#nihl1

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Chelmsford Chieftains @ Wightlink Raiders, NIHL S1 Cup

Chieftains 5 - 4 Raiders

I was a little hyper yesterday, after what felt like an eternity without hockey my wife and I were headed to the island (of White) to catch Wightlink Raiders in their first game of the season. With a number of players joining the side through the close season I was excited to see how the Raiders would look. Beforehand we met up with Wight Island Radio host and game commentator Chris Randall for a good old hockey chat, before heading down, taking our seats and cheering the teams as they took to the ice.

From the off it was clear this would be a hard fought game, both teams wanting to put their stamp on the game. Less than three minutes into the game and Chelmsford went a man down, Thomas Castle getting 2+10(minutes) for a check to the head. This would set the tone for a game that would see the Raiders take 40 penalty minutes (Chelmsford had 22), some decisions understandable… some less so!

Despite losing imposing D-man Dan Pye for the majority of the first period due to a body check, Wightlink came out on top. Craig Tribe scored twice, either side of a snipe from the Chieftains Luke Brittle, to allow Wightlink to end the first period ahead. Tribe looked strong in front of the goal, driving hard and making the most of the bounces that fell his way.

Wightlink would score two more in the second period. A superb short-handed shot from Steven Osman that came out of nowhere, and an even strength goal from Alex Barker. Chelmsford would score two of their own, both at even strength. The first goal came from Ross Brears and the second from the monstrous Tibor Schneider, a player who is sure to dominate a number of the teams in this league.

The third period saw the momentum shift in Chelmsford’s favour as they took advantage of opportunities presented to them to score two unanswered goals. That man Brittle popping up again with a second, before Daniel Volrab scored the game winner.

Stats never lie, Ryan Bainborough, in net for Chelmsford faced 34 shots, Raiders’ Matt Colclough may have let in one more, but having 49 shots taken at him during the game he showed once again why many (and I don’t disagree) rate him as the best in the league.

Post-game, the man of the match awards were issued, Brittle inevitably winning for the away team and Craig Tribe deservedly picking up the beers for the Raiders MOM.

The Highs

The Raiders may have lost, but there was a lot to be pleased about here. The team defended well as a unit, all the players seemed hungry and it’s clear that Jeremy Cornish has once again assembled a formidable squad. The familiar faces played with the strength and determination that have become hallmarks of this team, in addition to those mentioned previously Nathan Taylor and Corey Watkins made the Chieftains pay for every puck they took. Watkins in particular might not be the biggest guy but he wasn’t afraid to take a swing at Chiefs who towered above him.

Among the new boys Barker and Osman made instant impressions with their speed and movement, Simon Hobbis, a 17 year old acquisition from the Basingstoke Bison, took a couple of big hits early on, but got up, dusted himself off and dictated the tempo in a way most defencemen ten years his senior struggle to emulate.  I was hugely impressed by Yousif Abu Saada too, his determination shone through and he threw himself relentlessly in the way of pucks. Forming a traditional 5-6 shutdown pairing with Ben Lock, who will undoubtedly learn a lot about stay-at-home play alongside Yousif, this will be an important duo for the team in close games. Captain consistent Damon Larter got about well and kept things moving, stuck up for Hobbis and, as with Yousif and Locky, will provide a steady partner alongside the younger player.

The Lows:

Discipline. Things went against the team and they let it get to them, some of the referee’s decisions were questionable but nonetheless it’s hard to win when there are more guys in the box than on the bench.

Import forward Matthew Vizzari will be disappointed in his contribution. It’s early days and it will take him a few games to adjust to Ryde’s cosy little rink. Vizzari didn’t play badly, in fact he made some decent plays and seemed hamstrung by the confines of the ice, so he may well be a very potent weapon on the road this year.

