Weekend Action vs Storm & Clan

Devils host the Storm in the CC reverse leg from last Friday then hit the road to be part of the home opener for struggling Scottish team Glasgow Clan, as they look to increase their run of results from the start of the season.

Home vs Storm

Devils fans will be hoping for more of the same, as they look to their team to extend their run of games to 5 – 0 – 0 in all EIHL comps and further pressure the Storm to a difficult, but would be deserved CC campaign.

In the CC, Storm are without a win since their first game vs struggling Flames, going for 1 – 0 – 3 and LLLW tracking back. They do have some bright moments to focus on, such as Loren Ulett being a stud in recent games, he will be one to watch for the red hot Devils.

A further forward to look out for is former Flames player, Ryan Hughes, who has 6 points so far in the cup, with three each in goals and apples.

Devils will continue to be short on personnel, with Brandt and Carruth still out injured and Shinkaruk carrying a knock, however this hasn’t slowed them down.

In their last three GP, they have scored 16 goals, conceding 4. Typically, this reflects perfectly for their average in goals scored (4.00) and goals against (1.00) averages, in the CC.

Overall, Devils have started this season in all EIHL competitions, is 4.75 GFA and 1.25 GAA.

Storms averages sit at, 3.87 GFA, with 4 GAA

Considering their respective runs, you should anticipate a closer game, but with the cheery faithful around the Vindico, who knows, would it be another barn stormer for the good guys?

Road vs Clan

The next test for the Devils will be a road game vs Clan, who are eagerly anticipating the official opening of their season at home, coming off the back of a dismal start and a bonkers 13 goal game vs rivals, Flyers.

They finally got themselves off the mark with a W, but conceding 5 goals in their last game surely should be cause for concern against a team that runs three lines, albeit at a snails pace.

This will be a league game, where they have lost both of theirs, one to the good guys, where it was played at the Vindico for their home opener swell, this was a close game, ending 3-1 to the better club, but would a similar game play out again this Saturday in Braehead?

Their goal average is pretty dire to say the least. 1.50 GFA, compared to a 3.50 GAA – so there should be goals this weekend.

Their top line has seemed to have woken up recently, putting up 22 points between them in all EIHL comps, but will this continue against a heavy forechecking team?

As stated before in other articles, these teams are coached by Team GB colleagues, so in respect, this should be a close game, however with form and yearning for improvements, it could open up into a wild one.

Who is on a Heater?

Bowns would be expected to start both games this weekend, even though Ukrainian back up, Maxymm Dave has signed a short term contract, this looks like cover until Carruth will be cleared to play.

Bowns has been in immense form since training camp, currently one of the hottest goalies in the league so far, with a SV% at 94.84 and 1.25 GAA across both comps.

Dialled in.

Josh MacDonald leads the team across EIHL competitions with 8 points, but Zach O’Brien has been cooking in the last couple of games and the return of Goal Sanford will also provide more scoring depth to the squad.

Image credit to Hockeysteve8719 and EIHL Face-Off Podcast via X/Twitter

Expected Line Ups vs Storm

Busch – Olischefski – Barrow

Perlini – Martin – MacDonald

O’Brien – Duke – Sanford

Duggan – Davies – Batch

Gourley – Mosey

MacWilliam – Donaghey

Fournier – Richardson

Bowns

Duve