STORM BLITZ ISSUE #91 Tuesday 3 February 1998 If you have any comments on Storm Blitz, please feel free to e-mail stormblitz@intothestorm.co.uk any time. There are currently 286 subscribers to Storm Blitz ------------------------------------------------ INTO THE STORM IS SPONSORED BY SOUTHERN GRAPHICS http://www.southern.northwich.com ------------------------------------------------ In this issue : * Storm beat Bison 6-3 * Other Sunday results * Maltais leaves Storm * Saturday Superleague results * Storm defeat Devils 3-2 * Express Cup Wednesday * Storm Select beat Aces Allstars * GMR to cover Ayr v Storm * Eurosport Olympic ice hockey schedule * Download zamboni screensaver * London team launches * Next year's EHL * Into The Storm updates * The latest from Storm Audio * Latest Superleague table * Latest Express Challenge Cup 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 BEAT BISON 6-3 In front of 8679 fans at the Nynex Arena on Sunday night, Manchester Storm beat Basingstoke Bison 6-3. Kris Miller opened the scoring on 14 minutes and it remained 1-0 until the second period. Hopes of another Hrivnak shutout were high as Storm scored three more times in the second period from Brad Rubachuk, Jeff Jablonski and Hilton Ruggles. The third period started off badly though for Storm as Conway, Shewan and then Strachan all scored for Bison to set up a tense last 10 minutes - Hrivnak is human after all! After a Storm timeout, Eric Flinton restored order with the 5th Storm goal on 51 minutes and then Craig Woodcroft scored Storm's 100th Superleague goal to wrap the game up. > OTHER SUNDAY RESULTS In the Superleague on Sunday night, Ayr Scottish Eagles travelled to Cardiff and in a very tight game came out 1-0 winners - the goal coming from Boe in the first period. Sheffield Steelers travelled to Newcastle Cobras and won 5-3. Frank Kovacs scored a short-handed goal in the first period to give Steelers a 1-0 lead. The second period saw Stewart equalise on the powerplay. The third period saw the game really liven up with Beaulieu and Plommer making it 3-1 to Steelers. Lambert pulled one back with 10 minutes remaining but Kovacs scored again to make it 4-2. With 5 minutes remaining LaScala scored for Cobras to make it 4-3 and Newcastle then pulled their netminder to try and get the equaliser. With 47 seconds remaining Ed Courtenay scored the empty net goal that gave the Steelers a 5-3 win. In the Express Cup, Bracknell Bees kept their Express Cup semi-final hopes alive with a 7-2 win over Nottingham Panthers. Joe Ferraccioli and Brant both got two goals for Bracknell. > MALTAIS LEAVES STORM The pressure is now on Manchester Storm in the closing stages of the season as Dominic Maltais has left the club and returned to home to North America hoping to return to play in the East Coast Hockey League. He could well be on his way back to Hampton Roads Admirals. The departure leaves Storm with just nine active forwards. > SATURDAY SUPERLEAGUE RESULTS On Saturday in the Superleague, Ayr Scottish Eagles travelled to Basingstoke and comprehensively defeated the struggling Bison 7-0. The first period saw Ayr finish 3-0 up with goals from Young, Groleau and Hoffman. It was 6-0 at the end of the second period with Groleau and Hoffman scoring again and the other goal from Steer. Parco made it a 7-0 shutout with four minutes remaining. Meanwhile at Lower Parliament Street, Sheffield Steelers were being beaten 5-3 by Nottingham Panthers. Tim Cranston put Steelers 1-0 up after two minutes but then Premak, Adey, Laxdall and Niehuis all scored to give Nottingham a comprehensive 4-1 first period advantage. Jeff Sebastian made it 5-1 nineteen seconds into the second period and it was looking like another thrashing for the Steelers. Kovacs scored two minutes later though as Steelers tried to fight back. The score remained the same until twelve minutes from time when Jamie van der Horst pulled another back to make it 5-3 and a hectic last few minutes. Nottingham hung on and Steelers were defeated again. > STORM DEFEAT DEVILS 3-2 Storm's 3-2 defeat of Cardiff Devils has almost certainly given them an Express Cup semi final