21.12.2001 ISL News
The Bracknell Bees have today signed ex-NHL player, Daniel Goneau. Goneau was selected twice in the NHL entry draft, in round 2,47th overall by Boston in 1994 and in round 2, 48th overall, by New York Rangers in 1996 and in total played 53 NHL games. He is expected to make his debut on Boxing Day at London. The Bees have also confirmed today that forward Todd Goodwin has been sidelined for the rest of the season, following an injury to his knee.
The Sheffeld Star is today reporting that following Ron Shudra's new playing contract for the rest of the season - it has sparked interest from Tim Cranston and Frank Kovacs who both fancy a return to Sheffield, says Blaisdell. |
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20.12.2001 Playoff Format
It has decided that no team should be excluded from the competition, ensuring that all fans have the opportunity to be part of the traditional excitement of play-off hockey!. The new format will see each club play the other teams in the Superleague once, with three games at home and three away games.
The team finishing at the top of the Sekonda Superleague table will be rewarded with full home advantage over those placed immediately below them in the standings!. The game schedule will be determined as follows (home team shown first):
1 vs 2, 1 vs 3, 1 vs 4
2 vs 3, 2 vs 4, 2 vs 5
3 vs 4, 3 vs 5, 3 vs 6
4 vs 5, 4 vs 6, 4 vs 7
5 vs 6, 5 vs 7, 5 vs 1
6 vs 7, 6 vs 1, 6 vs 2
7 vs 1, 7 vs 2, 7 vs 3
Teams will earn 2 points for every game they win, and 1 point for each draw. The top four teams in the Superleague Play-off table will then go forward to the grand finale of the season, the Play-off Finals, the dates and venue of which will be announced shortly. |
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19.12.2001 Millennium Dome is Knights New Home
It's been confirmed that the London Knights will be moving into the new 20,000 seater arena inside the Millennium Dome. It's envisaged that the new arena should be ready for December 2004. More Details when Available.
The Bracknell Bees have today stregthened their squad following the departure of Eric Bertrand, Bracknell have signed forward Jari Torkki. |
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18.12.2001 NEW HOME FOR HOCKEY IN LONDON?
A buyer has finally been found for the Millennium Dome, the government announced on Tuesday afternoon. It is thought that Meridian Delta will turn the Greenwich landmark into a sports and entertainment arena with a 20,000 capacity, with housing and offices on surrounding land. Meridian Delta is backed by American oil magnate Phillip Anschutz, the billionaire behind the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team - and of course half a dozen hockey teams including London's own Knights.
Mr Anschutz, 62, is best known for the Lakers' home ground at the �583m Staples Center in Los Angeles (also home of the LA Kings), which was voted the best arena in the US last year. |
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14.12.2001 ALL STAR GAME
First period:
Not icing Ed Courtenay and Johan Silfwerplatz, replaced by Mike Jickling and Cam Bristow. For GB, not icing Gary Clarke, Mike Ellis and Marc Twaite.
ISL All Stars were one-goal down at the end of the first, and would have been two goals down if it weren't for them winning the skills competitions. In a free flowing and exciting first period the GB team equalised in the first two minutes with Paul Berrington finding the net. Within 2 minutes, the All Stars had produced a tic-tac-toe, finding Trevor Roenick with an easy tap in to put the ISL All Stars ahead again. Play was even for the next 7 minutes until Jonathan Weaver scored the goal of the period to tie the game up. From here on in we had an exhibition of what all star hockey should be as end to end moves were thwarted by good netminding - Bracknell Bees teammates Greer and Watkins in opposing nets. Only a mistake by Cam Bristow split the teams as Jon Weaver pounced on the puck and went one on one with Greer leaving him with no chance to save. Period ended 3-2 to GB.
Second period:
Second session continued with fast, stylish skills from both sides, but the All Stars quickly gained the upperhand as PC Drouin shone with a goal and an assist. Just 2 minutes into the period Roenick levelled the scores but part-time teammate David Clarke put GB ahead 90 seconds later. PC Drouin immediately levelled the scores and with 5 minutes left combined with Mike Barrie to put All Stars 5-4 up at the break. Netminder for GB was changed from Watkins to Lyle at the start of the second, ISL changed Greer for McInerney half way through.
