GAME THREAD: Steelers v Giant$: League: Sun 29th Sep

[DimTim]

Strange how you see the game, I would agree with Brian we did not seem to do well on the dot but the official stats show we won 38 lost 37.

[Doom]

Unfortunately due to a family emergency I missed this.

As expected a very tight game, although tracking has us at 70% to win, so probably a well deserved victory.

Who was missing for Belfast, because the game sheet has them down with 16 skaters?

My guess is this will be the first of a few titanic battles between these two teams.

Regards

Doom

Hope all is okay with the family Doom.

Thanks Bont. My Dad is 98 and was struggling with his breathing this afternoon, so we called an ambulance and they've taken him to the NGH.

I think my dad is actually a closet Panthers supporter. He was stationed in Nottingham and was friends with the first ever Panthers netminder in 1946. I've told him he's not supposed to like Nottingham, but he's not having any of it.

Regards

Doom

[Bryan]

Strange how you see the game, I would agree with Brian we did not seem to do well on the dot but the official stats show we won 38 lost 37.

Yep strange. Not the first time I have wondered about the official stats. Balmas won three successive faceoffs in the overtime. It felt different. In the main game we relied far too much on dumping it deep. Mostly Belfast won it back. Balmas was outright winner of the MoM. Not since the feat’s of Oshie has that happened to my knowledge. Oshie won three successive pens for USA in the final against Russia. He was then 74 with The St Louis `blues but then moved to Washington. My son is vice president of a company based in that city and the Blues sponsored their team and arena. I have worn his shirt for many years in tribute. But who could not sport a treble shirt this year?!

[Bryan]

Hope all turns out well, Doom

[BontSteeler]

Unfortunately due to a family emergency I missed this.

As expected a very tight game, although tracking has us at 70% to win, so probably a well deserved victory.

Who was missing for Belfast, because the game sheet has them down with 16 skaters?

My guess is this will be the first of a few titanic battles between these two teams.

Regards

Doom

Hope all is okay with the family Doom.

Thanks Bont. My Dad is 98 and was struggling with his breathing this afternoon, so we called an ambulance and they've taken him to the NGH.

I think my dad is actually a closet Panthers supporter. He was stationed in Nottingham and was friends with the first ever Panthers netminder in 1946. I've told him he's not supposed to like Nottingham, but he's not having any of it.

Regards

Doom

Here's to a full recovery and get him back home.

Blimey 98!

[jas]

I really enjoyed the game as I thought it was a very even contest that could so easily have gone either way. What a hero Balmas was! Perhaps a bit controversially I thought we did alright on the faceoffs although I have to admit to not watching them too closely. Even so I did notice we won several on the trot at one stage. We did look a bit disjointed at times but I think that was down to the pressure Giants put us under. Against a lesser team we would have had more time on the puck. A bit of a concern is that I expect Giants to develop as a team over the season more than Steelers. I hope I am wrong and that we continue to just edge them out.

[smbmetal]

We deserved the win and the Giant$ played a good road game for a short bench. Greenfield would have certainly wanted one of the goals back, however he more than made it up for it stopping the two 1 on 0 breakaways in OT.

I do have some early concerns of our domestic form so far. I expected with having to play tougher CHL games we would be out of the blocks quickly with lots of intensity and energy. We looked tired and slow yesterday in large parts of the game. But the old saying of winning when not at your best is a good sign.

Hopefully the injury to Janatuinen isn't too bad.

[lovedenisvial]

Didn't make the game so I watched it on the stream, should have saved the £16! The game was a very poor watch up to the OT and pens! We just couldn't get into our rhythm! Giants played it very tight and never allowed us into the neutral zone with any speed. I think the face offs stats were oddly swung either way! Belfast had the majority earlier in the game and we had the better % as we improved through the second and third periods!
Great finish for Balmas! never seen 3 penalties scored by one player before. 2 points and move to the next.

[smbmetal]

Didn't make the game so I watched it on the stream, should have saved the £16! The game was a very poor watch up to the OT and pens! We just couldn't get into our rhythm! Giants played it very tight and never allowed us into the neutral zone with any speed. I think the face offs stats were oddly swung either way! Belfast had the majority earlier in the game and we had the better % as we improved through the second and third periods!
Great finish for Balmas! never seen 3 penalties scored by one player before. 2 points and move to the next.

Speaking of the stream, I miss Ron Shudra's comments as co-commentator. It certainly doesn't feel value for money with just JF commentating on his own. The picture did appear to be better quality though.

[paul johnston]

I dont agree with Fox at all when he says it was a good performance. I thought we were slow, lethargic and the amount of high and wide shots from 5-6 feet away from the goal was a nightmare. Dowd, Vally again led the forwards (along with Juus and JJ) and Tansey was a force of nature too.

Guimond had a good steady game again that I'm liking.

Hopefully we can pick up our form going forward.