Heat and Flames Visible in Guildford

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Sunday 11 November 2012 at the University of Surrey Sports Park followed by the Spectrum Leisure Centre
Results	Surrey Heat 81 Leicester Riders 74 Guildford Flames 3 Basingstoke Bison 2
Competitions	The BBL (top tier basketball) The English Premier League (second tier ice hockey)
Hopping	Number 13 on the courthopping list, and a second visit to an arena already on the rinkhopping list.  My first hoops/hockey daily double.
Pre-match preparation
Leicester Riders are leading the BBL and unbeaten in all competitions.  Surrey Heat are unbeaten at home, so someone’s record has to give today.  The decision to add the ice hockey was impulsive – no prep other than the teams had played each other yesterday at Basingstoke and Bison won 3-1 to stay at the top of the table.
These matches in one sentence each
A very good, solid performance from Heat to hand a first defeat to Riders built on a points/rebounds double from Frank Holmes. Flames came from behind twice and scored a last minute powerplay winner to delight the home crowd.
So what?
If Heat can win their game in hand, they will join Riders and Newcastle Eagles with 8-1 winning records.
The drama unfolds
Heat settled the quicker on their home court and a three by Albert Margai opened up a seven-point gap at 13-6 midway through the first quarter.  Riders’ coach Rob Paternostro took less than three minutes to become Mr Angry on the sidelines and he was to spend much of the afternoon prowling back and forth to the officials.  My scene-setter clip comes from late in the period as Riders close the gap to three points with just over a minute to go.  Heat are in black, Riders in red.  They got one more score before the buzzer and Andrew Sullivan was leading all scorers with 9pts.  24-23 at the end of the 1st quarter Peter Semek continued his good defensive work for Heat, impressing with his rebound count, but Heat got into foul-count trouble in the second quarter.  Riders’ Yorick Williams rolled back the years with a D-to-D break to give them the lead for the first time at 27-28.  This clip is from midway through the second quarter and takes the score from 28-28 to 35-32. Frank Holmes of Heat was definitely fired-up as two scores in quick succession opened a 43-34 gap and prompted a timeout call from Paternostro.  This time, Riders were in foul trouble but a two from Sullivan on the buzzer meant that the gap was only two points at the halfway mark.  46-44 at the end of the 2nd quarter The third period was lower-scoring as Riders took control.  The clip ends with them leading 55-57, and they stretched this to four points by the end of the quarter.  Sullivan (18) and Frank Holmes (14) continued to lead the scoring charts.  57-61 at the end of the third quarter Frank Holmes got the first points of the final period and the next clip is part of the home side’s turnaround.  Julius Joseph got five consecutive points to tie the game at 64-64.  Paternostro was not a happy bunny.  At the end of the clip we have a score of 73-67 with just over 3 minutes to play. Frank Holmes then contributed another timely score as Heat then shut the Riders out of the next 24s on the shot clock and the clip has them holding the gap to 79-74 with seven seconds to play. Although Riders used deliberate fouls to try to get control of the clock, Heat kept their composure from the free-throw line and although the last two from Caylin Raftopoulos bobbled teasingly on the hoop they both dropped in to seal the home win.  Frank Holmes finished with 22 points and Sullivan and Zaire Taylor on 20.  Final score 81-74 A brief car journey took me to the Spectrum where Guildford Flames were hosting table-toppers Basingstoke Bison.  Bison took the lead through Joe Rand and Flames' Curtis Huppe equalised, and the first period finished level at 1-1.  Bison took the lead again in the second with a Doug Sheppard strike, but Flames levelled in the third with Huppe's second score of the game.  Here is the turning point in the last two minutes, as Flames converted a powerplay to take the lead for the first time with 27 seconds left  Jez Lundin is the scorer of the vital goal.  Bison took off their netminder but Flames held on for the win.  Final score 3-2
The programmes
Proof that I folded the Heat programme, which is actually an A3 poster.  Shocking.
Something random
The Guildford zamboni is still going round clockwise, but you knew that.
Hopping for Moorfields Update
Nothing to report – these fixtures don’t count towards the totals.
What Next?
In one word – dunno.  Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter for any revelations.