The Opposition:

The Chieftains are favourites to take all the silverware again this year and with good reason. Big bodies, well drilled and with their fair share of luck, this will have been a stern test for the Raiders in their first game of the season. Brittle and Volrab both look very dangerous going forward, Schneider is an absolute monster and Michael Ranby plays the agitator to a tee. We spoke with Julain Smith a week or two ago and he played a controlled game, making very few mistakes.

Final Thoughts:

This was a hard loss to take after being ahead over the first two periods, but nothing to be ashamed of for the Raiders here. In fact, considering Wightlink hadn’t played a single warm up game they looked great and I think there’s a lot to build on here. For me personally, this was more of a pre-season game, I’d rather take points in the league than win cup games if you give me the choice. The team are on the road this evening, taking on Streatham Redskins, and will fancy their chances of coming home with two points.

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An Interview With Craig Tribe

With the puck dropping on the Wightlink Raiders’ season at around 6pm today, we thought we’d catch up with one of last year’s highest scorers. Craig Tribe is one of the team’s most consistent players, racking up points with both a deft scoring touch and an eye for a pass. We’ll be hoping to watch him score a few tonight, but first let’s find out a little more about Craig…

The puck drops on a new season this weekend, are you feeling ready for it?

Yeah, as with every year (and I expect with most players and coaches) you always wish you had another week of pre-season and you never feel at your best in the first few practices but when the puck drops on the season it all comes back to you and you don’t have time to think about whether your kit feels right or if you like the new stick your using.

You were among teams top point scorers last year, have you set yourself any targets for this season?

I haven’t really got any individual targets obviously as a team our target is to win trophies we’re not looking to make up the numbers. On a personal note I think last season went ok but I will definitely be looking to improve this season, at times last year I wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked and with the extra offensive talent on our roster this year I’m confident about improving on my point tally.

Prior to playing on the island you were in the EPL with the Bees and Bison, what made you decide to drop down a level?

Quite simply, I just wasn’t good enough to play the minutes I would have liked and I think I’m a bit old to be sitting on the bench hoping for a break. It was great experience and I learnt a lot about my own game as well as the game in general, having the opportunity to skate with some very skilled players and meet some great people. I also liked the way the raiders were shaping up and the timing just seemed right.

Now that you have settled into life with the Raiders what advice would you give to this seasons new teammates?

There’s probably nothing that they don’t already know. To the young guys I would just say work hard and pay attention and you’ll get the chance to play and you just might learn something. In general though if they didn’t know before they came they’ll certainly know now after practicing with the team for a few weeks that the raiders want to win things and there’s nobody just getting by here so bring a winning mentality and be prepared to work.

How would you describe your style of play? What are your strengths?

I like to think I play a smart, controlled (for the most part) and efficient game. I’m certainly not the quickest, but see the ice well, and try and make the right plays. But possibly my biggest strength is lightening the mood in the room. Sometimes especially if things aren’t going our way it can get a little intense and when it does I like to think I can play a part in lifting spirits an making people smile, it a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it, otherwise hockey would just be a 2nd job, or a 1st in some cases and I’ve not met a player yet that plays better hockey when they’re angry.

For you, who are the toughest guys in the league to play against? Is there any team you’re particularly looking forward to taking on this year?

There’s a lot of great players that are tough to play against but Clarkey in Chelmsford would be up there with some of the toughest, he’s very sneaky and if you take your eye off him for a second he’ll lose you and the next thing you know the pucks on his stick and in the net, it helps that he’s usually got 2 good line mates that can punish you if you pay too much attention to him. As for teams I look forward to playing, Chelmsford is always good they’ve got a well drilled squad with a lot of speed and skill and we’ve had some great games. Romford always brings an intense battle too with a little extra spice some time, but I’m also looking forward to how the new recruits fit in at Invicta and Streatham who have both strengthened considerably.

Other than the Raiders, do you follow any other teams? Who are your favourite players and biggest influences?

