Nottingham Panthers' 20-20 gamble backfires
NOTTINGHAM Panthers' hopes of winning the first silverware up for grabs this season went crashing in spectacular fashion at the Sheffield Arena yesterday.
The Elite League leaders were walloped 6-0 by Coventry Blaze in the fourth quarter-final at the inaugural Hockey-Fest 20-20 tournament.
Host club Sheffield Steelers enjoyed some rare success on their own ice this season by winning the competition, beating Blaze 3-2 in the final.
But Panthers player-coach Corey Neilson angrily refuted claims that he'd been "arrogant" and had not taken the event seriously by resting three players – including himself – for their first game.
Star Brit David Clarke and young Scot Ross Dalgleish also sat out, along with injury worry Kevin Bergin, who was replaced by fellow import Johan Molin in a pre-planned move to give the French-Canadian's damaged ankle more time to heal.
It was a gamble that back-fired big style but Neilson was adamant it was done to give his side the best chance of winning the trophy – as well as keeping his star players fit and healthy for the more important games to come.
"I haven't let anyone down," he said. "It was a calculated risk, much like a Champions League manager, resting players for the bigger games ahead.
"The fact is, after the schedule we've had recently, I didn't want the older, experienced guys playing three games in a day.
"We're on a six-game unbeaten run and have just come off playing Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday.
"It's been tough but we've got a mission and I didn't want to lose one of my ten import stars or the other key players to a groin pull or something.
"And these guys wanted a rest.
"The plan was all drawn up and I going to miss the first game then hopefully play the semi and the final.
"Bruce (Richardson)_was going to miss the next game and I was going to rest Jade (Galbraith) too.
"If we'd have got to the semi-final we would have been the freshest team in the last four. It wasn't as if we didn't put out a good team.
"We even spent money to bring Johan Molin over from Sweden. That's how much we wanted to win it.
"I don't like the accusations that we didn't take the event seriously.
"We take everything seriously and we want people to enjoy watching us.
"If it had worked I could have sat here like a genius – instead of with egg on my face..
"But you have to be willing to lose a couple of battles to win the war, and we have to look at the bigger picture.
"But let's give some credit to Coventry here. They played very well. I'm always upset when we lose to them but even with a full line-up we still might have lost."
20-20 Results: Qtr finals: Sheffield 5, Hull; Belfast 2, Devils 3 (pens); Newcastle 1, Edinburgh 0; Panthers 0, Coventry 6. Semi-finals: Sheffield 4, Cardiff 1; Coventry 3, Newcastle 2. Final: Sheffield 3, Coventry 2.
15 Comments
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by Blah, Blah
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 9:43PM
“blah blah blah non of you actually played that day, so how do you know they didn't put any effort in?
Don't criticise something you didn't actually do. You didn't play, so you can hardly judge.
shut up thank you please.”
by blah blah, blah
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 1:44PM
“lets all start with the corey bashing..... shut up people.”
by J, Coventry
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 11:48AM
“Im with Kim, Emma and Fiona.
As a Blaze fan it was great to see such a win, especially given the comments coming from the Panthers in the build up to the day. Molin's arrival signalled intent, so why players were rested 1 month into the season who knows.
But, coming away and reading some of the after match comments I feel that Corey has not only let the Panthers down, but also the rest of the leagues paying fans. The comments from your leader suck of arrogance!
One things for sure, Sunday could be quite an interesting affair.”
by panthers fan, notts
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 11:17AM
“apparently Clarke, Bergin and Dalgleish didn't play due to injury concerns not cos their names weren't picked out of infamous hat”
by C, Nottingham
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 11:05AM
“I agree Tom, it was calculated risk that worked in favour of Covo. It backed fired, and now we all (including Corey Neilson) have to live with the fact we missed out on a trophy that the Steelers ended up winning.”
by Tom, Mansfield
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 10:28AM
“it was a risk he felt the need to take it didn't work end of. no point dwelling on it these things happen all the time in the sporting world its 50/50. i dont think he needs to appologize for not getting it spot on i bet half of you woulnt have been on here singing his praises if we'd won but you are on here slagging him off now”
by C, Notts
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 10:19AM
“I listened to the game, I¿m aware of what happened. At the end of the day everyone paid to watch hockey, win or lose, it was the experience and participation that counts ¿ the money goes towards supporting a sport we all love. I have to say some of the comments reported on here were different to those given to the BBC, he did apologise on air for a "flawed decision" and I think his comments here are being taken in the wrong way These are the decisions that coaches have to make¿although I am slightly peeved we didn't have our best players out there, I do see his reasoning - Bergy and Clarke have both returned after injuries¿ but I see no reason for Ross and Bruce to have been kept behind - that's where my criticisms lie. However I¿m not a coach and I don't think with a strategic mind, his thinking to you and me may have been irrational ¿ but neither you nor I are Hockey players. He probably thinks why should he make an apology for using a plan that just didn¿t pan out so well, he wasn¿t being cocky or arrogant in his mind ¿ he was trying to prove an idea he thought of could work ¿ by using the fresh legs approach ¿ it just didn¿t go according to plan. He did not intentionally balls it up!”
by Emma, Leicester
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 9:57AM
“Sorry C but I don't think he is embarrassed at all and his comments on the day and after clearly show that he was not taking this event seriously....fair enough but maybe he should have thought about that before the club made a big deal about how we were going all out to win it and BEFORE the fans spent a lot of money getting there...And to be honest there is a huge gulf between trying something that didn't work and the arrogant disrespectful and inept display we saw...if you had been there you would understand...I can't fault him for most of our league performances so far this season which is what makes this woeful experience all the more difficult to accept and understand...a massive error of judgement in my opinion”
by C, Nottingham
Tuesday, October 06 2009, 9:44AM
“I can see it from the fans view but I also see it from Corey's. I don't think he's the kind of person to not take a trophy win seriously. It was about game play, tactics, and a good chance to use different ideas. Like he said it didn't work and he now has egg on his face ¿ he¿s clearly embarrassed. I think we have to understand it takes a level of arrogance to run a team and make these kinds of decisions, that doesn't mean he doesn¿t care. As far as I can see Corey is doing a fantastic job this season, maybe we should give him a bit of praise for that and not jump straight on his back when something he tried didn't work. I think Corey has chosen some great players this year, and is working damn hard to get us to the playoffs. Sad to have last, but I support my team no matter what mistakes they make.”
by Dave, nottm
Monday, October 05 2009, 8:58PM
“i feel short changed for the fact that every other team played full strength roster and we didnt tactics or not.
as for the event it was a failure in my eyes, a half full shell of an arena, no atmosphere the only plus side was a supapint or 6”