place and almost certainly eliminated Cardiff. In front of 5066 fans at the Nynex Arena, Troy Neumeier, Craig Woodcroft and then Kevin Hoffman gave Storm a commanding 3-0 lead at the end of the first period. Ian Cooper scored for Cardiff two minutes into the second to keep the Devils in with a shout. There was no more scoring until 58 minutes when Ian Cooper set up a tense last two minutes with a Cardiff goal. Storm held out and now have to beat Newcastle in their final Express Cup games on Thursday and hope that Bracknell lose at least one of their last three. > EXPRESS CUP WEDNESDAY In the Express Cup on Wednesday night, Ayr Scottish Eagles defeated Bracknell Bees 7-1 at the Centrum Arena. Ayr had a 3-1 lead by the end of the first period and then scored twice more in each period to dent Bracknell's semi-final hopes. At Newcastle Arena, Newcastle Cobras had a rare win with a 6-2 victory over Basingstoke Bison. It was 4-0 at the end of the first period with goals from Mitchell, Duberman, Mulvenna and Rautiainen. Black made it 4-1 in the second period but Johnson quickly scored for Newcastle to make it 5-1. Scott pulled another back for Basingstoke just before the half hour. Weaver wrapped up the scoring on 47 minutes with the sixth Newcastle goal. > STORM SELECT BEAT ACES ALLSTARS Storm faced Altrincham Aces in the regular end-of-season challenge match - except that it wasn't the end of the season, and so by all accounts wasn't a particularly worthwhile event. The teams lined up as follows: Altrincham Aces All Stars Manchester Storm Select ------------------------- ----------------------- Mike Clancy (G) Dave Clancy (G) Ari Pekka Mikkola Craig Woodcroft Dave Shepherd (C) Kevin Hoffman Dale Jago Greg Allen Pete Winstanley Hilton Ruggles Paul Fleury Jim Hrivnak (G) Dave Morrison Brad Rubachuk Mike Morin Stefan Ketola Darryl Earlam Jon Murray Ged Smith Dave Costello Eric Flinton Stephen Cooper Grant Sjerven (G) Kris Miller (C) Danny Higgins (G) Mark Hobson Troy Neumeier Steve Ellams Jeff Jablonski Paul Richardson Dominic Maltais Jason Owen Mark Stokes Mikael Wiklander Dave Thomason Ian Broomfield Rick Brebant Simon Slater The scoring went as follows: 04.49 S Woodcroft (unassisted) 0-1 09.02 A Jablonski (Morrison) 1-1 12.05 A Mikkola (Jago / Shepherd) 2-1 22.52 S Allen (Wiklander) 2-2 25.56 S Hobson (Ellams) 2-3 27.19 S Woodcroft (Rubachuk / Hoffman) 2-4 28.35 S Broomfield (Murray / Wiklander) 2-5 29.33 A Jago (Fleury) 3-5 29.58 A Stokes (Fleury / Mikkola) 4-5 30.57 S Rubachuk (Ruggles) 4-6 34.28 A Morin (Flinton / Neumeier) 5-6 37.40 A Slater (Stokes) PP 6-6 44.35 S Hobson (Costello) 6-7 49.33 S Owen (Hobson) 6-8 51.05 S Rubachuk (Hoffman) 6-9 53.08 A Morin (Jablonski / Brebant) 7-9 The only penalty in the game was Hilton Ruggles 2m (holding) 37.07 > GMR TO COVER AYR V STORM GMR will be covering Storm's make or break Superleague clash with Ayr Scottish Eagles LIVE from the Centrum Arena on Sunday 8 February with a 6.30 face off. The programme will begin at 6.00pm and will go on until just after 9.00 (subject to overtime). > EUROSPORT OLYMPIC ICE HOCKEY SCHEDULE Eurosport are showing Olympic ice hockey live and highlights. BBC's coverage is unknown. SAT 7 FEB  7.00am  Italy v Kazakhstan (Men) Austria v Slovakia (Men)         11.00am  Germany v Japan (Men)            France v Belarus (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 7.00-9.30am, 11.00am-1.30pm HIGHLIGHTS : 7.00-10.45pm SUN  8 FEB  3.00am  Sweden v Finland (Women)           5.00am  Austria v Kazakhstan (Men)           7.00am  Canada v Japan (Women)           9.00am  Slovakia v Italy (Men)         11.00am  China v USA (Women) Eurosport HIGHLIGHTS : 1.30-2.30pm, 9.00-10.45pm MON  9 FEB  3.00am  Finland v Japan (Women)           7.00am  USA v Sweden (Women)          5.00am  Germany v Belarus (Men)          9.00am  Japan v France (Men)         11.00am  Canada v China (Women) Eurosport HIGHLIGHTS : 8.00-10.45pm TUE 10 FEB  5.00am  Belarus v Japan (Men)           Kazakhstan v Slovakia (Men)          9.00am  Italy v Austria (Men)           France v Germany (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 7.00-7.30am HIGHLIGHTS : 9.00-10.45pm WED 11 FEB  3.00am  Sweden v Canada (Women)          7.00am  Japan v China (Women)         11.00am  USA v Finland (Women) Eurosport LIVE : 12.30-1.30pm HIGHLIGHTS : 9.00-10.45pm THU 12 FEB  3.00am  13th/14th place playoff (Men)       China v Sweden (Women)          7.00am  11th/12th place playoff (Men)           USA v Japan (Women)         11.00am  9th/10th place playoff (Men)           Finland v Canada (Women) Eurosport LIVE : 3.00-5.30am, 8.00-9.30am HIGHLIGHTS: 5.30-6.30pm, 9.00-10.45pm FRI 13 FEB 5.45am  USA v Sweden (Men)           Finland v Czech Republic (Men)          9.45am  Canada v A1 (Men) B1 v Russia (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 5.45-8.15am, HIGHLIGHTS : 1.00-3.00pm, 9.00-10.45pm SAT 14 FEB  3.00am  Japan v Sweden (Women)          5.45am  A1 v USA (Men)          7.00am  Finland v China (Women)          9.45am  Sweden v Canada (Men)         11.00am  Canada v USA (Women) Eurosport LIVE : 5.45-8.15am HIGHLIGHTS : 9.00-10.45pm SUN 15 FEB  4.45am  Russia v Finland (Men)          9.45am  Czech Republic v B1 (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 5.45-7.15am HIGHLIGHTS : 9.00-10.45pm MON 16 FEB 4.45am  Canada v USA (Men)          5.45am  Finland v B1 (Men)          9.45am  Czech Republic v Russia (Men) Sweden v A1 (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 4.45-8.15am HIGHLIGHTS : 3.00-5.00pm, 5.30-6.30pm, 9.00-10.45pm TUE 17 FEB  5.00am  3rd/4th place playoff (Women)          9.00am  Final (Women) Eurosport LIVE : 10.00-11.30am HIGHLIGHTS : 3.00-4.00am, 9.00-10.45pm WED 18 FEB  5.45am  quarter-final 1 (Men) quarter-final 2 (Men)          9.45am  quarter-final 3 (Men) quarter-final 4 (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 5.45-8.15am HIGHLIGHTS : 2.30-4.00pm, 5.30-7.00pm, 9.00-10.45pm THU 19 FEB Eurosport HIGHLIGHTS : 9.00-10.00pm FRI 20 FEB  5.45am  semi-final 1 (Men)          9:45am  semi-final 2 (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 5.45-8.15am HIGHLIGHTS : 5.30-6.30pm, 9.00-10.45pm SAT 21 FEB  6.15am  3rd/4th place playoff (Men) Eurosport HIGHLIGHTS : 9.00-10.45pm SUN 22 FEB  4.45am  Final (Men) Eurosport LIVE : 4.30-7.45am HIGHLIGHTS : 10.30am-1.00pm, 9.30-11.00pm > DOWNLOAD ZAMBONI SCREENSAVER CBS Sports offers two different screensavers to get you ready for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The first is called the CBS Desktop Zamboni, which lets you count down the days, minutes, and seconds until the XVIII Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony while the Zamboni wipes away your desktop. The other screensaver is CBS Desktop Snowfall: count down the days until the XVIII Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony while snow falls on your desktop. You can toggle this screensaver's rate of snowfall from Flurries to Steady Snow to Blizzard. You can download the screensavers from here: http://www.intothestorm.co.uk/nagano98.zip You will need WinZip (or pkunzip if you're old) to extract the files and it can be then installed onto your computer. The file is 1.2MB in size and is stored on Into The Storm's server so it shouldn't be too slow. > LONDON TEAM LAUNCHES The following was taken from the LA Kings Web site: Kings co-owner Philip Anschutz has purchased a yet-to-be named London franchise in the British Superleague for $11 million. As part of the deal, the London Arena will be renovated. The team will begin play next season. There are no plans for the team to serve as a farm team for the Kings. The deal is expected to be announced at a news conference Wednesday in London. Asked why Anschutz decided to make the investment, King president Tim Leiweke said, "He believes in the sport. Soccer is big over there, but hockey has enjoyed some popularity in London." . . . The following is another report of the team launch: YANKS PLEDGE TO FIND BEST OF BRITISH Big-time American ice hockey arrived in London last night with a promise to discover and develop the best of British talent. Britain's Ice Hockey Superleague confirmed the award of a franchise to the owners of NHL giants Los Angeles Kings. The new team, as yet unnamed - London Kings is only one