STORM BLITZ ISSUE #71 Saturday 1 November 1997 If you have any comments on Storm Blitz, please feel free to e-mail simonsm@intothestorm.co.uk any time. There are currently 190 subscribers to Storm Blitz --------------------------------------------------- In this issue : * Storm draw 4-4 in B&H 1st Leg * Devils defeat Team Canada * Sparta Prague thrashed at Nynex * Moscow win 4-0 in Bolzano * Ayr at Nottingham * ISL Challenge Trophy announced * Japan pull out of UK tour * Latest Superleague table * Latest EHL Division F table * Forthcoming Storm games * Directions to away games * TV and Radio News * Download back issues of Storm Blitz * How to unsubscribe to Storm Blitz --------------------------------------------------- > STORM DRAW 4-4 IN B&H 1ST LEG On Friday night at the Nynex Arena, Storm wasted two three goal leads in their 1st Leg semi final game against Ayr Scottish Eagles in front of over 8000 fans. I missed the game (first home game missed this season!) and so had to listen to the coverage on GMR and Radio 5 Live. Radio 5 Live sent Bob Ballard to report on the game while GMR sent most of their reporters for some reason! Jack Dearden, Mike Saddler and Andy Costigan were joined by guest and ex-Storm player Nick Crawley. The first period was most busy with 6 goals going in. Storm held two three goal leads in this period with Mikael Wiklander opening the scoring after just a minute. Within five minutes it was 3-0 and surely Storm had the game wrapped up already - if it was that easy, then it wouldn't be Storm! Ayr pulled a goal back and then Storm scored again to claim their three goal lead back. With Craig Woodcroft scoring two of the goals following his four on Tuesday against Sparta Prague - surely if they could beat Prague Ayr would be a walkover? Ayr scored again and the game was far from over. With 90 second left of the period the referee was injured and the period ended at this point - the remaining time would be made up at the start of the second. This confused GMR completely who changed the story as to what was happening about 5 times. They kept promising "extensive coverage of the game coming shortly" but the longest spell of commentary was only about 3 minutes before we got a horse racing roundup or something. In the first period, Hrivnak in Storm's goal faced 11 Ayr shots while Ayr faced 12 Storm shots. The second period saw Steer score his second to bring the game back to 4-3 before Grolau levelled the game at 4-4. The third period came across as really dull on the radio and it didn't seem as though either side weren't really bothered - and yet GMR filled in time speculating as to whether Storm would pull Hrivnak or not (in between explaining what a powerplay was). They were probably quite pleased that the score was close as the 2nd leg in Ayr will now be much more interesting and they can feel more confident promoting the game on the station for live coverage in an extra GMR Sport programme next Saturday night. The programme ended before the Man Of The Match announcents but I guess it probably went to Woodcroft. > DEVILS DEFEAT TEAM CANADA Cardiff Devils defeated the touring Team Canada in a challenge match at the Galaxy 101 Ice House on Friday night. The Devils were 6-4 down going into the third period but scored three unanswered goals to lead 7-6. Team Canada then pulled their netminder and Kip Noble scored an empty-net goal to win the game 8-6 for Cardiff. > SPARTA PRAGUE THRASHED AT NYNEX On Tuesday evening in the European Hockey League, Storm thrashed Sparta Prague in what has to be one of the best performances by a British side in European competition. The first period saw Storm quickly go ahead with a goal from Craig Woodrcoft and Sparta Prague seemed shocked. The first period ended 3-0 with another from Woodcroft and one from Mike Morin. It was more of the same in the second when Craig Woodcroft and Mike Morin both scored again to make the score amazingly 5-0. The third period was expected to see a backlash from Sparta Prague but it didn't come. Criag Woodcroft wrapped up a great game with his fourth goal and Jeff Tomlinson finished the scoring off with Storm's 7th goal and fans from Prague were lookinging particularly downhearted by this time. This performance has surely given the team a good chance of getting past the group stages. > MOSCOW WIN 4-0 IN BOLZANO In the other game on Tuesday, Moscow Dynamo virtually sealed top place in Division F of the European Hockey League with a 4-0 victory over Bolzano in Italy. > AYR AT NOTTINGHAM Ayr Scottish Eagles moved second in the Superleague on Wednesday after another win over Nottingham Panthers, this time 3-2 in Nottingham. > ISL CHALLENGE TROPHY ANNOUNCED Manchester Storm and the other Superleague clubs will be taking part in the new ISL Challenge Trophy starting in November. The first game is Nottingham v Sheffield on 1st November - strangely before the competition has officially been announced by the Superleague! The trophy will be played on a home and away basis (1 game home and 1 game away against each other team). It is expected that the Trophy will be played in the league format until Febraury when the top four will take place in semi-finals and the final will be played on 28 February (venue to be announced). A major sponsor for the Trophy is expected to be announced when the official announcement takes place. Unconfirmed