I’ve said!

Playoff Preview…

WITH the regular season behind us, this weekend it’s playoff time. The aggregate winner of each tie will go on to the EPL playoff weekend in Coventry next weekend, so there’s a lot on the line. Although I don’t normally, I could even be tempted to make some predictions for these games.

Basingstoke Bison v Guildford Flames   (6.30pm)
Guildford Flames v Basingstoke Bison   (6.00pm) – Guildford have had the better of the games between these sides, winning four out of six. However, all but one of the games were decided by just one goal. The teams also haven’t played each other since January, so it’s difficult to predict how this match-up will turn out. Basingstoke have won seven of their last ten games, losing only to Slough and Milton Keynes, while the Flames have recovered from a terrible start to the month to win five of their last six. This should be the tightest of the playoff match-ups, but I’m going for Basingstoke to win this.

Peterborough Phantoms v Manchester Phoenix   (7.00pm)
Manchester Phoenix v Peterborough Phantoms   (5.30pm) – In six mettings this season, Manchester have come out on top, winning four. The Phoenix have also recovered from a huge dip in form earlier in the season to win seven of their last ten games. Peterborough on the other hand have won five of their last ten contests, but did win their last game against the Phoenix 2-1 just two weeks ago. I think the result of this match-up depends on which Phantoms team shows up. They have a talented roster but have infuriated their supporters with inconsistency all season, though with their season on the line they should be highly motivated. Peterborough have the experience, but I think Manchester will win.

Slough Jets v Sheffield Scimitars   (6.30pm)
Sheffield Scimitars v Slough Jets   (5.30pm) – A week ago I would’ve had this down as an easy Slough victory…the Jets finished second in the league, pushing for the title all the way. However, last weekend the two sides played each other twice, and the Scimitars came out on top both times, giving them the edge over the season. Before those two wins, Sheffield’s young side had won just two in eight, and have endured a difficult second half of the season. Despite Sheffield winning the two games last week, I think Slough’s quality will shine through, and I think they’ll win this match-up.

Swindon Wildcats v Milton Keynes Lightning   (5.45pm)
Milton Keynes Lightning v Swindon Wildcats   (5.30pm) – MK have won all six games against Swindon this season, however the scorelines suggest that they haven’t been a walkover by any means, with MK’s biggest win being 5-2 much earlier in the season. Since winning the league, the Lightning have let up a little, resting key players, and have subsequently lost two of their last four games. The Wildcats on the other hand are on the up, winning six of their final ten games to force themselves into a playoff spot. Games don’t come much harder than against Milton Keynes, but Swindon will at least take some confidence into the games though, having beaten Slough, Manchester and Guildford recently. In the end I think the Lightning will have too much for them and will progress to Coventry.

Agree or disagree with my predictions? Comment!

End of the road…

Saturday 27th March 2010

Bracknell Bees   13-3 Romford Raiders
Guildford Flames   3-4 Peterborough Phantoms
Milton Keynes Lightning   4-2 Basingstoke Bison
Slough Jets   3-4 Sheffield Scimitars
Swindon Wildcats   10-2 Manchester Phoenix

Sunday 28th March 2010

Basingstoke Bison   7-1 Swindon Wildcats
Manchester Phoenix   10-1 Bracknell Bees
Peterborough Phantoms   6-2 Milton Keynes Lightning
Romford Raiders   4-9 Guildford Flames
Sheffield Scimitars   7-2 Slough Jets

SO another EPL season has come to an end, for two teams at least. Romford and Bracknell have both played their last games, and the other eight teams will move on to the playoffs. The final weekend of the regular season still threw up a couple of surprises though. The majority of positions had

Bracknell v Romford 27/03/10 - Photo: Chris Callaghan

been decided going into the weekend, but there were still a couple of things to be decided.

Third place was still up for grabs, with Manchester, Guildford and Basingstoke all vying for it. The team finishing in third will play Peterborough in the playoffs, while fourth and fifth place would play each other. On Saturday it didn’t look like any of the teams wanted it, as each lost their games. All three teams turned their form around on Sunday though, each registering impressive and high-scoring wins. This meant that Manchester (who were one point ahead of the others at the start of the weekend) clinched third spot, and Guildford and Basingstoke will have to play each other to decide who will go to Coventry in two weeks.