Flames Subside as Jets are Turned On

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Sunday 15 January 2012 at Spectrum, Guildford
Result	Guildford Flames 3 Slough Jets 4
Competition	English Premier League
Hopping	This is venue #3 on my new Rinkhopping list, after MK and Slough.
This match in one sentence
A turnround in the third period gave Slough a great victory in an anti-climax of a game for Guildford.
So what?
Flames lead MK Lightning by three points, who lead Jets & Manchester Phoenix by one.  Phoenix have played one game more.
Something random
I am pleased to confirm that the Guildford zamboni goes in a clockwise pattern (see previous posts for my Northern Hemisphere theory).  The Spectrum is a well-appointed arena, part of a large leisure complex in which people can follow both healthy and unhealthy pursuits.
The drama unfolds
After their 6-5 road win at MK Lightning the day before, the Guildford faithful were hoping for a home win to increase the gap at the top of the table.  Indeed, when they started well and took an early lead through Greg Chambers on a powerplay, all was well with the world.  1-0 My scene-setting clips, while I was getting used to the camera movement and angles needed from my perspex position, show the other powerplays of the period, one for each side but neither converted into a goal. Almost nine minutes into the second period Doug Sheppard equalised.  1-1 The lead lasted only ninety seconds, before Andrew Hemmings restored the Flames’ advantage, and then Branislav Kvetan scored a powerplay goal (caught in my fourth clip) to give a two-goal margin at the end of the second.  It has to be said that things were looking all hunky-dory for Flames at that point.  Jets had had a reasonable amount of territory without looking particularly dangerous, and neither the game nor the arena had the passion and intensity of the game I was at yesterday.  1-3 I don’t know the technicalities of this sport well enough to explain what happened in the third.  There were no penalties for a start.  Joe Greener scored after three minutes or so, and then Adam Calder and Adam Greener scored in quick succession to give Slough the lead for the first time.  3-4 We all anticipated a vigorous Flames response, with over seven minutes left, but as my final clip shows, Slough managed to keep the puck up at the other end for a large proportion of those final minutes and the inevitability of an away win gradually settled over Surrey.  No roughing, interference, cross-checking, slashing or weeing in an opponent's Powerade.  Shocking.  Other polluted energy drinks are available.  Final score 3-4
What Next?
Another change of direction on Thursday evening with a new sporting tangent for the blog!  I hope you are all shivering with anticipation.

Care: Combustible Materials

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Saturday 14 November at The Thunderdome, Planet Ice, MK
Result	MK Lightning 5 Guildford Flames 6
Competition	English Ice Hockey Premier League
Hopping	Have discovered rinkhopping this season and this isn’t my first visit, but it was such a big game that it deserves some more attention.  These are the top two teams in the second tier of competition in England.
This match in one sentence
Heartbreaking for Lightning after they have reeled Flames in over the last month, but the visitors were lethal from short-range in a compelling contest.
So what?
Guildford stay top – MK needed the win to displace them.  These two teams meet again in Surrey on 5 February and by then it may turn out to be a must-win for Lightning.  As of now, Guildford have opened a three-point lead and halted a recent run of defeats.
The drama unfolds
I got there early to get right up against the Perspex for this one.  Harder to keep up with the action when filming clips, but closer and more visceral.  Lightning came out flying and took the lead through Leigh Jamieson.  1-0 A 2-minute penalty for interference for Michael Wales allowed eventual man-of-the-match Rick Plant to get an equaliser from the resulting powerplay.  1-1 The first clip will cause gloom in MK and joy in Guildford.  With Flames’ David Longstaff serving 2 minutes for cross-checking, Nathan Rempel breaks away to give the lead to the visitors.  Note the goal-line technology that confirms the score with the red light behind the goal.  It’s a man with a switch.  1-2 Here endeth the first period, and the second got feistier after Pucky the mascot had done the YMCA dance.  Here’s the Lightning equaliser from Adam Carr.  2-2 However, within second of the restart, Plant got his second of the night.  2-3 Nathan Rempel was the first to sit down for roughing.  This is much more serious than “handbags” in football, and greatly enjoyed by all present, it would seem.  The third clip includes a closeup of referee Goodwin to remind those with an MK postcode to cross him off the Christmas card list.  It also finishes with Matt Towe’s goal that gave Flames a two-goal advantage.  2-4 Mr Goodwin continued to be the centre of fan attention, with Grant McPherson (Lightning) and Neil Liddiard (Flames) coincidentally penalised for various combinations of roughing, interference and looking at the linesman with narrowed eyes. Lightning fought back and scored before the interval through Wales.  All to play for in the final period – brilliant stuff.  3-4 Lightning made a sensational start to the third.  It was Jamieson scoring again, only 14 seconds in.  4-4 However, within two minutes Rick Plant completed a hat-trick…  4-5 … before Lightning drew level once again with Carr’s second goal.  5-5 The decisive goal came from David Longstaff.  5-6 My other clips are from the frantic final minutes.  There had been angry exchanges and stick-waving between players on the bench which saw McPherson get a penalty for incitement.  The final play was a 6-on-5 with netminder Alex Mettam removed but Flames held on for what may turn out to be a vital win.  Fantastic entertainment, it has to be said.  Final score 5-6
What Next?
An as-yet unexplained tangent on Thursday which will appear as a blogpost on Friday.  For football, FA Vase Round 4 on Saturday and if weather permits it will be a random selection!  For ice hockey ... am now jumping in the car to get to Guildford Flames v Slough Jets!