GAME THREAD CC: Coventry Blaze v Sheffield Steelers, Wednesday 24th January 7:30pm

[Jayboy]

Challenge Cup , Semifinal 1st leg... A massive game....

[smbmetal]

Biggest game of the season so far.

Difficult to call. I’d be happy with a one goal lead if we can.

3-2 Steelers

[DimTim]

At least we don't have to fear overtime in this first leg. Blaze 'drawn' 13 games in league this season with 10-3 record!
Another o/t win against Giants on Sunday.

[greeny]

Should be a good two games of hockey, predicting a close and intense affair and entertaining from a spectators point of view. But over the two games i see us coming out victorious

[Doom]

I've just been having a look at the team stats on the Elite website and you can clearly see why we are where we are in the league.

Faceoffs

1. Sheffield 54.82%
2. Belfast 52.92%
3. Guildford 51.97%
4. Dundee 51.27%
5. Cardiff 50.79%
6. Coventry 50.11%
7. Glasgow 48.91%
8. Manchester 47.98%
9. Fife 46.48%
10. Nottingham 44.21%

That's quite brutal for Nottingham. I think ours has dropped a little bit, but still very good. Both Cardiff and Belfast have been strong at faceoffs when they've won the league.

Powerplay

1. Sheffield 28.41%
2. Glasgow 27.03%
3. Guildford 25.00%
3. Dundee 25.00%
5. Cardiff 24.72%
6. Nottingham 23.17%
7. Coventry 19.78%
8. Belfast 18.68%
9. Manchester 16.28%
10. Fife 14.89%

I'm surprised how poor Belfast have been with all the firepower they possess.

Penalty Kill

1. Sheffield 89.19%
2. Coventry 82.89%
3. Belfast 81.32%
4. Manchester 78.89%
5. Cardiff 76.32%
6. Dundee 76.04%
7. Fife 75.73%
8. Guildford 75.00%
9. Nottingham 73.75%
10. Glasgow 72.04%

If those stats are correct on the website, our penalty kill has been outrageously good so far this season (I've probably jinxed it now ).

Regards

Doom

[mark]

Greenfield starts, Ulrick plays on 4th line, Vally Town is back.

[BontSteeler]

Not an easy game this, I'll take a 1/2 goal lead back to the Arena (I know on a previous thread I said 2/3)

Coventry isn't an easy place to go.

I'll go :

Blaze 2-3 Steelers

Vallerand
Ciampini
Dowd

[mark]

0-1 Steelers

Mark Simpson
(Ciampini, Allen)
00:12

[greeny]

Only just sat down and simpson scored already as above

[BontSteeler]

Only just sat down and simpson scored already

Make that 2.....