The other spot to be decided was eighth place, the final playoff place. Swindon’s excellent recent form meant that they were two points ahead going into the weekend, and they continued that on Saturday with an

Bracknell v Romford 27/03/10 - Photo: Chris Callaghan

astounding 10-2 win over Manchester. A few weeks ago I watched Romford beat Swindon 6-5, and I would never have guessed that the Wildcats would turn things around so dramatically! Sticking 10 past Manchester, as well as beating teams like Slough and Guildford recently…not easy things to do. In the playoffs they’ll face Milton Keynes, so obviously they will be underdogs, but it would be foolish for the Lightning to think it’ll be a walkover. MK have been resting players since winning the league, and as such have lost a couple of games, but you would think that they’ll be highly motivated come come next week. Bracknell on the other hand struggled a lot throughout the season, despite import Jaroslav Cesky being named EPL player of the year, and it’s no real surprise that they failed to make the playoffs in the end. It’s not all doom and gloom for Bees fans though. Last week there was a story on the BBC website (you can read it here) where he said he loved it at Bracknell and wanted to stay. I’m still not entirely convinced he’ll be there next season, but if they can keep hold of him and Pinc, and provide them with a slightly stronger supporting cast, they could make some noise next season. They’ve also just announced a sponsorship deal with Focus, so the future’s looking a bit brighter over there.

The most interesting results this weekend were those in the pair of games between Sheffield and Slough. The Jets have sealed second place while Sheffield finished seventh, which means that they will play each other next week in the playoffs. Despite Slough having the superior record this season, the Scims won both games this weekend, 4-3 away and a crushing 7-2 at home. While Slough should still be favourites, this will definitely have given Sheffield a mental edge, and a lot of belief.

Bracknell v Romford 27/03/10 - Photo: Chris Callaghan

Peterborough finished a largely disappointing and forgetable season with a win over local rivals MK. I’m sure Peterborough won’t care too much that the Lightning rested a few players, and will now look forward to the playoffs, where they’re fully capable of beating Manchester and progressing to Coventry.

Once again I’ve left Romford to last. They sufferred another couple of heavy losses to finish out the season, and from what I’ve heard that may well be it for the Raiders in the EPL. I’m glad I could get to their last game against Guildford…granted it was a heavy defeat, and probably could’ve been worse if the Flames were playing as hard as they could, but it was still entertaining. I hope young netminder Frankie Sabine stays with Romford wherever they are next season. The kid has a lot of talent, and if he grows a bit and fills the net a bit more he could have a really good career.

Despite that being the end of the regular season, there are still a couple of weeks of great playoff hockey to be played, so keep your eye on the blog as I chronicle it.

Agree/disagree with what I’ve said. Think I’ve forgotten anything? Comment!

Weekend preview…

Saturday

Bracknell Bees v Romford Raiders – In the five matches between these sides this season, Bracknell have won four. Two weeks ago the last game between the sides ended in a thrilling 9-6 Bees win, and they really need to win this one if they are to have a hope of clinching a playoff spot. Romford have only managed one win away from home all season, and are well out of the playoff running by this point. Bracknell have only managed one win this month, though that was against Romford, and star forward Cesky will be hoping to continue his excellent form after being named EPL player of the year.

Guildford Flames v Peterborough Phantoms – Somewhat surprisingly, Peterborough have won four of the five contests between these teams, though the one game that Guildford won was by a 9-1 scoreline, so they can never be counted out. Peterborough have nothing left to play for in the regular season, but Guildford will be pushing hard to grab third place in the league. After a poor run of

Guildford's Rempel shoots - Photo: Chris Callaghan

form, the Flames are back on track having won their last four games (league and cup), and will be buoyed by winning the EPL cup in midweek.

