THE OBSERVER has teamed up with Coventry Blaze to provide readers with all the latest news and views from ‘inside the locker room’ at the Skydome.
This week Blaze media manager Rob Plaister looks back on a huge weekend for the Blaze which saw them secure four much needed points against the league’s top two teams.
Last weekend was massive for the Coventry Blaze.
Sheffield on Sunday was maybe not so much of a surprise – we seem to hold the ‘Indian Sign’ of Paul Thompson and his title chasing men from south Yorkshire.
However the outcome of Saturday’s game in Cardiff was probably more of a shock, a pleasant shock of course.
Coach Chuck Weber hasn’t had the greatest of times this season with the Blaze – knocked out of the challenge cup early, cruely missing out on the progression in the Continental Cup and languishing at the wrong end of the table.
Chuck must be a frustrated man, therefore the two results from last weekend will come as some comfort for our American coach.
The two results, together with, hopefully, a four-point weekend at bottom of the table Edinburgh this weekend, could be the springboard the Blaze need going into the Elite League play offs.
Once this weekend is out of the way, the guys have five games remaining including tough trips to Sheffield, Nottingham and Dundee.
It could all come down to the final game of the season against a team who have had our measure this season, the Manchester Storm.
The Storm are in a fabulous run of form themselves, what they have done this season has been nothing short of incredible, and full credit to GM Neil Russell who is working every hour to ensure his club is a success on, and off the ice.
I look at Russell with growing admiration, he took a job on a minutes’ notice, and now he is pushing his guys to make it to the final eight in their first season – hopefully not at Blaze’s expense.
I think the last few columns I have mentioned Brenden Walker and, I apologise for repeating myself, he is quickly growing into a class act and fans favourite.
His two goals in front of adoring home fans on Sunday have got the Skydome faithful excited, hopefully he can play a pivotal role in take the guys to the final four in Nottingham.
A quiet unassuming guy, his first time in Europe playing the sport he loves, he told me this week he wants to be dominant on the ice, and be a go to guy for his team mates.
If Sunday is anything to go by, Elite League netminders had better watch out for Brenden’s bullets.
