Morning Chirps with EIHL Face-Off; Ben Bowns STILL searching for his first shutout

This article was pre-written after 11 games in all EIHL competitions, however, surprisingly it is still a feature of the season for Devils hero, Ben Bowns.

If the club had a Hall of Fame Alumni, he would be guaranteed along with Mark Richardson and Joey Martin.

Bowns currently leads the league overall in both GAA at 1.98 and SV% with 94.06. He has been leading the way since the start of the campaign, helped by more league than cup games played, but he managed to lock down the net in most game nights.

He came agonisingly close to a shutout in Glasgow, conceding with just 23s left. It was frustrating as each fan wants their goalie to have the ultimate success, a shutout.

Bowns held the fort for the initial start of the season whilst Carruth was out injured and you just know how competitive both of these enigmatic shot stoppers will be.

Bowns’ last game in the league was on the road to Dundee and it was a bonkers affair. For every Devils goal scored, Stars scored one back. Not the stat night we have been used too, but it was timely for the club that Carruth came back, to provide rest for the GB number one and get ready for a trip to Slovakia.

Carruth’s return was in the cup vs Flames and despite coughing up an early goal, he held strong and the team got a much needed win. Bowns’ last game in the cup was a road loss vs Steelers.

Devils did lose in the cup again, at home to old rivals Blaze 5:3 – one game Carruth would want back, however this is where the quest for a shut out took a turn.

After backstopping Devils to a home win vs Steelers in the cup, Carruth locked down his net and then in the final dance before Slovakia, he gained the clubs first competitive shutout of the season.

To be a fly on the wall for those stalls after that game, as you just know, there will be some banter between them. They are both winners. They both have high standards. They have similar expectations and aspirations, even going through life at a similar pace off the ice.

Bowns has continued his stellar form from last season against a back drop from the return of a cult player who became highly revered, but with uncertainty due to his knocks and injuries.

It was only a matter of time before one of them got a shutout but odds were stacked in Bowns’ favour. In the league, there are only two goalies who can claim this statistic. Carruth and Robson of the Blaze.

It is a different story in the cup, where both of Giants goalies have claimed two shutouts, with a clean sheet each for Sabol, McAdam and Bednard.

Up next for the team is a clash against league strugglers Clan on Friday. It would be a safe bet to predict Bowns will start with Duve backing up. Carruth’s injury during the second game in Slovakia was likely a concussion. So, protocol might dictate that outcome.

It was an emotionally tense affair, as for back to back games, both goalies suffered game ending injuries and had to step in for each other, each locking down the fort in the process.

Maxym Duve got the nod for a pivotal game three, but fell with his team to a 6-3 defeat, ending the group at 4th on SV% with 89.19 overall but finishing the trip in 2nd after being the first to qualify for the final.

The second game saw Bowns face 5 SOG, keeping the net clean, so a partial claim to a shutout, however, Carruth’s shutout streak ended that game. It wasn’t a long shutout streak, barely 170Mins overall, but these are the fine details that are good to gleam over.

Come Friday at home vs Clan, could Bowns break that streak and put a +1 in the SO column? He did get an injury during game one, suspected knee/hip – but he stepped in during game two before being given a rest in game three, although he was dressed in the Conti Cup event.

Both of his games vs Clan he conceded a solitary goal, their last game was a 5:1 loss on the road to Giants. Devils should be fired up for this one, to extend and protect their lead at the top and push on from Conti Cup Final progression.