Milton Keynes Lightning v Basingstoke Bison – Milton Keynes have won four of five league matches between these sides, but having secured top spot in the EPL last weekend, it’s Basingstoke that have everything to play for in this game. The Bison have been in excellent form recently, winning four of their last five. Their only loss in that time came against MK though. Basingstoke need to keep winning as they try to pip Manchester and Guildford to third place. Having won the league it will be interesting to see if MK attempt to carry momentum into the playoffs, or rest key players for fear of injury.

Slough Jets v Sheffield Scimitars – Slough have won their last two games, including a demolition of the (weakened) champions MK. Sheffield on the other hand have managed just two wins in their last 11 games, though they have done well against Slough this season, winning two out of four games between the sides. Neither side really has anything to play for at this point in the season – Sheffield will finish in seventh and Slough will finish in second, regardless of the results of their last two games.

Swindon Wildcats v Manchester Phoenix – Manchester have made the Wildcats look like pussycats this season, beating them five times out of five, and have scored seven goals past them twice. However, Swindon have been rejuvenated in recent weeks, winning four of their last six games. This has propelled them into the eighth and final playoff spot ahead of Bracknell, and having got there they will be in no mood to give it up. Manchester meanwhile will hope to retain their tenuous grip on third place.

Sunday

Romford's Darius Pliskauskas dances through traffic - Photo: John Scott

Basingstoke Bison v Swindon Wildcats – Depending on Saturday results, this matchup could decide who finishes in third place and who finishes in the final playoff spot. Most games between the two sides have been close this season – Basingstoke have won four out of five, but two games went to overtime and a third was a one-goal game. The Bison won the other two games comfortably, but in recent weeks Swindon have been very strong, and are a different proposition to the Wildcats side earlier in the season.

Manchester Phoenix v Bracknell Bees – Like the Bison/Wildcats game, this is another crucial matchup in determining both third and eighth place. It won’t be easy for Bracknell though, as they have already lost five times to the Phoenix. Two of the games in Bracknell between the two sides were close contests, but in the other three games Manchester pulled a demolition job, winning 6-0, 8-3 and 7-3. Phoenix have also been superior in recent form, winning their last four matches, while the Bees have won one in their last six.

Peterborough Phantoms v Milton Keynes Lightning –These two sides are bitter local rivals, and having enjoyed so much success last season, it must sting a little for Peterborough seeing MK

Manchester's Steve Fone makes the save - Photo: John Scott

so dominant this year. The Lightning have beaten Peterborough in all six contests this season, outscoring them 27-9. Having just been crowned EPL champions, they will look to finish of the season in style with a clean-sweep of their rivals.

Romford Raiders v Guildford Flames – The Raiders have had a dismal season, and it will come as no surprise that the Flames have won all five games between the two sides this season, while Romford have only managed six goals against them. Guildford will be motivated by their pursuit for third place, while the Raiders are guaranteed to finish rock-bottom of the EPL. Romford have entertained at home from time-to-time this season though, with their victories against Manchester a particular highlight, and they will go all out in what may turn out to be their last EPL contest.

Sheffield Scimitars v Slough Jets – See Saturday preview.

Congratulations are in order…

Saturday 20th March 2010

Basingstoke Bison   5-1 Peterborough Phantoms
Guildford Flames   7-1 Bracknell Bees
Milton Keynes Lightning   3-1 Swindon Wildcats
Romford Raiders   2-6 Slough Jets
Sheffield Scimitars   2-6 Manchester Phoenix

Sunday 21st March 2010

Bracknell Bees   6-8 Guildford Flames
Manchester Phoenix   10-1 Romford Raiders
Peterborough Phantoms   4-6 Basingstoke Bison
Sheffield Scimitars   1-2 Swindon Wildcats
Slough Jets   11-1 Milton Keynes Lightning

CONGRATULATIONS to Milton Keynes Lightning, who deservedly clinched the EPL league title on Saturday with a win over Swindon. The Lightning have been pure class this season – their defence is tight and organised, they have three solid forward lines with a great blend of grit and skill, and everyone works hard for each other. From what I understand, the

Guildford v Bracknell 20-3-10 - Photo: Chris Callaghan

team celebrated in style on Saturday night, and rested a few key players (Jamieson, Kalgoum, Smulter, Farn) against Slough on Sunday. It’s probably no surprise that the Jets destroyed them, though I definately didn’t expect the 11-1 scoreline! I doubt MK will mind too much though. Credit must also go to Slough, who have also been superb this season, and have pushed the Lightning all the way to the end. Unfortunately for them, even winning both games this weekend wasn’t enough.

