Shame. My second and last game of the 08-09 British Hockey season ended in defeat for the Giants. In the two games I seen over the period I have been back in Northern Ireland the team picked up two points from a game that wasn’t a classic and lost the game that was actually fun to watch. But the scores aside it was nice being back in the Odyssey, nice to see old faces, a good attendance and a nice shiny new and very effective pre-game show.

Unfortunately I came down with a serious bug on arrival in the country from Canada and it never cleared up for either game. It meant I couldn’t drink the arena’s dodgy Harp with my usual reckless abandon but when I see the latest price increases I was thankful my health was keeping me clear of it. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that concessions have shot up in price for an 9th straight year and it would be nice to see the price list from 2000-2001 to draw comparisons. Indeed, as oil and property prices continue to fall around the world the economy can rest in peace knowing the Odyssey Arena’s concession prices are balancing things out.

Anyway, on the ice was the real reason we all turned out, right? Well the crowd was good and healthy as the Giants bottom line always requires it to be over the Christmas period. They were in good voice also despite the performances they got from the players who at times looked to be still digesting their Christmas Turkey’s.

Specifically the game against Sheffield. That was a standout game for Turkey hangovers. Of course it must be remembered the team were playing their third game in four nights and withinjuries to boot both by players missing and those playing with, a slow down in the second and third periods was to be expected. The Giants really should have had the game done by the end of the first twenty minutes but they couldn’t convert their many chances and were left to pay for it the final two thirds of the game as the Steelers ran away with the victory.

When I wasn’t spending my time complaining that my Chicken burger meal cost almost half the price of my game ticket, I was watching the new players to the team to put faces to the names I had been reading and writing about the last 4 months. I wanted to see who was who, who played like who and did these people live up to the billing. Unfortunately with the team playing a shadow of the game it did in the opening months I did not get to see the out and out team displays that those around me had been enjoying for the early parts of the season. Robins looked to be struggling from his earlier season injury still while MacMillan was finally showing his worth over the two games.

The most consistent of the two games was Burgoyne who skated with poise and had a keen ability to jump into the rush at the right time. The same couldn’t be said about his fellow defensive newcomer Tyler Howells. While his performance against Sheffield was dire, it can be put down to a simple bad game. Praise for the guy has been high and wide ranging from enough sources that my faith in him as a solid fixture on the Giants blue line was not tested when he coughed up the puck to allow Sheffield to score.

Steve Thornton was back on the ice for the Sheffield game. He had an idiotic suspension thrown at him by the monkeys in charge of the league prior to the Edinburgh game but was clear to play by the time the Steelers came into town. What I enjoyed was looking at Steve Thornton and thinking about the last time I seen him play; it was against the London Knights in Nottingham during the final of the playoffs when the Giants took a 4-2 victory to win their one and only playoff title to date.

Quite a few players went right under the radar and not always for the good. There were players I had come with an excitement of seeing standing out and putting on a display who left me trying to remember if they had even been in the line-up over the two days. Maybe it was my flu.

Not to worry though, over the two games I definitely seen reason to be excited as a fan. The Giants might not be a world beater but with a healthy team if they do find some form there is no reason to suggest they cant win some kind of silverware this season.

That is enough for now. I need to go take some cough medicine and get ready for new years celebrations.

On the subject: Back in the Odyssey, Mike Burgoyne, Odyssey Prices, Sheffield Steelers, Steve Thornton, Tyler Howells | ALL SUBJECTS |

............................................................................................................................................................................