Thoughts On Devils vs Flames

League Record So Far; 29 – 10 – 2

L10GP; 8 – 1 – 1

CARDIFF, WALES – It was built up as hellacious and a battle each season, this final regular season contest didn’t disappoint.

For the third time in the series, the game went to a shootout, this time the Flames taking the extras, tying up the series and snapping their losing skid in the process.

From a Guildford perspective, job done, right? I would wager that Coach Dixon would be happy with the outcome, however the manner of it not so much.

Yes, hockey games can be chippy, often those are the best ones, the game last night was a quagmire of immature shenanigans and idiocy.

Across both benches there were times both looked to get under each others skin and it showed. The goal celebrations, afters from conceding and outright juvenile behaviour just heaped pressure onto a cauldron of a game, where it is plainly evident.

These teams do not like each other.

Drawing The Lines

Just like last season, the series ended in a tie, with each team sharing the burden of line defence and some decent offense, as both scored 23 goals against each other.

This was the only comparative where they looked equal. On the PIMS sheet, the series notched up 200 PIMS, with 62.5% of that going to the Devils (125 PIMS) and Flames taking away the rest.

The final two games sent up the majority as the games boiled over. Each meeting was an effective double header, so no wonder there was a chippy feel to each contest.

Devils fans may have a bone to pick with how it looks, as there is an overwhelming figure that suggests at the breakdown, Devils are handled more severely. However, there is more to just an official making a decision, often at times, players simply do not help themselves.

This was in full effect in the final game between them in regular season.

Discipline

Whether or not a fan or player agrees with an official, conduct is solely the responsibility of the player. When you are in the third with a 2 goal lead, you don’t get drawn into gritty behaviour that could cost you and your team. This is a team discipline issue, not the fault of an official.

Devils still languish at 9th overall for PIM/G. This isn’t a conspiracy against them. Despite this, Devils are climbing back up the PK% table to 4th, which isn’t surprising due to a lot of practice in that department.

They still maintain 2nd overall on the power play, with 27.42%. A consistent theme this season, much to the delight of everyone in comparison to the last season and a half.

Final Words

Ultimately you can’t be a contender if you battle each game shorthanded for more than needed. This puts pressure on the defence and goalies respectively, ending in missed opportunities. The top teams will score on average 3 goals a game, so it is more than imperative to stay out of the box.

For this next part, it is dismaying it will need to be expressed.

No matter how much you feel an official had a bad game, missed some calls or wasn’t effective enough, which does deserve criticism in its own right, so long as it is constructive.

Never, ever direct message them post game and send them abuse. Honestly, it is shocking this still goes on, absolutely be better. It is frankly deplorable and disgusting.