of the possibilities being considered - will take the ice at a revitalised Docklands Arena at the start of the 1998-99 season in September. The arena is to undergo a rapid #7million refurbishment, including ice rink, new seating areas and luxury suites. Anschutz Sports Holdings, majority shareholders in Los Angeles Kings, unveiled their plans at a launch at the American Embassy in London's Grosvenor Square and pledged that the capital's first ice hockey team for 30 years would not be used as a feeder or "farm" team for their big brothers in California. Bob Sanderman, President of Anschutz Properties and a governor of the NHL, said: "We expect to stock the team in the way that all the other teams here are stocked - firstly with Brits where we can find them, secondly with other players from the European Union and then to some extent with players from North America. "But we will not be stocking this team with players from the LA Kings or its farm system. It wouldn't make sense. "Our young players have to play in the American League and we need them available in a couple of hours if somebody gets injured. It wouldn't be fair to take players out of London and fly them back to LA. "Having said that, we must maintain quality on the ice and if all the players were British we would not be doing that." Sanderman and Chris Hunt, managing director of ASH, have seen Superleague matches at Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield and Basingstoke in recent weeks. "It's competitive and it's pretty good," said Sanderman. "But I would like to see more British players. That's one of the challenges this League is acknowledging and it creates a better fan base for us." Hunt is already looking at candidates for the all-important role of coach, but an appointment is unlikely before the end of the British season. Sanderman is considering a contest to find a name. He said: "It needs to be one we can work with and give a lot of promotion to. I wouldn't rule out the Kings, but it's not top of my list." Ian Taylor, Superleague chief executive, said the arrival in London of such major players as Anschutz was a huge boost to his efforts to find an overall sponsor. Taylor said: "With a London team we will have that much more opportunity to create openings for a sponsor. "Since news of this launch leaked out I have had several approaches and while I don't envisage being able to name a headline sponsor within three or four weeks, I am confident about finding one in time for next season. "I'm really looking for a marketing partner to piggy-back the Superleague. But if a sponsor came along with #3million cash down I would happily take it." London last witnessed ice hockey on November 30, 1968, when Wembley Lions beat Paisley Mohawks 3-0. One fan looking forward to the sport's return to the capital is Conservative Party leader William Hague, who said that until now he had been unsure whether to support Sheffield (nearest his birthplace), Cardiff (his wife's home city) or Newcastle (closest to his home). Mr Hague said: "It's good news for the sport and good news for Londoners. The investment will provide a welcome boost for jobs and businesses in the East End. "The Conservative Party is keen to encourage the development of all sports, not just the most profitable or popular and I welcome the growing success of such an exciting sport." > NEXT YEAR'S EHL The following is a press release from the European Hockey League: January 21, 1998 The European Hockey League towards the 1998/99 season The EHL Top Four Final will be played this weekend in Austrian Feldkirch, between Russians Dynamo Moscow and Torpedo Yaroslavl, Czech Petra Vsetin and local VEU Feldkirch, to complete the second season of the European Hockey League. Although the main interest is focused on the games for the EHL Silver Stone, the guidelines for the coming season have already been worked out mid in December in Moscow, Russia, by the EHL Working Committee, chaired by EHL Vice President Kalervo Kummola, and then approved by the EHL Executive Board. The guidelines were circulated to all the EHL territories who, within the deadline of January 20, had to