STORM BLITZ ISSUE #34 Sunday 23 March 1997 This issue is sponsored by W.H. Davies Private Investigations. For more details see foot of message. If you have any comments on Storm Blitz, please feel free to e-mail inter.the.storm@poboxes.com any time. --------------------------------------------------- In this issue : * Panthers win longest game in British history * Steelers easily beat Cardiff * Finals day at the Nynex * The Superleague * Hilton Ruggles * Skate Attack * Roller Hockey UK to begin this year * Superleague Web site finally online * Thunder & Lightning Play-off special * Next on TV & Radio * Get back issues of Storm Blitz * How to unsubscribe to Storm Blitz --------------------------------------------------- > PANTHERS WIN LONGEST GAME IN BRITISH HISTORY This was a night to remember. In the second semi-final of the day, Nottingham Panthers finally beat Ayr Scottish Eagles in the 6th extra period of overtime after 115 minutes of play and 4 hours 45 minutes of ice hockey action. This was the longest game in British history but for a long time it looked a formality. Jiri Lala scored the opening goal on 12 minutes for Ayr Scottish Eagles and this just about all the action in the first period. The second period saw five goals all in a very long second half. On 30 minutes Woolf scored a short-handed goal to put Ayr into a 2-0 lead before Dalman scored for Nottingham with a 5 on 3 a minute later. Jiri Lala restored the two goal lead for Ayr on 34 minutes before Hoffman made it 4-1 three minutes later. Nottingham scored their second goal just before the end of the period from Dalman to give themselves a chance of coming back in the third. With a two goal lead Ayr seemed to step up their defensive play at the start of the third period and in the first fourteen minutes of the period there were no more goals as the crowd became restless and the Cardiff and Sheffield fans exchanged chants - I was sat with the Basingstoke fans who along with Newcastle, separated the two largest sets of supporters. John Lawless, commenting for Sky TV in between periods sat just behind where I was and looked very bored at this point. The Cardiff players who had played earlier in the day appeared and sat with the Cardiff fans after entertaining the crowd with their antics. Berwanger scored Ayr's fifth goal with 6 minutes remaining on the powerplay and it looked all over bar the shouting for Nottingham. But that was only the start. Bishop scored on the powerplay on 56 minutes to make it 5-3. 30 seconds later Morgan made it 5-4 and with 3 minutes remaining, Bishop scored Nottingham's third goal in a minute to amazingly level the scores at 5-5. Needless to say, the crowd had woken up now and the Panthers almost won the game in the last three minutes, but the game went to overtime. Having ditched the much talked about rule that would have removed a player from each side after every overtime period, they must have wished that they had left that rule alone. Becasue there were FIVE empty goalless, mainly actionless, but tense, engery-sapping (and that was just the crowd) overtime periods. The Nynex Arena had the bright idea of closing the food and drinks bars before overtime, so that everyone was both hungry and thirsty by the time the sixth extra period started at about 11.05. I had to bribe the doormen to let me out and then back in again twice so I could get to the chocolate machines in Victoria station. Officially it was in the 116th minute of the game (115-49 to be precise) that the game finally ended. In real terms it was 4 hours and 45 minutes after the game had started. It had seemed like days. We were begging both sides to come out without netminders. I wouldn't have minded if even Ryan Kummu scored the winner. But it was Jeff Hoad who sparked out amazing celebration scenes as the crowd erupted (minus all the Cardiff fans who had left about 20 minutes previously to catch their coaches home) and a fantastic night was over (despite the abusive Ayr fan sat a few rows behind me that thought it was my fault that he couldn't go to Wembley this year - luckily the stewards did something useful and threatened him with eviction). I was happy - until I realised that the excess time that I had been in the Nynex had meant that my car had been in the car park much longer than expected - and I was charged 8 pounds to get out. > STEELERS EASILY BEAT CARDIFF Due to a slight miscalculation with face-off times I missed the start of the game, but having