There comes a time when every fan has to wonder… how can that happen?
Twice this weekend I had to witness a referee make a grave mistake regarding the release of players from the penalty box, decisions going in favour of the away team and done at the screaming demands of the away coach.
I was under the impression that referees controlled the game, not protesting coaches. I was also under the impression that coaches had to keep their mouths shut and not talk back to a referee. Of course I also thought that you had to be able to read and count too but after this weekend’s games I’m left to wonder.
How can such a grave mistake happen as the release of a player from the penalty box 58 seconds before the 2 minute penalty is up? And how can the ref take the word of a coach over the scorer or the penalty box attendant whose jobs it is to keep track of these things!
This type of mistake ruins the experience for the fans of both teams. No one likes to be cheated and no one likes their team to cheat.
Man up refs and rule the game fairly and squarely.
Do you know that feeling of anxiety before a game of your favorite team on TV? When the thought of what might happen if your team beats the overwhelming favorite or if they advance to the next round of the playoffs sends shivers down your spine? And what if that team is managed by you yourself? When you know that any victory, any sort of success is the direct result of your management decisions.
The phenomenon of online manager sport games is currently spreading in the virtual world of internet. These manager games bring together sports fans from all over the world to compete for the unofficial crown of the best virtual manager. One of these games is also the hockey manager called PowerPlay Manager where we had the opportunity to feel the anxiety for the results of our team
PowerPlay Manager is a game which puts you into the chair of a manager of a hockey team which you yourself create. What is addictive about this game is the chance to follow the games of your team live, with commentary in the language of your choice and with graphic elements. The game will probably also be watched by your opponent. Every time you celebrate a goal could mean disappointment somewhere on the other hemisphere because this game is played in countries where you would think they never heard of hockey.
We were tensely watching every offensive play of the opponent hoping that the goalie will make the save, while on the other hand, every time we had a chance we were hoping that this would be the one that would end up in the net and swing the momentum our way. But the most anxious moments were, when we led by a goal and the opponent pulled the goalie with two minutes left to try and even the score. Fortunately, similar as in reality, this sort of a risk rarely pays off.
To see an example of this sort of a live broadcast, see the URL below:
http://pptv.powerplaymanager.com/en/hockey-broadcast.html?data=101004
This is a recording of a similar game with drama all the way to the end. If you have not managed to see the live game of your team, you can still see the recording and you can also simultaneously watch games of other teams who you are interested in, or who can influence your position in the standings.
Not everybody has the opportunity to become a hockey professional or a hockey manager in the real world. But you can experience similar emotions as they do. All you have to do is to create your own team at http://www.powerplaymanager.com/.
The Blue Tongues are on the road this weekend facing off against the Ice Dogs and Bears with a depleted team due to injuries and personal committments. The Tongues solid regular 2nd line made up of Trevor Walsh, Dave Upton and Matt Stubbert are all out this weekend, as is forward Jack Conner and key stay at home defenseman Don Burke.
The lack of depth was prominant in Saturdays 4-1 loss to the Sydney Ice Dogs. The scoreline does not truly reflect the game or how even the teams were, but the loss does show that depth players are essential to a strong team.
Sunday saw a similar situation occur with the Blue Tongues going down 3-2 to the Bears in a shootout. While not a regulation loss, a loss to the Bears is still very much a shock considering they’ve only 4 points this season, including the 2pts they picked up tonight. Andre Selander picked up the only 2 regulation goals.
The Tongues second line has been vital in the recent string of home wins putting up goals and setting up plays. They’re also a solid 2-way line who shut down the opponents while giving the imports a chance to have a rest. Jack Conner, who has been out a few weeks already brings speed and secondary scoring and can play from the top line down, so is very flexible.
One of the biggest losses this weekend however has been Don Burke, who has been absolutely solid on the blueline this season.