In the fight for third place, none of the competitors are letting up. Manchester managed to hold onto it going into the final weekend of the season by beating Romford and Sheffield convincingly. Guildford and Basingstoke are right behind them though, as both teams also secured four-point weekends. Each team has two games to go, and Manchester are just one point ahead of the other two. This means that they are in the driving seat though, and they can guarantee third spot, and a playoff showdown with Peterborough, if they win both games next weekend (versus Swindon and Bracknell). Peterborough are no pushovers, but it projects to be an easier matchup than facing Guildford or Basingstoke.

In the last few weeks, the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot has become very interesting, what with Swindon finally finding their form. Bracknell held onto that place for the entire season, but this weekend the Wildcats finally leapfrogged them. It’s no surprise, as the Bees really have been hanging on. They had the unenviable challenge of playing Guildford twice this weekend, and succumbed to two defeats, though they did at least put up a fight in the second match. Though I wasn’t there, I guess that the Flames probably had one eye on the EPL Cup Final second leg in

Guildford v Bracknell 20-3-10 - Photo: Chris Callaghan

the week, and took their foot right off the gas after a commanding second period. Bracknell’s two defeats opened the door for Swindon, and they beat the Scimitars in a tight game to grab the advantage going into the final weekend. Having done the hard work by catching and overtaking Bracknell, I fancy Swindon to hang onto that eighth spot now.

Sheffield, Peterborough and Romford all fell to defeats over the weekend, and I think all three will be quite happy to see the back of the regular season. Peterborough have been ok this year, nothing more. They have a good team with some great players, but I’ve mentioned their struggles with consistency before. They can’t move up or down the table, and can only wait to see who they’ll face in the playoffs now. I think the playoff format suits the Phantoms, as they’re capable of beating anyone on their day, and could well cause an upset to earn a spot in Coventry.
Last week I took a look at some of the players the Scimitars have lost. This season alone they have had to cope with the loss of three of their best players: Morgan, Farmer and Wallace. Since then their form has plummeted, but they are giving good ice time to some more of their up-and-coming youths. The Scims are also assured a playoff place and, while I highly doubt they make it to Coventry, getting a taste of the playoffs and the pressure that they bring will also benefit their youngsters in the future.

Finally Romford. Even though I’ve been unable to attend the majority of Raiders games this season due to being

Bracknell v Guildford 21-3-10 - Photo: Chris Callaghan

several hours away, this season has been hard. I feel for John Scott who has done his best to keep the Raiders going, despite the barrage of bad luck that has come our way, and I feel for the fans who have been able to get to every game. I feel sorry for the players too, as whenever I’ve seen them it’s not been effort that they lack. They just need a bit more quality to compete with the other teams consistently. It’s looking more and more likely that the team will be in the ENL next season, and as I have said before, if that’s what it takes to be competitive then so be it. Better a Raiders team in the ENL than no Raiders at all. I’m not arrogant enough to believe that we would win the league easily, in fact I would still probably fancy Invicta to win again. They have some excellent players and know the league, and what it takes to win in it. Obviously this is all hypothetical. No one knows where Romford will be next season yet, or what kind of squad they would be able to put together in the ENL.

Having rambled for far longer than I intended about Romford, I will conclude by also saying Congratulations to Coventry Blaze. Not EPL I know but I’ve been to a good number of Blaze games this season and they’ve been good to watch, so I’m glad they won the title. I was at the Skydome on Sunday hoping to see the title decider against Belfast, but Cov had already wrapped it up by then. Shame. It looked like the Blaze were more interested in the celebrations afterwards, and I guess I don’t blame them. They deserve to celebrate, just like MK.