heard the start courtesy of Dave Simms's commentary on the car radio I knew that it was still 0-0 when I arrived. Amazingly there were still some over-priced programmes left. The first period remained goalless and it was 2 minutes into the second period that Frank Kovacs put Sheffield Steelers into the lead. Rob Wilson made it 2-0 on the powerplay after 26 minutes. Steve Moria pulled a goal for Cardiff back two minutes later. Ken Priestlay gave the Steelers a two goal lead again three minutes later and it remained 3-1 until the end of the period. Two minutes into the third period period Sacratini gave Cardiff hope again with a goal to make the score 3-2. Jason Lafeniere scored the fourth Steelers goal after 52 minutes and Ken Priestlay wrapped it up dramatically with an empty net goal with 12 seconds remaining to make the final score 5-2. > FINALS DAY AT THE NYNEX After the dramatic Superleague semi-finals, Finals day takes place at the Nynex Arena on Saturday 29 March. The day starts off with the Junior final at 11.00AM. This year the final will be between Sunderland and Fife. This will be followed by the Premier Final. In this final, the Northern Premier League Play-off winner Fife Flyers will take on the as yet undetermined Premier League Play-off winner. It will either be Swindon Ice Lords or Slough Jets who meet in the two-legged Premier League final this week. Then it is the Superleague Final between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers. This faces off at just after 8.00 and so is scheduled to end at approx 10.45pm meaning those attending all three finals will have been there for almost 12 hours! Incidentally, the Superleague Final ticket actually covers all three games, so despite the high price it is good value. I assume that you'll be allowed out of the Nynex between finals, but I don't actually know so don't blame me if they don't let people out! If you can't get to the Nynex you can follow the Superleague Final with live coverage on SKY Sports and live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live (Bob Ballard) and BBC Radio Sheffield (Dave Simms & AN Other - either Jamie van der Horst or Gareth Hampshire - I wonder who'll get the LOOOOOOOOOOOSERS medals this year, Dave?!). BBC Radio Wales MAY have some coverage as they have a sports programme at that time as Wales are playing a World Cup match in Cardiff between 7.00 and 9.00pm. There is no planned coverage (as far as I know) of the other two finals. I can only guess that Radio 5 may report on them in Sport on 5 (1.00-6.00pm) and SKY Sports may show highlights before, after or in between periods of the Superleague Final. > THE SUPERLEAGUE According to reports in the South Wales Echo (they were giving out free copies at the Superleague semi-finals!), the Superleague is close to getting two new teams in Birmingham and London. I guess the Birmingham one is Solihull Blaze - but I'll believe that when I see it. As for London, they seem to be under the impression that Wembley and London Arena will both host teams. That could be interesting if it ever comes about. Leeds have committed to joining in the 1998/99 season and there are hopes that there may be teams in Dublin and Belfast soon. It is also reported that Pittsburgh Penguins are looking at the UK to host a team that would not be its farm team, but a team with its own identity (hmmm). It is reported that SKY TV are set to continue coverage of the Superleague next season and the Superleague are actively seeking a league sponsor for next season. > HILTON RUGGLES I spoke to Hilton Ruggles briefly during the semi-finals day and got him to sign my programme. I asked him if he was back next season and he said (although quite unconvincingly) that "yeah...of course!". > SKATE ATTACK Skate Attack has a Web site at http://www.saibatek.com/skate I haven't been to it yet so I don't know what's on it, but I assume it has details of its merchandise and how to order it. You can also e-mail Skate Attack at 106033.3207@compuserve.com > ROLLER HOCKEY UK TO BEGIN THIS YEAR Some British ice hockey stars will switch to the American Roller Hockey League over the summer according to SK8, the in-line skating magazine that I got free on my way out of the Nynex Arena. Cardiff's Doug McCarthy is the new star of the Barracudas. Last season Frank Morris played for the St Louis Vipers. There is to be a brand new professional roller hockey league set up in the UK if all goes according to plan to be