Since I first started watching hockey I’ve always been a fan of Pittsburgh and watching players like Lemieux, Jagr and Straka and how they made the game look so easy always used to bring a sense of satisfaction. More recently I enjoy watching players like Datsyuk and Crosby; they both always seem so calm on the puck and have an abundance of time regardless of the situation.

If you could add one person to the team to play on your line who would it be and why?

It would probably have to be Crosby, its great watching what he can do with the puck on TV but to be a part of it and be on the end of some his plays really would be something special although I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t be keeping up with him. Plus I fairly sure he could improve our power play slightly.

Anything else you’d like to add Craig?

I don’t have twitter but if you see me around and fancy following me you’re more than welcome.

Many thanks to Craig for giving up his time! You may not be able to follow him on twitter, but you can keep up with the team throughout the season at @wightlinkraider

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, please get in touch either here or via twitter!

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An Interview With Jamie McIlroy

You grew up in Paisley, but have played your entire senior career down in the south, what brought you to this neck of the woods?

I started playing my junior hockey in Paisley . I had absolutely no clue about the sport before they built an ice rink at the back of our street. After going to watch one Paisley Pirates game, I was hooked and was determined that I was going to start playing. I didn’t start playing until I was 12 but got to grips with it quite quickly and by the age of 14, I had already represented Scotland a number of times, and by the age of 18 I had quit. A mixture of disillusionment with the way our junior setup was run, limited ice time and all the temptations that came outside of hockey to an 18 year old lad, all made me decide to call it a day.

It wasn’t until I joined the RAF and had a few years service under my belt that I even thought about starting to play again. At the time, the sport was very much in its infancy within the Armed Forces and the team that I played for struggled against most recreational teams. It was good just to get out on the ice again though and it definitely rekindled my love for the game. I spent the next 4 years in the North of Scotland, where playing chances were limited at league level, so I continued to play for the RAF team. If I’m honest, although it kept my interest in the game, I probably picked up a load of bad habits and forgot how to play hockey in the way I’d been taught. It’s easy to try and be the guy that scores all the goals and makes you think that you’re better than you are.

On promotion I was posted down south to RAF Brize Norton, near Oxford. I trialled for the Stars when I got down there and quickly realised how long I’d been away from competitive hockey. It was a lot faster than I was used to and I was definitely lacking fitness. I felt I could have done a job for them though and was lead to believe that they were going to sign me, but it wasn’t to be. I got messed about and by the time I got an answer from the coaching team, it was too late to find another team who had space on their roster. That experience made me doubt if it was worth the effort of even trying out for another team so I went back to playing Rec again. The next season I played for the Slough Harrier Hawks in ENL2. They were very much one of the whipping boys of the league, along with the Streatham Bruins, who I would transfer over to later in the season when Slough folded. This was my first season playing senior hockey, having my “Rookie Year” at the age of 28. The following year, the Slough ENL team came under the umbrella of the Slough Jets and were entered into ENL2. With a decent coaching team in place, we were able to attract a pretty decent roster and I was asked to Captain the team. We won ENL2 in our first season by the slimmest of margins over Gosport and accepted promotion to ENL1. I signed on for another term as Captain of Slough, but a 4 month detachment to the Falklands cut my season short at Christmas time. A reduction in funding and the subsequent player transfers that followed, condemned Slough to relegation as quickly as they had come up. It was disheartening to watch the scores coming in from thousands of miles away and to watch all the hard work go to waste. The problem we had, was that we weren’t the top team playing out of Slough. We simply became a bit of an afterthought and didn’t receive the support or funding to stay in an ever competitive league.

On my return from the Falklands I had a couple of options but opted to sign for Streatham. We didn’t have the best of starts, but once Warren Rost signed on as Head Coach, and he implemented his lines and systems, we managed to beat every other team and had the best form of any team in the league. Our playoff campaign ended at the quarter final stage against a very good Isle of Wight team, but we played some good hockey and came a long way from where we were at the start of the season. With two young children, a busy work life and over 100 mile round trip just to training and home games, I had to give some serious thought to playing on this season. I feel like we’ve kept the core of last year’s team and although we’ve lost some good players, I definitely think we’re stronger than last season. That was one of the reasons I decided to play on, I think we have unfinished business this year and we will have a full season playing to our potential.