Weekend preview…

Saturday

Basingstoke Bison v Peterborough Phantoms – The Bison have won three out of four of their games against Peterborough this season, and have won both of the home contests. The scorelines have been fairly close in most games though, and Peterborough’s 6-3 home win in December is the only game to be decided by more than two goals. Basingstoke are in good form as they chase down 3rd place in the league, while the Phantoms are coming off an impressive midweek win against Manchester. This is the first of two meetings between these sides this weekend.

Guildford Flames v Bracknell Bees – In four games so far this season, Guildford have triumphed every time, while racking up 29 goals and conceding 12. This includes a 10-2 victory at home and an 11-5 win away at Bracknell. The last game between the Flames and Bees was much tighter though, a 4-3 overtime victory for Guildford. Bracknell will be hoping to capitalise on the Flames’ recent form (they have lost their last four league games) as they bid to keep hold of the final playoff spot. This is the first of two meetings between these sides this weekend.

Bees v Flames - Photo: Chris Callaghan

Milton Keynes Lightning v Swindon Wildcats – Considering MK’s dominance and Swindon’s lowly league position, games between the two teams have been relatively close. They have played each other five times already, and while the Lightning have won all five, two were one-goal games and two were two-goal games. The Wildcat’s form has been much improved recently, and last week they won both games (against Slough and Guildford), but Milton Keynes can clinch the title in front of their own fans with a win.

Romford Raiders v Slough Jets – Slough have beaten the bottom-placed Raiders five times out of five this season, and have averaged 7.4 goals per game in these contests. The closest scoreline between the teams came in their last contest, when a shortbenched Raiders side went down 5-3 at the Hanger. Slough need the win to stand any chance of winning the title, but Romford have very little to play for now this season and will simply look to entertain their fans at home.

Sheffield Scimitars v Manchester Phoenix – This series is yet another example of a team going for the clean sweep in the EPL – Manchester have won all five contests so far. The majority have been close games, though in the last

Basingstoke's Lauko dekes for the goal - Photo: Chris Callaghan

matchup last weekend, Phoenix strolled to a 4-1 victory. Since losing a few key players, the Scimitars have struggled, but have already secured a playoff spot, while Manchester have looked much better recently, despite their midweek loss, as they hope to cling onto third place.

Sunday

Bracknell Bees v Guildford Flames – See Saturday preview.

Manchester Phoenix v Romford Raiders – Much to everyone’s surprise Romford have won two of the five games between these sides this season. However, in the other three games they were comprehensibly beaten, conceding a combined 29 goals. Manchester have absolutely dominated at home against the Raiders, winning 7-0 and 12-3, and with the Phoenix playing to stay in third Romford will have to play out of their skins to get anything.

Peterborough Phantoms v Basingstoke Bison – See Saturday preview.

Sheffield Scimitars v Swindon Wildcats – Games between these sides have been very even this season. Out of five contests, Sheffield have won three, but each game has been very tight, decided by just one or two goals. Sheffield’s form has been fairly poor over the last few weeks, though they are coming off an impressive win against Guildford. Swindon on the other hand are hitting form at just the right time, and will look to overtake Bracknell in eighth.

MK Dman Zatopek winds up for the shot - Photo: Chris Callaghan

Slough Jets v Milton Keynes Lightning – Slough appear to be the only team in the EPL who have MK’s number. Out of five meetings Slough have won three, including 8-2 and 6-3 scorelines, whereas the Lightning wins were tight one-goal games. Unfortunately for the Jets, by the time they play this game, the EPL league title might already have been won by MK.

Surprising…

Saturday 13th March 2010

Bracknell Bees   9-6 Romford Raiders
Manchester Phoenix   4-1 Sheffield Scimitars
Milton Keynes Lightning   7-2 Peterborough Phantoms
Slough Jets   1-4 Basingstoke Bison
Swindon Wildcats   3-2 Guildford Flames

Sunday 14th March 2010

Basingstoke Bison   1-3 Milton Keynes Lightning
Guildford Flames   3-4 Sheffield Scimitars   (OT)
Manchester Phoenix   7-3 Bracknell Bees
Romford Raiders   1-6 Peterborough Phantoms
Swindon Wildcats   3-2 Slough Jets

A FEW really surprising results came up this weekend, while the title-race was all but decided.

