Blogs & Opinion

Win some, lose some

Skysports.com's Neil Chiplen reviews another crazy week in the world that is Elite League ice hockey.

Neil Chiplen Posted 13th January 2010 view comments

You've got to love the Elite League. One week the first placed Coventry Blaze go down 8-7 on the road against a short-benched Capitals team. Two weeks later the Blaze demolish title chasing Belfast 7-1. Then the Blaze returned to Murrayfield and fall 5-3. Yup, I don't know what to think either.

The thing is, Coventry have owned Belfast all season. Most of them have been close, but it's amazing that the Giants are still in the picture after five straight defeats.

Meanwhile, the Capitals have a legit chance at finishing fifth in the league. Imagine what they'd be doing if they had a full roster and a little bit more money to spend.

Scott you're fired... Scott you're hired

"I have said for some time I had been prepared to make a change and this is it...Scott (Romfo) had been playing better these last few weeks but if we are to challenge for honours this season I need to ensure we are the best we can be.

Adams: Make your mind up!

Adams: Make your mind up!

"We cannot carry 11 imports and I have a financial responsibility to our owners, who have shown great faith in me and the team. It's never nice to make these decisions but to become a better hockey club sometimes these things have to happen." - Gerad Adams, quoted on Cardiff Devils website December 17.

"We are very pleased that Scott will be staying to help the team.... This year we are not going to limp into the end of the season. We are going to charge into it full steam ahead and cause everyone else in this league as many problems as we can." - Gerad Adams, quoted on Cardiff Devils website January 12.

So what changed?

What the above quotes basically mean is that, at some point during the four weeks that Romfo was on the outside looking in, the Devils had a long reach behind the sofa and pulled out a few mucky notes.

At the same time they realised that they needed more help on D and, as luck would have it, Romfo was still studying in Cardiff. At least neither party was too proud not to understand that this made good business sense for both of them.

Keeping tabs on Brits abroad

Team GB pair David Phillips and Matt Myers are finding out exactly what life in the American minor league system is all about. Phillips was assigned to the ECHL's Toledo Walleye after beginning the season with the Rockford Ice Hogs in the AHL. The former Giant has chipped in two points in six games, but has a -5 plus/minus rating.

Meanwhile in California, after starting the campaign with the Bakersfield Condors on the West Coast, Matt Myers was shipped back East when he was traded to the Johnstown Chiefs.

Since Bakersfield is the main affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, Myers was playing alongside NHL prospects such as MacGregor Sharp and Dan Sexton to begin the season, but after they were called up the organisation made some changes and Myers felt the knock-on effect.

Bouncing from team to team is part and parcel of the deal in the minors so hopefully Phillips and Myers can just take it on the chin and keep up the hard work.

With a couple of Brits in the States, it's always useful to keep your eyes and ears on the hockey ladder in North America. And for fans wanting to stay abreast of the latest news across the pond, and to hear about how former and future Elite League players are doing, they can tune into the Internet hockey radio show Puska on Pucks, hosted by sports broadcaster Denis Puska.

The latest edition of Puska on Pucks can be found at www.puskaonpucks.com or at www.oursportscentral.com under the OSC Radio link section and you can expect to hear yours truly weighing in on the British hockey scene in an upcoming show.

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