  As well as the Redskins you also turn out for the RAF team. Do you play the same role for both teams?

No not at all, I Captain the RAF team and play on the top line. When I play for them I’m expected to contribute with points and lead from the front. The rivalry is intense and nobody holds back as the games against the Army and Navy are full contact, but there’s never really any full blown fights. At Streatham I’m used on the 3rd line to try and create a bit of energy for the team. We go out, throw a few hits, create some turnovers, make sure we don’t get scored on and try and nick a few goals here and there. Inevitably, there will be times when people take exception to the way our line plays and I suppose it’s my job to stand up for them, but that’s just the way the game is played. It’s one of the things which makes our sport unique and exciting, and I for one, wouldn’t change it for the world.

  We recently interviewed long time Redskin Joe Johnston who was very complimentary of the Streatham fans. Have the rink changes had any effect on the atmosphere at home games?

I’ve only ever played against the Redskins at the High Road, never for them. The building was so big that most of the fans stayed on one side of the rink, directly above the benches. I suppose that worked in the team’s favour as the fans were constantly “on top” of  the opposition. The one thing I can remember is that they never stopped drumming and chanting for the team, even if the result was going against them. Since I’ve started playing for Streatham, I’ve realised how loud and vociferous the fans can be and it only helps to spur the lads on. The new rink at Brixton is obviously a lot smaller and when it is packed out, they create a great atmosphere and are fans that I love playing in front of. Every team’s players say it, but in my eyes, they are without doubt the best fans in the league. Our impending move to the new rink back at the High Road will no doubt bring it’s own challenges and provide a totally different atmosphere altogether, but it will be good to be part of the team when we move back to our spiritual home.

You like to play a physical game, as you get older are you finding you’re having to adapt your approach at all?

Not at all, I don’t really have an option, as that’s the role I’ve played within every team I’ve been on. I’m never going to be a guy who’s going to go out and score highlight reel goals or be the go to guy as a playmaker. So to make sure I warrant a place on the roster, I just need to play to my strengths and capabilities and, if I do my job well then ice time will follow. This however will be my last year playing before I retire, so I need to make sure it’s one to remember and I leave my playing career without any regrets.

Outside of the Redskins, who are your favourite teams and players?

My team’s always been the NY Rangers. My wife got me tickets to watch them at MSG against the Islanders and the Canadiens for my 30th birthday and the atmosphere was unbelievable. I was a big fan of Brandon Prust during his time with the Rangers, he played a solid, hard hitting game and never backed down from anyone. I also like Zac Rinaldo, the kid’s a wrecking ball and never shies away from the physical side of the game despite lacking in size. I don’t really have a British team, but I always keep an eye out for the Slough Jets results for obvious reasons. Adam Keefe of the Belfast Giants is probably my favourite player in the British game at the moment though, a great leader and a warrior on the ice.

What are you most looking forward to about the forthcoming season?

It’s the anticipation of seeing how we fair against all the other teams. Last year was a major disappointment for us and I think we massively underachieved. This is the season where we need to put things right and show the rest of the league what we’re capable of right from the start. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t have the budget to win the league but if we get on a good run then we could surprise a few people in the cup and playoffs.  Our impending move back to our multi-million pound facility in Streatham is an obvious highlight and something for our players and fans alike to look forward to.

Thanks for your time Jamie, anything else you’d like to add?

I hope that our fans and every other team’s around the league are looking forward to the season ahead and that even more of you will come down to watch our games. It promises to be the best one yet  and I’m sure there will be plenty of surprises and talking points along the way.