confirm their participation after having contacted their National Leagues and clubs. The 12 invited EHL countries have all confirmed their participation to the 1998/99 season and their acceptance of the EHL guidelines, with Switzerland and Czech Republic who will get the final confirmation on occasion of the general assembly of their National Leagues, both scheduled on January 31. IIHF President René Fasel is expecting a great success from the EHL Top Four Final, which will also represent the ideal springboard for the future season: "The final stage of the EHL will take place after 80 exciting games played all over Europe. Feldkirch is a venue with a great tradition, organising knowledge and spectators interest. These 3 combined factors will guarantee for the success of the event. Four among the best European clubs made their way to the EHL Top Four Final, and although only one will be able to put the hands on the EHL Silver Stone, I wish all the competitors the best success. As for the next EHL season, it is not a surprise to me that all the 12 invited countries have already confirmed their participation to the EHL, according to the guidelines optimally prepared by the EHL Working Committee. This means that the introductory stage of the EHL is almost over and we can look forward to the future to secure the best development of our new product. The adjustment to the existing regulations will guarantee the EHL to be even more attractive, while the IIHF, together with the commercial partner CWL, will work hard for securing a better exposure, larger centralised sponsor participation and more financial revenue opportunities for the EHL clubs". The 1998/99 season will be played once again by 24 clubs representing 12 countries, with the following participation: Austria (1 club), Czech Republic (3), Finland (3), France (1), Germany (3), Great Britain (1), Italy (1), Norway (1), Russia (3), Switzerland (2), Slovakia (1), Sweden (3). The assigned spots are 23, the 24th will be assigned at discretion of the EHL Executive Board after the confirmation of the 23 invited clubs. Invited to the EHL will be in principle the National champions and where the representation in the League is expanded to 2 or 3 clubs, the runner-up and/or other clubs appointed according to the rules of the National Associations, to be approved by the EHL Executive Board. The EHL Executive Board retains as well the right, as to the countries represented by 3 clubs, to invite one key club (a club which for tradition, organization, central location in respect to the media etc. is in condition to guarantee the best exposure to the EHL) within the National country representation, if no key club is included in the list presented by the National Association. The winner of the EHL 1997/98 season will automatically participate in the coming EHL season, even if not National champion or runner-up. In any case, the number of the participating clubs assigned to each National Association will not be increased, in case the single National Association is already represented by 2 or 3 clubs (this case applies if Dynamo Moscow, Torpedo Yaroslavl or Petra Vsetin win the EHL). Should the winner of the EHL belong to a National Association represented only by 1 club and be as well National champion, the participation will not be enlarged, with the club representing at the same time the EHL winner and the National champion. If the winner of the EHL is not National champion, than the National Association representation will be enlarged by one, with the EHL Executive Board making use of the 24th free spot (this case applies to VEU Feldkirch). Like in the 1997/98 season, the 24 clubs will be seeded by the EHL Executive Board into 6 divisions with 4 teams each, playing 3 games home ad 3 away for a total of 6 playing days. Tuesday has been confirmed as playing day. The first change with the 1997/98 season is represented by the qualified teams to the playoffs: the first 2 teams in each Division will qualify for the playoffs (in the current season the winner and the 2 best second placed clubs advanced to the second stage) for a total of 12 clubs. The clubs will