Are you ready for the weekend? Coming off the back of the win, the boys are buzzing and looking forward to getting back out there. Training on Tuesday looked nice with some pretty neat finishing (I’m talking to you Tomas Kana).
This weekend is your final chance to grab our inaugural matchnight magazine on sale for just £3. They will be on sale from a roving band of sales people. Contactless and Apple / Android Pay is accepted by some of them so it should be easy! Please pick one up, and get it signed after the match as a memento of our first fixtures as a new team. As a special incentive, last week’s Man of the Match Caly Robertson will sign 2 programmes. If you are lucky enough to buy one of the signed ones, you win 2 VIP tickets to a match of your choice!
Also:
Book your matchnight shoutouts using this link. It’s wired directly into Matchnight Host Steven’s brain, so he will pick it up and can crack on with it.
There’s still time to go VIP – bookings close at lunchtime on a Friday so why not go for it? Feeling festive yet? Well a lot of you are because we’re getting pretty full for Christmas party VIP experiences so get on with it! Match entry, dinner, private bar, velvet rope. Book here!
And how about Benching with the Lightning….ever wondered what’s behind that locker room door? Where does your favourite player sit? What does a skate sharpener look like? What tunes are on the sound system? Book it here!
DJ Bertie’s matchnight playlist is here
Finally, if you haven’t got your ticket sorted, then please do. We are selling more and more each week so book early to avoid missing out on your favourite seat. Get them here!
Match Preview
Looking forward to the match, we’ll be slightly skinny on the roster this week for a few different reasons, so the boys need your support more than ever. Here’s the preview by Paul Brookman.
Sheffield Steeldogs make their second visit of the season to Planet Ice on Saturday to take on improving Smith Recycling Milton Keynes Lightning who will be looking to build on their 8-4 victory last weekend against Leeds Chiefs. Lightning and Steeldogs met in two closely fought pre-season challenge games a few weeks ago – the Sheffield outfit winning 6-5 and 4-3 before taking the spoils in a National Ice Hockey League 6-4 game at iceSheffield.
So both sides know each other well, even at this early stage of the season. It’s fair to say that Ben Morgan’s team have had the better start to the campaign – they are in the leading pack in the league table having three wins in their four outings. They are fourth in the table among four teams who each have six points. But that will count for nothing when the first puck drops on Saturday.
Sheffield’s scoring is currently led by the much travelled Nathan Salem who has already registered four goals and five assists to put him just ahead of new Czech import Vladimir Luka who also has four goals to his credit but one fewer assist. Luka bagged three goals over last weekend – two in the 4-1 win over Raiders and one in the side’s only defeat so far, 7-5 to Hull Pirates, while Salem was on target once in each game. However Steeldogs have other danger men in Kieron Brown who has assisted on no fewer than six goals so far while putting the puck away twice. Defenceman Morgan’s total is also pretty impressive with six points but no goals.
As for Lightning Tomas Kana and Russ Cowley have struck up a useful partnership on their line with eight points each – the Czech player finding the net five times and the captain twice. Kana has being to show real quality in his finishing, and intensity in his attack particularly patrolling the blueline on the powerplay. Also on fire last week was Rio Grinell-Parke who’s speed was matched by a super quality finish. He could be one the fastest in the league and is starting to really cause the opposition problems.
Two points behind Tomas and Russ is Canadian-British dual national Cale Tanaka with six points, including two goals and four points. Lewis Christie begins his second weekend back with the club, having impressed with his organisation and commitment last week, and showing good fitness levels despite not playing. Lightning will have hopefully benefited from Sunday off, but are still carrying a couple of knocks as well as a couple of personal issues which will slim the roster down for Saturday.
Steeldogs’ have used Dmitri Zimozdra exclusively in goal so far with a return of .912 while Lightning’s preferred netminder, Jordan Lawday, has recorded .897. Face off on Saturday is 7pm with tickets available in advance on 01908 540020. On Sunday Lightning hit the road to go to renew acquaintances with Bracknell Bees. Face off at The Hive is 5.30pm.