Many thanks to Jamie for taking the time out to give his answers to our questions. You can follow him on twitter @mcIlroy81 and keep up with the team throughout the season at @streathamhockey

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too!

[nostalgicnightmares]

Hockey season makes my life better. This is all

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NIHL 1 South preview from Pro Hockey News

NIHL1 check out the link below for a great season preview from the folks over at Pro Hockey News. Covering the whole of the NIHL 1 South league, and featuring a little friendly jab at our good friend Chris Randall over at Wight Island Radio, this covers the league really well and broadly speaking falls in line with my own thoughts on the season!

http://prohockeynews.com/nihl-south-201314-preview/

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An Interview With Ryan Bainborough

Chelmsford took the league and the cup last season. After all that success how easy is it to motivate yourself again this year?

Very easy. After my first taste of success last year I'm ready to try and do the same this year.

  As the goaltender you’re the last line of defence for your team. How important is it that you know and trust the skaters in front of you?

I think it's very important to be able to communicate with your defence and trust that they will clear your rebounds for you.

  You play cricket in the summer as well as your winters on the ice, does donning the whites help keep your eyes sharp in the off season?

Yes I think so, being a wicketkeeper/batsmen helps me to keep my hand-eye coordination up to scratch.

  Who were your biggest influences growing up? Are there any players you model yourself on?

When Stephen Wall first came to Peterborough when I was a young kid I always looked up to him and he coached me a lot when I was young too. But I don't really model myself on anyone.

  How different was the hockey when you stepped down to the NIHL level, did it take long to adjust?

I was only a backup when I played for Slough Jets in the EPL so didn't really experience the level too much. But the NIHL has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, and I definitely think that teams in our league aren't a million miles away from being able to play and challenge teams in the EPL. 

  The (Wightlink) Raiders open their season at home against Chelmsford. Do you fancy your chances? Who will be your biggest threats and the players on the other team you have to watch?

I'm confident with the team we have this year. But it's always tough playing on the island, and your goalie Colclough always stands on his head against us! So weather me or Ben Clements start that game we always have to be on our game in your rink, there are no hiding places, that I can tell you ha! 

Big thanks to Ryan for answering our questions. You can follow him on twitter @RyanBainborough and keep up with the team throughout the season at @ChelmChieftains

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, please get in touch either here or via twitter

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An Interview With Adam Rich

  Well, the new season is beginning in just over a week, are you all set?

I don't think you can ever say you are 100% ready for the season. There is always room for improvement! This season I decided to work hard on improving my fitness. I want to lose weight and try and improve. I’ve managed to lose two stone and aiming to lose more throughout the season!

We’re trying to improve as a team, to not just compete but to challenge every team we play against.

  The Devils were bottom of the league last year; that must be good motivation heading into the new season?

It's never easy for a team to be bottom of the league. Last year we challenged the likes of Wightlink Raiders and Chelmsford and kept them in tight game but unlucky bounces went against us and we lost with only one goal between us. This year’s a new year and we are looking to make the most of these opportunities and push harder for the win. With the likes of Alex Murray, Steve Gosset and the new import Peter Chrenko will be key players in helping us to achieve this. We are a good core of guys and there are a lot of people in the room that will make you smile when things are bad or something hasn't worked. Rather than screaming and shouting they pull you to one side and have a chat about what went wrong and way in which we can improve as a unit!

Last year was a hard year for us all. No one likes being on a losing team but we all know we put in 100% into all the games we faced. And we learned valuable lessons. Having the two best net minders in the league really helps. Christian 'Chico' Cole and Aaron Taylor, not many guys can face as much rubber as they had to last year and save as much they did. Some of the saves they pulled off last year were out of this world and they kept us in games a lot of the time.

  How did you first get into ice hockey?

I started skating at the age of 6 till I was about 7. The school I was at used to go once a week during the winter. One of the teachers fell and broke her arm and after that kinda put me off. As I grew up my family moved to Ryde and I found myself back down at the rink again. By this time I was about 12 and loved being back on the ice.

