The Sheffield Steelers are the 2008 Playoff Champions. Dave Matsos, an ex-Giant, is a playoff winning coach after winning the trophy as a player for the Giants back in 2003. The weekend was a beer filled, hocked packed hoot as per usual and maybe once I have fully recovered, counted the losses financially and tried to remember as much as I can I will write some kind of story about Nottingham Playoff weekend 2008.

As for now . . . Well done Sheffield.

Anyone with half a brain is surely not in favor of the current concept of the British playoff system. I haven’t had the chance to talk to any players about this though I hope that over the playoff weekend that maybe that chance will arise. Ok not the Giants players but there are four other teams there. It would be interesting to see what they thought but as for the fans, I have talked to them and almost the absolute majority does not like what they see.

For anyone not totally aware the British playoffs work in the following way: MORE »

. . . But they go down fighting.

I was overly critical of this team after periods one and two last night in Dundalk but with a third period effort to get back into the tie I decided to hold back on serious criticism until I seen how they performed over the next two periods.  Well ‘heard’ how they performed is what I should have said.  As it turns out the Giants performed well and did themselves proud in an effort to fight back into the tie.

Had this team been a top of the table team all season long I still would have been seriously disappointed but it has been such an up and down season with many downs and plenty of highs and a conclusion that when summing everything up that we were just a middle of the road team and not quite good enough to get it done.  With all that in mind I’m not overly angry that we failed to squeak into the playoffs past a physical and well-drilled Vipers side.  MORE »

Here’s hoping the team can improve on last night, carry their third period momentum into tonight, treat it like a no lose situation (which might suit us better) and give me something to be excited for next week other than just the beer!!

For in depth game updates have a look at the KotG in game updates service.

Friday Night:
Sheffield 5 Mancheter 4

Saturday Night:
Edinburgh 0 Coventry 1
Nottingham 3 Cardiff 4
Belfast 3 Newcastle 5

On Tap for tonight:

Manchester v Sheffield, 5:30 p.m.
Newcastle v Belfast, 5:30 p.m.
Cardiff v Nottingham, 6 p.m.
Coventry v Edinburgh, 6 p.m.

What is it with computers and technology failing you when you need it the most?  I pay a high monthly fee for this dammed laptop and when I want to get a game report out all I want is for the bloody thing to work.  Thankyou Toshiba and the internet - The game report that I spent about 30 minutes angerly putting together frooze up on me and I failed to get it online.

So without further ado I let you know that I wont be producing one.  I have not go the time nor the patience to go through that again!  That is probably a good thing however.  I didn’t want to go too indepth about my true feelings last night when afterall it was only ‘half-time’ in the series and thanks to a good third period after two terrible periods the Giants have gave themselves some hope for tomorrow night.

I will touch on a few things that stood out for me however.  MORE »

It’s commeth the hour commeth the man time and all that kind of talk.  Yes this is the playoffs - the pinacle of a hockey season even if the British playoffs do only last 4 games.  This is where you want your big players and the guys who know how to play in this kind of situation.  It’s a two legged affair and the Giants with the first home game will be looking for a big result to carry into Newcastle the following night. MORE »

We all know that our coach Ed Courtney will bow out at the end of the season and leave the Giants for pastures new. The upcoming games (at least two, at the most four) will be the last of Courtenay’s professional career and he is looking to leave the sport a winner.

Courtenay’s career is a storied one. He has came through the junior systems, worked his way up to the NHL and seen everything there is to see in the minor league circuit. That trail took him to the British Super league, back to America and finally to the Giants where he will make his final stand as a player over the next week. MORE »

One look at the standings will tell you that Coventry are now champions and the Giants are in a uninteresting battle for 3rd and 4th place with Nottingham. However if you cast your eyes further down you may be surprised to see the Edinburgh Capitals in 6th place. Its been quite a turn around for the team that for a long time in the season occupied the last place spot in the league. For so long it seemed Basingstoke were a lock for the 6th place spot but a new found team spirit in Edinburgh has turned the fortunes around and the Scottish team look on pace to claim a playoff spot. MORE »

Once again Todd goes out of his way to respond to our worries and fears about Dundalk and the playoffs. Cant say I’m not still angry about it but I guess my anger has turned more to the Elite League and even more so the Odyssey Arena but I’ll rant on that a little later.