reports say that the Daily Express will be that sponsor. The games will take place mainly in midweek and will give Storm a number of home games in December when it was expected there was to have been only the Bolzano game. Cardiff Devils have cancelled their December trip to a competition in Sweden. The fixtures involving Storm HAVE been announced but as yet I don't know them. So expect us to play Ayr a few more times yet! > JAPAN PULL OUT OF UK TOUR The Japanese Olympic squad has cancelled their mini-tour of the UK which was to have been used as a warm up for the forthcoming Winter Olympics. Nottingham Panthers and Newcastle Cobras are said to have pulled out of their games with the team leaving only two games scheduled - against Sheffield and Ayr. The Japan team decided to call off the tour. The Team Canada team is currently touring the country. > LATEST SUPERLEAGUE TABLE Pl W D OL NL +/- Points Manchester Storm 6 3 2 1 0 +9 9 Ayr Scottish Eagles 6 4 0 1 1 +7 9 Nottingham Panthers 7 3 2 0 2 -1 8 Cardiff Devils 4 2 2 0 0 +6 6 Sheffield Steelers 4 2 1 1 0 +5 6 Basingstoke Bison 6 1 2 0 3 -6 4 Bracknell Bees 4 1 1 0 2 -7 3 Newcastle Cobras 5 0 0 0 5 -14 0 Win=2; Draw=1; Overtime Loss=1; Normal Loss=0 > LATEST EHL DIVISION F TABLE Pl W OW OL L +/- Points Moscow Dynamo 4 3 1 0 0 +17 11 Manchester Storm 4 2 0 2 0 +6 8 Sparta Prague 4 1 0 0 3 -9 3 Bolzano 4 0 1 0 3 -14 2 Win=3; Overtime Win=2; Overtime Loss=1; Loss=0 > FORTHCOMING STORM GAMES DATE OPPONENTS F/O VENUE COMPETITION Sun 2 Nov Newcastle Cobras 6.30 Away Superleague Sat 8 Nov Ayr Scottish Eagles 6.30 Away B&H Cup SF Leg 2 Sun 9 Nov Cardiff Devils 6.00 Away Superleague Tue 11 Nov Sheffield Steelers 7.30 Home Superleague Sat 15 Nov Sheffield Steelers 7.00 Away Superleague ** ISL Spring Cup fixtures yet to be announced ** > GETTING TO STORM AWAY GAMES The following information is taken from THE STORM SHELTER (http://www.omen1.demon.co.uk/storm.html) Newcastle Cobras v Manchester Storm Sunday 2 November 1997 face off 6.30 Address Newcastle Arena, Arena Way, Newcastle Upon Tyne Telephone 0191 401 8000 Capacity 7000 Directions Take M62 East to A1 (North). Keep with A1, then 1(M). After Washington Services bear left. Take A184 sign for Newcastle Centre. Over Tyne Bridge turn left and follow Arena signs. After turning left off the main road, car park is on the left hand side under railway bridge. > TV AND RADIO NEWS SAT 1 NOV GALAXY 102FM - Galaxy Sports - Interview with Kurt Kleinendorst and music - 1715 - 1730 SAT 1 NOV SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey LIVE - Live coverage of the 1st leg of the Cardiff Devils v Newcastle Cobras B&H Cup tie - 1830 - 2100 SAT 1 NOV BBC RADIO 5 LIVE - Reports from 1st Leg of the Cardiff Devils v Newcastle Cobras B&H Cup semi final tie - 1830 - 2100 SAT 1 NOV BBC RADIO 5 LIVE - NIGHT EXTRA - Review of Saturday night's games including results as well as all the other sports results - 2330 - 0000 SUN 2 NOV SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey - Full coverage of Cardiff Devils v Newcastle Cobras in the 1st Leg of the B&H Cup semi final as shown earlier in the evening - 0030 - 0300 SUN 2 NOV BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - Reports from Newcastle Cobras v Storm within normal Sunday night programming - 1830 - 2130 SUN 2 NOV BBC RADIO 5 LIVE 693/909AM - NIGHT EXTRA - Review of Sunday night's games including results as well as all the other sports results - 2320 - 2335 MON 3 NOV BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - Drivetime - Interview with Kurt Kleinendorst and a Storm player following the weekend's games - 1755 TUE 4 NOV SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey LIVE - Full live coverage of Nottingham Panthers v Bracknell Bees in the Superleague clash - 1930 - 2200 WED 5 NOV BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - The Ice Line - Ice Hockey phone-in with Sheffield Steelers players as guests hosted by Gareth Hampshire - 1800 - 1900 FRI 7 NOV BBC RADIO LANCASHIRE 95.5/103.9FM - Lancashire Sport - Preview of Lancashire Hawks forthcoming games along with other sports previews and reviews - 1800 - 1900 FRI 7 NOV BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - Friday Night Sport - Preview of Sheffield Steelers forthcoming games - 1900 - 2000 FRI 7 NOV BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - GMR SPORT - Interview with Storm personality and feature along with the night's other sports - 1900 - 2200 SAT 8 NOV GALAXY 102FM - Galaxy Sports - Interview with Kurt Kleinendorst and music - 1715 - 1730 SAT 8 NOV BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - GMR SPORT EXTRA - FULL live commentary of Ayr Scottish Eagles v Manchester Storm in the 2nd Leg of the B&H Cup semi final - 1800 - 2100 > DOWNLOAD BACK ISSUES OF STORM BLITZ All previous issues of Storm Blitz are still available. You can download all of the back issues from the Storm Blitz page on Into The Storm. If you do not have Web access, then if you e-mail me, I'll forward the issues that you require on to you. > HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO STORM BLITZ Easy! Visit the Storm Blitz page on Into The Storm and post the "unsubscribe" form. Alternatively you can send an e-mail to into.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 #71 *** INTO THE STORM can be accessed at: http://www.intothestorm.co.uk