According to sources, the Blue Tongues will go into next weekends road games Vs the Melbourne Ice without Walsh, Burke, Upton or Conner.
| Name | Number | Position | Height | Weight | DOB | Place of Birth |
| Andreas Albinsson ** | F | |||||
| Jon Bale | F | 190cm | 80kg | 04/06/86 | Melbourne, VIC, Australia | |
| Marco Bertossa | F | 180cm | 80kg | 12/04/74 | Zurich, Switzerland | |
| Don Burke | D | |||||
| Brad Cassidy | D | |||||
| Jack Connor | F | 190cm | 75kg | 07/03/89 | Melbourne, VIC, Australia | |
| Luke Fiveash | G | |||||
| Ross Howell | D | 183cm | 100kg | 04/11/79 | Melbourne, VIC, Australia | |
| Henrik Ivarsson * | D | Sweden | ||||
| Reece Kalleitner ** | G | |||||
| Ben Maher | F | 195cm | 96kg | 22/11/88 | Brisbane, QLD, Australia | |
| Chris Martin * | D | 193cm | 100kg | 02/08/83 | Guelph, ONT, Canada | |
| Milan Novysedlak | G | |||||
| Mark Paulsen | G | |||||
| Tino Sandhu | F | Finland | ||||
| Andre Selander * | F | Sweden | ||||
| Brad Smulders * | F | |||||
| Ben Spillane | D | 193cm | 110kg | 26/11/81 | Brisbane, Qld, Australia | |
| Matt Stubbert | F | |||||
| Cameron Trew | D | 185cm | 85kg | 16/08/89 | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| Dave Upton | F | 183cm | 91kg | 30/10/89 | Australia | |
| Trevor Walsh | F |
Harsh subject, I know, but apt. 23 seconds into the first, and the packed out crowd were up on their feet and cheering for the first goal of the game. Throughout the period the Newcastle fans who came up to give their boys some support were chanting “Ezzy Ezzy Ezzy OI OI OI”. Of course Gold Coast fans hit back, repeating the chant exactly the same way after the two Blue Tongues goals that followed in the period! It was intense and exciting to watch, with our boys in blue just hammering Matt Ezzy, checking the North Stars left, right and centre and just generally outplaying them in every way.
In the second period, Newcastle fought back, with a goal by their go-to man, import John Halverson. The end-to-end hockey was impressive, with both teams giving up the puck in their own zone to strong defensive play by both teams. Newcastle scored again, and at the end of the second period? 3-2 Gold Coast. We were still in it, and still looking very, very good. Those 3 points were ours!
In the third, we scored “an insurance goal”, giving us a 2 goal lead over the North Stars. It was brilliant! The BT fans were chanting “EZZY EZZY EZZY OI OI OI!”, the Newcastle fans were silent. So silent, their team turned around (the fans were on the seats behind their bench) and yelled at them to start cheering for some encouragement! It all seemed to be going Gold Coast’s way…
And then a lapse in the defensive core occurred, and for some reason, Gold Coast were unable to stop John Halverson from getting his stick on the puck. He wasn’t shut down, he wasn’t guarded by our defensemen. He was allowed the puck, and we paid the price dearly. 2 goals by Halverson in the last 2 mins of the game meant we once again went to a shootout. And while we scored twice on Ezzy (thank you Dave Upton and Brad Smulders!), Luke Fiveash couldn’t stop the Newcastle shooters from scoring on him.
In the four game and 24 point series against the North Stars, we came away with 0 W 2 L 2 OTL and a lonely 2 points.
So where do we go from here?
Next weekend we play The Bears. Last time we faced The Bears, Luke Fiveash shut them out, and our skaters put 7… that’s right seven goals on them! Therefore we need plenty of offense, but we can’t be complacent on defense. The Blue Tongues must protect their goalie and shut down the opposition’s shooters. Ideally, they should also try to reduce the number of turnovers and missed passes they have too. Saying that, practice makes perfect and all they can do is come out firing!
Until next game….
