GAME THREAD: Steelers v Eisbaren Berlin: CHL: Wed 13th November

[ginger]

Unreal effort.

Berlin are relentless. Turn pucks so quickly and come back hard. Their top 6 are all levels above the EIHL, Kirky showing just how good he is when given other players at his level to work with.

I think it's probably a step too far, but properly proud Steeler tonight

[Steeling thunder]

They were a bit good those German boys. But we did ourselves proud and competed for the most part.

Nice to watch a free flowing game with very few stoppages and penalties.

[BontSteeler]

Living in Swansea now a days makes it incredibly difficult to make the games but I watched the 3 minute highlight reel from the CHL channel & just in that clip alone those Germans are bloody good.

I don't think I've been as proud as I was last night just reading the comments on how our boys battled against a top quality team, the sheer fact that a team from the EIHL has taken a top top end team from the DEL league proves that we as a league are going in the right direction, never in a million years did I expect to our Steelers beat top teams from Europe and progress to the knock out stages.

What I would've loved to have seen last night was a Steelers team that was coming of a 11 day rest and playing last night and having Saucerman, Watling & JJ in the team would've/could've made a huge difference.

The fact that those boys in Orange got 4 points at the weekend and then pushed Berlin last night is an absolute testament to the players (especially) and coaches last night, I hope they all got a standing ovation at the end, they deserved it.

Top effort boys, we're all extremely proud of you.

[smbmetal]

Just looking at the BBC report and there's a quote that says:

"Many people after the game said it was the best side that they've ever seen playing at the Sheffield Arena in the 33 years that the Steelers have been playing at Broughton Lane."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/ice-hockey/ar ... glnv4wj1do

They are certainly up there as the best side I've seen, probably only beaten by Frolunda, Dynamo Moscow AND the 'Paul Kruse' game where he beat someone up with his own helmet.....even Ron Shudra ended up fighting in this game, I can't remember the name of the team we played though as it was only a 'friendly' game ........ was it IHK Spartasarpsborg perhaps?

Below are all the European sides we've played minus Berlin.

http://www.steelersstats.co.uk/arenas_p ... nental.htm

Are Berlin the best side you have seen at the arena?

[mark]

CSKA Moscow and the Kurt Kleinendorst Manchester Storm are the two standout teams I remember excluding this year's CHL opposition. The Moscow game ended up like a cold-war battle between North America and the USSR, you could see how much it meant to the players and that Storm team in it's black away kit just looked so intimidating as they came onto the ice and they played with such skill and intensity I honestly believe it's only in the last couple of seasons that we have reached a higher standard.

[mark]

Game Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS3V6bk ... ckeyLeague

[ginger]

CSKA Moscow and the Kurt Kleinendorst Manchester Storm are the two standout teams I remember excluding this year's CHL opposition. The Moscow game ended up like a cold-war battle between North America and the USSR, you could see how much it meant to the players and that Storm team in it's black away kit just looked so intimidating as they came onto the ice and they played with such skill and intensity I honestly believe it's only in the last couple of seasons that we have reached a higher standard.

That Storm team were so good. I'd have loved to have seen that team Vs the 00-01 Steelers (I realise at least one player was in both) - probably the 2 best British teams put together of that era. Obviously quality went down after the ISL ended. Hard to judge Vs today given the game is so different, but I think this current team would now at least make games competitive against any European team with maybe the exception of top end KHL. Not saying win, but at least put up a decent fight as seen on Wednesday.

I said after the Sparta game that it was the best hockey I'd seen ever in the Arena. The Berlin game now surpasses that.