played under RHI rules throughout the summer. The plan is to launch the new RHI league by holding a roller hockey camp in Kirkaldy to organise six professional teams, each of which will be headed by a star of the British Ice Hockey leagues. There will be 72 places available and amateur players from existing teams (there are a fair number around the Manchester area) can present themselves for selection. Once the teams are selected and the fixtures agreed (surely the Nynex will host a team?) the league will begin on 24 May and will run until 10 August. The play-offs will be from 1 August to 10 August. Quite a few ice hockey stars have been inducted into the Roller Hockey League so far. From Manchester Storm there is David Smith with Steven Lynch from Ayr Scottish Eagles. From Blackburn Hawks Neil Abel and Bobby Haig are inducted with Ian Robertson (Paisley), Goose abd Simmy Simpson (Murrayfield), Michael and Richard Tasker, Kevin Docherty and Gordon Whyte (all Dumfries) and fourteen Fife Flyers players! > SUPERLEAGUE WEB SITE FINALLY ONLINE The Superleague Web site is finally up and running after being static for the last 12 months. I haven't been to it yet but it apparantly has lots of marketing blurb about how wonderful the Superleague is. The URL of the site is http://www.cwtc.co.uk/isl > THUNDER & LIGHTNING PLAY-OFF SPECIAL A special Play-off edition of Thunder & Lightning was out in time for the semi-finals and do a review of it in the next edition of Storm Blitz. > NEXT ON TV & RADIO WED 26 MAR - BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - Ice Line - Phone-in about Sheffield Steelers with some Steelers players in the studio - 7.00-8.00pm THU 27 MAR - BBC RADIO LANCASHIRE 95.5/103.9FM - Grass Roots - Interview/feature on Blackburn Hawks along with other sports - approx 7.45pm FRI 28 MAR - BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - Weekend Preview - Preview of Sheffield Steelers clash with Nottingham Panthers in the Superleague Final - 7.00-8.00pm SAT 28 MAR - GRANADA TV - Battles on Ice - Highlights of one (or both) of the Superleague semi-finals (Sheffield v Cardiff & Nottingham v Ayr) - expected 2.50-3.50pm SAT 28 MAR - BBC RADIO 5 LIVE - 693/909AM - Sports Report - Preview of the Superleague Final along with other sports results - 5.00-6.00pm SAT 28 MAR - BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - Live full commentary of the Superleague Final between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers. Commentating with be Dave Simms and either Gareth Hampshire or Jamie van der (Crazy) Horst, so expect a massive Steelers bias - 7.30-11.00pm SAT 28 MAR - SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey LIVE - Live coverage of the Superleague Final between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers - 8.00-11.00pm SAT 28 MAR - BBC RADIO 5 LIVE - 693/909AM - Full live commentary on the Superleague Final between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers (NOTE : coverage could be delayed if the England v Mexico game over-runs as this is due to finish at 7.50 - this is then followed by the Lottery result before the action switches to the Nynex) - 8.10-11pm SAT 28 MAR - BBC RADIO 5 LIVE - 693/909AM - Report on the Superleague Final and the night's other ice hockey results along with all the other day's sports news and results - 11.30pm-12.00 > DOWNLOAD BACK ISSUES OF STORM BLITZ All previous issues of Storm Blitz are still available. If you didn't get them, or want them again, you can now download them from the Internet in a .zip file. The URL of these will be confirmed soon. If you don't have web access, I can e-mail you the .zip files. > HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO STORM BLITZ Easy! Send an e-mail to inter.the.storm@poboxes.com telling me that you don't want Storm Blitz any more. Also use this address if you wish to change e-mail addresses or if you have any comments. *** END OF STORM BLITZ ISSUE #34 *** INTER THE STORM can be accessed at: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3859/storm.html ------------------------------ This issue of Storm Blitz is sponsored by: W.H. DAVIES PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS LTD A member of the Association of British Investigators. Based in North Manchester, WH Davies is ideally placed to serve the North West area for private investigations. Summons serving is one of many areas dealt with. 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