be paired into six playoffs legs (one home and one away game), with the winner of each leg that will advance to the Semifinal Round. The six qualified club will be seeded into two tournaments of 3 clubs each, to be played on a weekend in two different sites. The winners of the two tournaments will reach the EHL Final, that will be played in two games, one home and one away. The 1998/99 EHL season will start on September 15, 1998. The Division Round will be completed on December 8. The Playoff Round will be played on January 5 and 12, 1999, the Semifinal Round in the weekend of 22-24 January, the EHL Final on February 9 and 16. In total, 92 games will be played, 8 more than in the current season. As for the playing rules, the 3 points system will be maintained in the Division Round, while the center ice red line icing will be reconfirmed only if the new IIHF off-side rule will not be introduced. In order to guarantee the best possible exposure to the EHL, the commercial partner, CWL Telesport will secure TV highlights and news excerpts for each playing day. The Division rounds seeding and game schedule for the 1998/99 season will be released on occasion of the IIHF World Championship Pool A in Switzerland from May 1 to 17, 1998, when the EHL General Board will meet. The Marketing Manager of Skoda, Frank Farsky, will attend the EHL Top Four Final in Feldkirch, and in this occasion he will meet with the EHL management and with the representatives of the commercial partner, CWL Marketing, to develop further strategies for the coming seasons. (VEC Feldkirch won the EHL by the way - and as yet haven't won their national championship.) > INTO THE STORM UPDATES Ice Hockey In Canada - The update from Stephanie Wilde has been added : Minor Hockey Week - A Canadian Phenomenon. Ice Hockey Links - Added a link to The Ice Hockey Annual site. The Guestbook - Had been completely revamped and now works perfectly! January's Guestbook has now been archived and February activated. Manchester Storm Message Forum - It now posts messages in UK date format (ie. 30/1/98 not 1/30/98). January has been archived and February made active. More changes to the Forum are planned very soon. Latest News - January news has been archived and February made active. All the tables, results, fixtures, latest news etc have been updated as normal. > THE LATEST FROM STORM AUDIO The latest upload to STORM AUDIO includes news and post match reaction from the recent game with Basingstoke Bison. Kurt Kleinendorst talks about Storm letting 4-0 become 4-3 and hot news about the summer plus Peter Woods on why the Bison had a bad weekend. Also available is news on Jim Hrivnak's shutout after the 4-0 win over Sheffield Steelers and Darly Lipsey after Storm beat Newcastle Cobras 2-0. An edited version of STORM AUDIO appears each Monday evening on BBC GMR 95.1FM at 5.55pm. STORM AUDIO can be found on the Internet at http://members.aol.com/stormaudio The latest uploads to STORM AUDIO require Real Player 5.0 Beta, which can be downloaded free from the link on the STORM AUDIO Web site. > LATEST SUPERLEAGUE TABLE Pl W D OL NL +/- Points Ayr Scottish Eagles 24 17 1 2 6 +43 37 Manchester Storm 23 13 3 1 7 +31 30 Nottingham Panthers 23 13 3 0 7 +8 29 Cardiff Devils 22 12 2 1 8 +14 27 Sheffield Steelers 24 10 2 2 10 +3 24 Bracknell Bees 23 10 1 1 12 -23 22 Basingstoke Bison 23 5 3 4 15 -29 17 Newcastle Cobras 24 5 1 1 18 -47 12 Win=2; Draw=1; Overtime Loss=1; Normal Loss=0 > LATEST EXPRESS CHALLENGE CUP TABLE Pl W D OL NL +/- Points Ayr Scottish Eagles 13 11 0 0 2 +25 23 Sheffield Steelers 14 9 0 0 5 +6 18 Nottingham Panthers 13 7 0 0 6 +0 14 Manchester Storm 13 5 2 2 6 +10 14 ----------------------------------------------------- Cardiff Devils 13 6 1 0 6 -3 13 Bracknell Bees 12 5 2 1 5 -3 13 Basingstoke Bison 13 4 0 0 9 -20 8 Newcastle Cobras 11 1 1 1 9 -15 4 Win=2; Draw=1; Overtime Loss=1; Normal Loss=0 > FORTHCOMING STORM GAMES DATE OPPONENTS F/O VENUE COMPETITION Thu 5 Feb Newcastle Cobras 7.00 Away The Express CC Sun 8 Feb Ayr Scottish Eagles 6.30 Away Superleague Sat 14 Feb Basingstoke Bison 6.00 Away Superleague Sun 15 Feb Cardiff Devils 6.00 