Third period:
GB changed netminders again, this time bringing Dundee Stars Brit Stephen Murphy into nets. Unfortunately for him, the All Stars had a goal-fest as Hadden started the rush. Goals for Sean Berens, Kevin Riehl and Mike Jickling completed the scoring before Jon Weaver got a consolation 5th goal for the GB team, completing his hat-trick. Worth mentioning was Ashley Tait with 3 assists and not surprisingly, man of the match for GB Jon Weaver and with 1+3 Greg Hadden for the All Stars. Final score 9-5 to All Stars, thus ending GB's unbeaten streak albeit it in a friendly way.
Scoring:
ISL
04:30 Roenick-Bultje-Hadden
22:48 Roenick-Hadden-Sebastian
25:37 P C Drouin-Ruff-Jickling
34:39 Barrie-Drouin-Hadden
43:36 Hadden-Roenick
48:16 Berens-Cadotte-Mansi
49:45 Riehl-Sebastian
52-43 Jickling-Ruff
GB:
04-07 Berrington-Clarke-Tasker
11:06 Jon Weaver-Tait-Pope
13:49 Weaver-u/a
24:52 Clarke-Wilson-Tait
54:31 Weaver-Tait-Wishart
SOG:
ISL: Greer: 19, McInerney: 15
GB: Watkins: 9, Lyle: 18, Murphy: 18. |
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14.12.2001 ALL STAR UPDATE
The results of the skills competitions were as follows:
Puck Control Relay
The combined team of Mark Cadotte, Kevin Riehl, Kris Miller and Brian Greer gained points for their ISL team against a GB team made up of Gary Wishart, Ashley Tait, Neil Liddiard and Stevie Lyle.
Fastest Skater
Mark Bultje of ISL Stars beat GB�s David Clark. Then GB�s Paul Berrington beat ISL�s P C Drouin, and GB player James Morgan got round the circuit faster than 'Super' Sean Berens. Round two to GB.
Pass the puck
The combined GB team of Jon Weaver, Michael Tasker and Tom Watkins against Eoin McInerney levelled against the ISL team of Shane Johnson, Trevor Roenick and Mike Barrie who were up against GB goalie Joe Watkins. Score 2-2.
Hardest shot
Nottingham Panthers PC Drouin registered an unbelievable 97 mph shot!! to win the hardest shot competition as ISL bagged the points in this one.
The other highest scores were:
ISL: Jeff Sebastian 82mph, Jason Ruff 86 mph and Greg Hadden 86 mph.
GB: Rob Wilson 80mph, Neil Liddiard 78 mph, Brent Pope 84 mph and Ashley Tait 82mph.
So the ISL Stars won 10-3 overall and took that one goal forward into the All Star game. |
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14.12.2001 News & Rumours
Playoff Details
Powerplay magazine is today reporting that they expect announcemant to be made in the next few days regarding the format for this season's superleague playoffs. Check Back for more details.
ISL News
Bracknell have announced that their Canadian star forward Eric Bertrand will be leaving the club just five weeks after he arrived. Bertrand will be joining DEL team Cologne as he follows his dream of returning to the NHL. His departure is by mutual consent and the Bees coach and management did not feel they could hold Eric back from this opportunity. During his stay with the Bees, Bertrand played 8 games for 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) and 4 penalty minutes.
Disciplinary News
Disciplinary chairman Frank Dempster threw out two Panthers claims for supplementary discipline on opposition players. The first was an apparent cross-check to the head by London's Vezio Sacratini on defenceman Calle Carlsson during the game last week.
Dempster, who was at the Ayr game last Sunday, told Moran "not to bother" appealing over a cross-check by the Scots' new signing Phil Crowe on Greg Hadden after the diminutive Panthers player was celebrating a goal. Panthers director of hockey Alex Dampier said: "Gary had words about the Crowe hit with Frank, who was at the game, but he was advised not to pursue it."
Rumours
Dody Wood is unhappy with life in Scotland following a recent trip back home to see his family in the United States. The rumour is that Phil Crowe has been signed to replace Wood who has been recently banned for having six fights. Wood is expected to sign for a team in the States. |
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13.12.2001 Disciplinary News
Vezio Sacratini � London Knights
Nottingham Panthers made a request for Supplementary Discipline to be taken against London Knights� player, Vezio Sacratini, for an alleged incident during the London v Nottingham match played on Tuesday 4th December.
After viewing the match video, and consulting the match officials, the ISL Disciplinary Committee decided that no action will be taken against Sacratini.
Mike Barrie - London Knights
Fined �100 for 3rd game misconduct penalty.