My mum bought me some skates (Graf Super 201) and I skated every Friday and Saturday and soon found myself at the Raiders games watching the team play every week and thinking it was a crazy sport.

Laughing at Tony Blaize cream himself against the boards trying to hit guys but missing, as Blaizey often did!!! Watching tough boys like Jason Coles and Chris Crombie fighting… Before I knew it I became a steward at the rink and working with Dan Giden who got me to start on power hour. A few of my friends from school were in the junior teams and I brought second hand kit from them and started from there, joining the Wightlink Thunder at about age 15 and loved every minute!

  How would you describe your role on the Devils?

Ahhhhh what a question! Many people would give a lot of different answers to this one!

I like to think of myself of an enforcer, I'm under no illusions. If the coach wants someone out there to score 2 goals I'm not that guy, I couldn't hit a cow’s ass with a banjo! Sometimes if I close my eyes and take a shot it goes in, when that happens I thank my lucky stars!

If the coach wants someone to go out there and bang bodies and make things difficult, I'm the man for that job. I'm not scared of the physical aspect of the game if anything I thrive on it! A wise man (Scott Carter) once said to me "if you get booed at an away game you’re doing your job, if you get booed at your home rink you've got a problem! You don't get fans on the road!"

Previous coaches have sent me to do things and I have done them (some of which I'm not proud of, some I'm actually ashamed I've done them) but that's all in the past now, I've apologised where I was wrong and I want to move away from the player I was and become a more disciplined skater. Although it’s easy to forgive it’s harder to forget, but I'm hoping that in time it will be forgotten!

  Outside of the Devils do you follow any other teams or players?

NHL wise I don't really support a team I like to watch all the games I can on the TV but having a young son it becomes more and more difficult. Just getting some sleep through the night is amazing! But I do like to watch when I can. All I can say is thank god for YouTube and the NHL gamecentre! But if I had to pick a team I would probably go with Buffalo Sabres.

I like to catch the odd Wightlink Raiders games if we don't have a game, but I do enjoy watching the Wightlink Tigers, watching my old team mates and some of the guys I grew up with play! What makes me feel old is there's a few that now play for the Tigers who I coached when they were in the under 12s &14s! Wow where does time go?

  Lastly, if you could add any one player to the Solent & Gosport team who would it be and why?

Wayne Gretzky for sure! The guy was just incredible and scored for fun! I'm pretty sure he would guarantee me some ice time too!!!

  Anything else you’d like to say Adam?

I'd like to thank Paul Shergold Photography for sponsoring me for this up and coming season without him and his company it wouldn't have been possible for me to play! Also Aaron Gibson for his help. This season will be a great one for S&G Devils and I can't wait for the season to start. I look forward to all of the boos when I skate out and all the cheers when I get put on my ass! All for the love of the sport!

Good luck all and be lucky!! Cheers Adam (fatty) Rich #9 Solent and Gosport Devils!!!

  Our thanks to Adam for sparing us some of his time. You can follow him on twitter @AdamRich09 and keep up with the team throughout the season at @solentdevil

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, please get in touch either here or via twitter

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An Interview With Kieran Annis

Hey Kieran, the new season is here and this will be your fifth with the Raiders, what are your goals for the coming year?

Just to keep improving and better myself. I feel every season I improve in certain aspects of my game and fingers crossed this season will be no different. I wouldn’t mind chipping in with a few more points this season however, as last season was my worst production wise in the league. I also want to try and play a little more physical. Since I started playing for Raiders I have increased in mass (over 30lbs) but still have a long way to go! Been doing a lot of core work to increase my balance, as yeah having size on you helps physically, but playing the body is just as technical as putting the puck in the net.

You’ve long been touted as one of the Raiders top prospects; have you felt any pressure from that?