After last weekend, I said that the big winners were Swindon as they closed the gap on Bracknell. While I don’t want to

Romford's Jozef Sladok goes for the hit v Bracknell - Photo: Chris Callaghan

just be repeating myself, Swindon are one of three teams that came out of the weekend really well. They recorded their second four point weekend of the season (first since October!), and against Guildford and Slough no less. Those teams were second and third in the league going into the weekend, and Swindon had lost every game (10 games in all) against the two sides this season. That has got to be a huge confidence boost for the Wildcats as they chase down the final playoff spot. They are now level on points with the Bees, and despite probably having a marginally tougher run-in, will be very confident after these results.

The next ‘big winner’ is an obvious one. Milton Keynes pretty much sealed the EPL title this week by beating local rivals Peterborough and Basingstoke, while nearest challengers Slough failed to pick up points. It is not quite mathematically secured yet, but this weekend was a huge step toward the title that they deserve. Aside from being the most consistent team, they’re proving that can handle the pressure, and that doesn’t bode well for the other teams come playoff time.

My third ‘big winner’ this weekend is Manchester. The Phoenix suffered a huge dip in form a few weeks ago, but now appear to be back on track. They beat Sheffield and Bracknell for a consecutive four-point weekend, and while they will have much harder weekends in terms of opposition, they must be happy to be finding their consistency again. The two wins saw them jump from fifth to third in the league.

Pinc shoots on Kaylor (Bracknell v Romford) - Photo: Chris Callaghan

After the ‘winners’, we have to have a look at the teams that will be disappointed with their weekend, the main two being Slough and Guildford. I think this is the first time in the season that Slough have failed to get a single point in a weekend. They needed to be perfect AND hope for MK to mess up in order to have a shot at the title, and while it’s still possible it’s a really big ask at this point. Guildford dropped to fourth in the league after only getting one point from their two games this weekend, and that really isn’t good enough for them. They lost to a highly motivated Swindon team, which was unexpected but understandable, but losing in overtime to Sheffield is a big point to let slip. Three teams (Guildford, Basingstoke, Manchester) are fighting over the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots, and everyone is gunning for third in order to secure an easier playoff opponent. Basingstoke have maintained their good recent form with a win over Slough on Saturday, and as it stands The Bison look set for a playoff showdown with Guildford.

Peterborough lost to local rivals Milton Keynes in a bad-tempered contest, but strolled to a routine victory against Romford at Rom Valley Way. The Phantoms have secured sixth place already, but need to maintain some good form if they are to make it to the Coventry playoff weekend, as they will be facing one of Guildford, Basingstoke and Manchester – there are no easy ties there and they will need to be on their game.

Sheffield and Bracknell both picked up two points this weekend. Sheffield have already booked their playoff spot, and anything from here on out is more of a learning exercise for their young team. I think later in the week I will add a post

JJ McGrath and Nicky Watt drop the gloves - Photo: Chris Callaghan

focusing on the Scimitars and the players they’ve lost, because I think it’s pretty significant in what it means for their fortunes, the players themselves and what it means for the future of British hockey.
Bracknell on the other hand must really be worrying now. I said last week that I thought they would be able to feel Swindon breathing down their necks, but now the Wildcats are literally on top of them. Despite the mounting pressure, the Bees know that they can rely on import pair Cesky and Pinc, while gritty British forward Nicky Watt is also having a great season, and a career year in terms of points (probably down to being on a line with the best imports in the league!). To illustrate that, over the weekend Cesky registered three goals and six assists, while Pinc put up five goals and three assists. There’s nothing new here, but Bracknell are extremely reliant on these two, and need them to keep this pace up in the last few games.