Gerad Adams � London Knights
Fined �100 for 3rd fighting penalty. |
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11.12.2001 November Face To Watch
Belfast Giants� forward Colin Ward, has been named as the Sekonda �Face to Watch� for the month of November 2001.
The 31 year-old, who hails from Edmonton, Alberta, was Giants� top scorer and the second highest points scorer in the Sekonda Superleague in November, with a tally of five goals and seven assists from nine games � an average of 1.33 points per game, the third highest average amongst all scorers!
Colin Ward will be rewarded for his efforts with the November Face to Watch title, alongside a gift from Sekonda, and he takes one of the six places available in the running for the Sekonda Player of the Season Award. |
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7.12.2001 ISL News
The Ayr Scottish Eagles have announced the signing of Canadian right-winger and ex-NHL'er, Phil Crowe who is expected to fly into Scotland to ice for the Eagles in their double header at the Centrum this weekend, the Saturday game being against the London Knights. Crowe has iced for the Los Angeles Kings 94 times as well as the Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators and more recently, Nashville Predators. |
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6.12.2001 Good and Bad News for Schulte
Following yet more disciplinary reviews by the ISL there was some good news and some bad news for Belfast Giants' Paxton Schulte.
First the Good news
During the Belfast Giants vs Manchester Storm game on Friday 30th November, Paxton Schulte received a 5 minute penalty for Tripping. The ISL Disciplinary Committee reviewed the incident and expunged the penalty as it was clear from the game video that Schulte did not commit the offence.
The Bad News is another game ban for fighting.
During the Belfast Giants v Sheffield Steelers game on Wednesday 5th December Paxton Schulte received a 5 minute penalty for Fighting. As a result of receiving 6 previous Fighting penalties, Schulte is automatically suspended for 1 game. Schulte will therefore miss Giants game on Sunday 9th December against Bracknell. |
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5.12.2001 GB Squad for All-Star Game
The Great Britain National Team, which will take on the ISL All Stars at this year�s ALL STAR CHALLENGE, being held in association with the NSPCC FULL STOP Campaign, at the National Ice Centre, Nottingham on Friday, December 14th, has been announced.
The Squad is as follows:-
Netminders: Stevie Lyle (Manchester), Stephen Murphy (Dundee), Joe Watkins (Bracknell).
Defence: Kyle Horne (Fife), Neil Liddiard (Basingstoke), James Morgan (Bracknell), Craig Nelson (Dundee), Rick Strachan (Milton Keynes), Brent Pope (Nottingham), Rob Wilson (Manchester).
Forwards: Paul Berrington (Dundee), David Clarke (London), Gary Clark (Basingstoke), Nick Cross (Slough), Mike Ellis (Basingstoke), Rob Lamey (Coventry), Danny Meyers (Milton Keynes), Ashley Tait (Nottingham), Michael Tasker (Coventry Blaze), Marc Twaite (Sheffield), Tom Watkins (Coventry), Jonathan Weaver (Ayr), Gary Wishart (Fife). |
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5.12.2001 Disciplinary Reviews
Jason Bowen (Belfast Giants)
Nottingham Panthers vs Belfast Giants held on Sunday 2nd December 2001
During the above game, Jason Bowen received a 5 plus game misconduct. Under supplementary discipline the ISL Disciplinary Committee has upgraded this to a match penalty, with a 2 game suspension, plus a further 3 game suspension for checking from behind, which caused injury to Nottingham player, Joel Poirier. In addition, Bowen is fined �250.
Ian Herbers (Ayr Scottish Eagles)
Bracknell Bees vs Ayr Scottish Eagles held on Saturday 1st December 2001
During the above game, Herbers received a 5 plus game misconduct. Under supplementary discipline the ISL Disciplinary Committee has upgraded to a match penalty and given a 5 game suspension for cross checking to the head/face area, which caused injury to Bracknell player, Mark Turner. In addition, Herbers is fined �250. |
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1.12.2001 Round Up
There are rumours in the northeast suggesting that the owners of the Newcastle Jesters intend seeking re-admission to the Superleague next season. This has been encouraged by the fact that the Jesters have not left their office at the Telewest Arena.
Bracknell defenceman Mark Matier has returned to the ice following an injury caused by Barry Nieckar, who cross checked him from behind. However, Bracknell will not be lodging any formal complaint with the superleague as they failed to submit the game tape quick enough.
Powerplay magazine reports that the London Knights could further stregthen their defence following the signing of Gerad Adams as they have made an offer to former Cardiff Devil import Mike Nicholishen. |
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