Around The Rinks
PRE-SEASON TICKETS: The Go Goodwin’s Manchester Storm are pleased to announce that tickets for our 2017 pre-season games against the Coventry Blaze are now available to purchase. Tickets can be ordered online by clicking here, by calling the box office on 0161 926 8782, or in person at the box office.
Catch up with all the action around the EIHL in our weekly article, Around the Rinks!
Next up for Storm
Your Go Goodwin’s Manchester Storm complete their pre-season preparations with a home fixture against the Coventry Blaze on Wednesday (30th August) before opening their competitive season this weekend with a home-and-home Challenge Cup series against the Braehead Clan.
The Blaze warmed up for Wednesday’s match with home-and-home exhibition games against Patton conference rivals Milton Keynes Lightning. Honours were shared with both teams taking narrow victories on home ice. MK captain Kevin King fired home in overtime to seal a 4-3 win at the MK Arena, while at the Skydome new Blaze forward Ben Lake was the stand-out player, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-4 win.
Storm’s final Patton Conference challengers, Guildford Flames, start their pre-season campaign next weekend.
Braehead meanwhile continued their season warm-up with two home games against German DEL2 champions Löwen Frankfurt. American forward Jacob Doty helped himself to a brace in a 5-4 Saturday night win for a Braehead team still awaiting the arrival of their final imports, but the German side returned the favour with a 4-1 Sunday evening reverse. Post-game, Clan strengthened their roster with the signing of former NHL star Ryan Potulny. Potulny was a 2003 third-round pick for the Philadelphia Flyers and has over 100 NHL and 400 AHL games under his belt, as well as two seasons in top European leagues.
Panthers bedazzle in Bohemia
Nottingham fans who made the long trek to Hradec Králové on Saturday were rewarded with a little piece of history as Panthers became the first EIHL team to win a match away from home in the Champions Hockey League.
Canadian winger Joshua Shalla was the scoring hero, picking up two goals on the power play as Panthers won 4-2 against Mountfield HK of the Czech Extraliga. Michael Garnett made 37 saves in the Nottingham goal as Panthers held on despite being outshot 39 to 19.
Panthers had opened their CHL campaign by avoiding a mauling in the bear pits of Bern, emerging with credit in a 5-2 defeat against the Swiss champions. Shalla picked up both goals for an impressive haul of four in his first two competitive outings for the Panthers, and GB forward Brett Perlini picked up two assists.
Meanwhile, Cardiff Devils found their opening CHL fixtures altogether more chastening. Devils suffered a heavy 10-1 defeat at HC Davos, Joey Martin with the consolation goal early in the third period, before a more respectable 5-2 reverse at the hands of Bílí Tygři Liberec (Liberec White Tigers). Devils started brightly, taking a 2-0 lead into the first interval thanks to Joey Martin and new signing Drew Paris, before the greater experience of the Czech runners-up started to show.
Gardiner Conference
Fife Flyers opened up their pre-season with a double-header against German DEL2 side Kassel Huskies. Russ Moyer grabbed three assists and former Washington Capital Peter Leblanc scored the winner as Fife won the first game 4-3 in overtime, and the Huskies needed the extra period to win the second match 2-1.
Dundee and Edinburgh were not in action on the ice, but former Storm coach Omar Pacha was busy adding to the Stars roster, picking up former Panthers forward Chris Lawrence. Lawrence has 147 points over three seasons in the EIHL, with short spells at Sheffield and Coventry as well as with the Panthers.
Erhardt Conference round-up
With Cardiff and Nottingham on CHL duty and Sheffield Steelers facing off against your Go Goodwin’s Manchester Storm, Belfast Giants were the final EIHL team in action this week, taking in a home double-header against the visiting Bisons from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. The Belfast crowd were kept entertained with 23 goals over the weekend; the Bisons won the Saturday game 6-4 before Giants pinched the Sunday match 7-6, defenceman Spiro Goulakos with the overtime winner.
Catch up with all the action around the EIHL in our weekly article, Around the Rinks!
PRE-SEASON TICKETS: The Go Goodwin’s Manchester Storm are pleased to announce that tickets for our 2017 pre-season games against the Coventry Blaze are now available to purchase. Tickets can be ordered online by clicking here, by calling the box office on 0161 926 8782, or in person at the box office.