The team that Cesky and Pinc got the majority of their points against this weekend was Romford. While I would love to have seen that the Raiders won and picked up some points this weekend, it became apparent a lot earlier in the season that this wouldn’t be a regular occurence. I do wish I was there on Saturday as they faced Bracknell though – 9-6 sounds like a pretty entertaining game, back to the days when teams were all about offence and no one bothered playing D. I just hope that the Raiders can be more competitive next season, be it in the EPL or the ENL, because consistent losses do tend to put a downer on a good weekend of hockey for me.

Weekend preview…

Saturday

Bracknell Bees v Romford Raiders – These sides have faced each other three times so far this season, with

Bracknell's Callum Best fires the puck - Photo: Chris Callaghan

Romford winning one contest comfortably at home, but losing the other two, one at home the other at the Hive. The most recent match between them ended in a commanding 7-2 win for Bracknell. Both teams lost both games last weekend, but Bracknell will be motivated by their need to hang onto the last playoff place, and Romford have only won away once this season.

Manchester Phoenix v Sheffield Scimitars – Manchester will be looking for the clean-sweep in this match-up, having beaten Sheffield in each of their four meetings this season so far. Three of the four games were close contests though, and the well-drilled Scimitars are usually difficult to beat. Phoenix won both games last weekend as they look to win back fourth place and finish strongly, while it has been six games since the Scims last won away from home.

Milton Keynes Lightning v Peterborough Phantoms – League-leaders MK will look to continue their winning ways after a brief blip two weeks ago, with a win over their local rivals. The Lightning have won all five encounters between the two sides this season by two goals or more, and shut Peterborough out in the last match 3-0. Phantoms have picked up 11 points from the last 14 available, and will attempt to generate some momentum for a playoff push.

Slough Jets v Basingstoke Bison – Neither of these teams appear to ‘have the number’ of the other – of their five matchups Slough have won three and Basingstoke have won two, while each game was won by two or more goals. Slough have more to play for as they chase MK Lightning for the EPL title. Both sides are in-form, Slough having won their last five, while the Bison have won nine of their last ten. The same matchup last week finished 4-2 to the Jets.

Swindon Dman Joe Baird clears the crease - Photo: Chris Callaghan

Swindon Wildcats v Guildford Flames – The Flames have comfortably won all five games between these sides this season, including one 9-2 thrashing of the Wildcats. However, Guildford have hit a rocky patch, losing four of their last five. Swindon have also been poor recently, but did manage to thrash playoff rivals Bracknell last weekend, and need to keep picking up points to keep the pressure on the Bees.

Sunday

Basingstoke Bison v Milton Keynes Lightning – These two sides have played each other four times in the league this season. The first three were victories for the Lightning, but just over a week ago the Bison scraped a 3-2 win at home. MK are not far from sealing the EPL title, but Basingstoke are excellent at home and will go all out for the win as they bid to grab third place from Guildford.

Guildford Flames v Sheffield Scimitars – Sheffield and Guildford have only played each other twice this season, and the results from those games don’t make this game any more predictable! Sheffield won the first encounter in Guildford 8-4, before the Flames returned the favour by beating the Scims 4-0 in their own barn. Both teams have stuttered recently though Guildford, on paper at least, are the superior side.

Manchester Phoenix v Bracknell Bees – The Phoenix and Bees have played each other four times this season. The first two were emphatic Manchester wins, 6-0 and 8-3. However Bracknell have improved as the season has gone on, while Manchester have faltered, and a better indicator of the result of this game are the two more recent matchups.

Guildford netminder Dean Skinns - Photo: Chris Callaghan

Manchester still won both, but 5-4 each time. If that’s anything to go by this will be another close game.

Romford Raiders v Peterborough Phantoms – The Phantoms have dominated Romford all season, beating them five times out of five, whilst scoring a combined 37 goals past them. The last time they faced each other was the closest the Raiders have gone to beating the Phantoms, as they went down 7-5 with an extremely short bench (9 skaters).

Swindon Wildcats v Slough Jets – Slough have won the five games between these sides – the first two were by close scorelines, while the Jets dominated Swindon in the last three games, two of which were in Swindon. With Slough pushing MK hard at the top of the league, this is likely to be a repeat of last weekend’s Slough victory, though with Swindon chasing the last playoff spot both teams have plenty to play for.