I think my first with the team I definitely felt that. Being born and raised on the island, and supporting the Raiders since the age of 5 when I first remember watching, the first few games I played I felt huge pressure. But after that and spending a couple of years on a two-way with the Wightlink Tigers, gaining experience, playing more minutes, and being a more important player of the team with them, I learnt how to deal with pressure and thus it helped me mentally quite a lot I’d say. Now I don’t really feel much pressure, instead I just try and focus on what I have to do when I’m out there. I just enjoy the game, and I think that’s when you perform better. Think towards the end of last season I was a little stressed out and fatigued so this summer I’ve been on the ice less than I probably ever have, actually went about a month at one point without putting on any kit, so I think that will help me come the end of the season.

How would you describe your playing style? Who are the biggest influences on your game?

I would describe myself as a hard working two way centre (who plays on the wing more often than not), who takes as much pride in the defensive zone as I do in the offensive zone. I think that’s stemmed from not really having a chance to play powerplay minutes, but getting time on the penalty kill. A lot of players will probably think I’m crazy, but I really enjoy being out there on the PK, it’s a challenge. I’ve also been used as a D man when we have been short at the back, which I enjoy doing from time to time, and I strap the pads on and play in goal once or twice every summer. So I’d like to think I can play every position! I had private hockey lessons when I was younger with a Swedish defenseman named Peter Nyman, who is currently coaching in the states. He really gave me a mind for the game, as well as teaching me vital skills in hockey. I also had lessons off of Jason Coles, who of course is a Raiders legend. I think between them they taught me both aspects of the game, one being a defenseman, the other being a forward.

Are there any particular teams or players you’ll be looking forward to playing against next year?

I do enjoy playing Gosport; the local rivalry really adds something every time we play them, which is something we haven’t been too accustomed to in recent years. There’s also something about playing the likes of Chelmsford, Romford and Invicta, as you know it’s going to be a tough game, whichever barn you are playing in there’s going to be an atmosphere, and perhaps most importantly as the 4 teams have in general been labelled “the big four” (I don’t agree with that statement now however!), these games are quite often massive in terms of league positioning during the season.

Other than the Raiders, which teams do you support and who are your favourite players?

Due to having family out there, my favourite NHL team is the Colorado Avalanche. In the UK I like the Basingstoke Bison, mainly due to spending 3 years there as a U14/16 as there was no junior team on the island in my age group at that time. Player wise my favourites would be the likes of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg.

Not including your current teammates, if you could line up with any players, who would you pick and why?

Fantasy wise I’d love to be on a line with possibly my two favourite players of all time, those being Sakic and Forsberg as mentioned earlier. In the NIHL I’d love to be able to play with some of the top snipers in the league (Huska, Scarborough, Klima etc.) as being a pass first guy more often than not it would be nice to give them the puck and have a good feeling that they will score, racking up plenty of assists in the process!

Thanks for your time Kieran, anything else you’d like to add?

Just want to add that’s it has been great to see just how much the league has improved over the last 5 years. Being in the first ENL Raiders squad back then, the standard of the league has picked up dramatically, with many people classing our league to a similar standard to the EPL of 5/6 years ago.

And of course I couldn’t end without thanking everyone who continues to support the team, I think there were a lot of questions when we dropped down whether or not we would get decent crowds, but due to the team performing much better we have certainly seen an increase, and especially playing at our barn we have a great atmosphere, which hockey players really feed off of. As Locky mentioned in his interview, let’s hope this year we can go one better in both the league and playoffs, and bring some extra silverware to our little island this season!

Once again, thanks to Kieran for sparing us some of his time. You can follow him on twitter @KAnnis91 and keep up with the team throughout the season at @wightlinkraider

If you’ve got any feedback, you can tweet me @MattMerritt. I’d love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the blog.

If you’re a hockey player/coach/team manager in a competitive league, I’d love to ask you some questions too, please get in touch either here or via twitter!