Home Superleague Sat 21 Feb Sheffield Steelers 7.00 Away Superleague Sun 22 Feb Bracknell Bees 6.00 Away Superleague > GETTING TO STORM AWAY GAMES The following information is taken from THE STORM SHELTER (http://www.omen1.demon.co.uk/storm/index.html) Newcastle Cobras v Manchester Storm Thursday 5 February 1998 face-off 7.00 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 A1(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. Ayr Scottish Eagles v Manchester Storm Sunday 8 February 1998 face-off 6.30 Address Centrum Arena, Prestwick Toll, Prestwick, Ayr Telephone 0129 267 1600 Capacity 2733 Directions - M6 North joining the A74 briefly before turning off towards Dumfries on the A75. After Dumfries bypass you join A76 heading for Kilmarnock. You will eventually see signs for Ayr(A70). Take a right at the first roundabout on the outskirts of Ayr. This is the A77. At next roundabout take the 2nd turn off (Heathfield). Travel around 1.5 miles going through a small roundabout that has views of an out of town shopping complex on the right. Carry on until the 2nd set of traffic lights where you take a right turn on to Prestwick Road. Travel for around quarter of a mile. Centrum on your right, just past the Safeway Supermarket. > TV AND RADIO NEWS WED 4 FEB BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - The Ice Line - Ice Hockey phone-in hosted by Gareth Hampshire - 1800 - 1900 THU 5 FEB SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey LIVE - Newcastle Cobras v Manchester Storm live in the Express Cup - 1900 - 2130 THU 5 FEB PICCADILLY KEY 103FM - Storm news, game preview and interviews - 2030 - 2035 FRI 6 FEB 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 6 FEB BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 104.1FM - Friday Night Sport - Preview of the weekend's games including interviews along with other sport - 1900 - 2000 FRI 6 FEB BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - GMR SPORT - Interviews, previews and news from Manchester Storm along with other sport - 1900 - 2200 SAT 7 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics LIVE - Live coverage of an Olympic group game - 0700 - 0930 SAT 7 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics LIVE - Live coverage of an Olympic group game - 1100 - 1330 SAT 7 FEB GALAXY 102FM - Galaxy Sports - Interview with Kurt Kleinendorst and music - 1715 - 1730 SAT 7 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics - Highlights of the Olympic group games - 1900 - 2245 SAT 7 FEB SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey LIVE - Nottingham Panthers v Ayr Scottish Eagles live in the Superleague - 1830 - 2100 SAT 7 FEB 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 8 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics - Highlights of the Olympic group games - 1330 - 1430 SUN 8 FEB BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - GMR SPORT EXTRA - Full live commentary on Ayr Scottish Eagles v Manchester Storm from Centrum Arena - 1800 - 2105 SUN 8 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics - Highlights of the Olympic group games - 2100 - 2245 SUN 8 FEB BBC RADIO 5 LIVE - NIGHT EXTRA - Review of Sunday night's games including results as well as all the other sports results - 2325 - 2335 MON 9 FEB BBC GMR 95.1/104.6FM - Drivetime - Interview with Kurt Kleinendorst and Storm players following the weekend's games - this is an edited version of STORM AUDIO - 1755 - 1800 MON 9 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics - Highlights of the Olympic group games - 2000 - 2245 TUE 10 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics LIVE - Live coverage of the Olympic group games - 0700 - 0730 TUE 10 FEB SKY SPORTS - Ice Hockey LIVE - The first Express Cup semi-final live - 1930 - 2200 TUE 10 FEB EUROSPORT - Winter Olympics - Highlights of the Olympic group games - 2100 - 2245 > 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 stormblitz@intothestorm.co.uk 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 #91 *** E-mail STORM BLITZ at: stormblitz@intothestorm.co.uk INTO THE STORM can be accessed at: http://www.intothestorm.co.uk