BJBlue

I used to go all the time but have yet to bother this season They play in the English Premier League which is the second tier of hockey in Britain. They overspent, went bust and reformed. Then decided that it would be better to win in a lower league than lose in the top tier so moved down.

It's looking like Gonchar has hit the age barrier at last, he's been poor so far, some awful mistakes. In fact the amount of unforced errors the Stars defence are committing is criminal, and it's the older vets rather than the young inexperienced guys. It's a good job we've got good prospects on the verge of stepping up. Happily it looks as though Ray Whitney is once again sticking two fingers up at his early 40s and playing like he always has.

Went to Phoenix a lot in the last few years, and as the only other British hockey i have ever watched was a few Storm games when i was 9-10 years old i had no frame of reference for what a game should be like live so the standard didn't bother me too much, although i felt that the game experience got steadily worse and worse. After watching NHL and CHL last season i couldn't face going back this season. They'v gotton off to a brilliant start but i have no interest in watching my team winning 12-0 week in week out. I can't think of anything more boring. At least if we were losing by a goal or just winning by a goal it would give us something to talk about, make me feel something about the result. Phoenix are too big for the EPL and too small for the upper half of the EIHL. I'l go back at some point this season i suppose. I always like going away to Sheffield.

And we're off! Some good hockey last night. Shame game centre live is blocking games that are on premier sports.

BP plays some shocking music as is (it's like listening to key 103) so this will just be shocking music that can be a focus of perving for half the stadium. I suggest instead that the stewards and police from Saturday's game come along and perform Anthrax's 'I am the law'. If they try and do this through the PA then it will fail utterly anyway. Good luck to them.

On the way home. Feeling robbed. We were poor in the first half and then the ref gave a penalty for Lanzoni heading the ball out. I didn't see what Mellor was sent off for but he was poor before hand. Second half we came out and bossed the game and took the 2-1 lead. But then defending let us down. We deserved a point today and with 11 men could have easily won. A few dives from Montano which were wasteful when he had options.

I did media at Oldham college a few years ago and this is a carbon copy of the monthly news feature we used to do. Not a critism though, I think the students have made a decent job of this.

My mate got our tickets earlier in the day and was told we've sold over 1000.

Ooo shiny new thread. Really excited for the Stars' season, think it's going to be a cracker. Devs look like they're in a bit of trouble this season, Kovy screwed you slightly there. Still think the Hawks will be the best team again, they were epic from the first regular season game until they lifted the cup. I'v got the feeling that this is the season that the Bruins will start to slide.

So training camps open tomorrow. Looking forward to a full season of hockey!

So, slightly disappointing after a very good first half. I thought Tarky was very good tonight, he seemed to spend a lot of time shouting instructions to Mellor, which was good to see. As for Mellor himself, well i don't really want to come down on him because he really isn't a centre back but it shows time and time again. I we are to stick with him there i really hope that he learns very very quickly. I'm disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Millar but by the time he had come on our play had broken down and he didn't really see the ball, the few times he had it at his feet, he was quickly pushed of it by a stronger player. Thought JCH was brilliant until he went off injured, i also thought that Rooney played a good (if subdued) game, everything that went to him was distributed pretty well. I think i needs a little bit more game sharpness though. Baxter completely disappeared in the second half, rarely noticed he was on the pitch.

Quite like it and I don't really like the home kit much so i might get this one, I wear pink fairly often anyway. Some attitudes on here seem to be stuck solidly in the past but thats not exactly shocking. To be honest i don't really care what the kits look like as long as the home is blue and white, it's the football that i'm bothered about.

Love the avatar...oh and something about whatever spare part just signed.

I think for various reasons some of us just weren't able to watch games. And lock out lurgy put a downer on things. Looking forward to the draft now, i want Hunter Skinakaruk but i think the Devs will take him at 9!

I'l just be glad of a full season that i can actually watch! But yeh congrats Hawks, deserved winners.

Agreed, when the Stars played the Hawks towards the end of the season it was something else. It looked like they had an extra man on the ice for the whole game, utter domination. Havn't managed to watch any of the games of the finals so far but watched the highlights, Boston need to knock it up a notch in game 6.

Can't be bothered doing the whole bracket, i haven't watched enough hockey this season, but i will say Pens from the East, Hawks from the west, Hawks win it in 6.

As far as the uneven realignment is concerned, the general consensus is that somewhere down the road the NHL will expand to 32 teams and sort it out afterwards

Firstly, my permanent residence is Oldham, i'm just travelling for a year. Secondly, Halifax is awesome, i was supposed to be here a month and i'v had so much fun here that it's been nearly 6! Calgary apparently isn't too bad at the moment, i know a couple of German lads there who say people are just exaggerating. It's been minus 20 here recently so i'm used to it anyway. I am going to be rocking up at the big sports bar (Bubba Rays) on Saturday for the first puck drop and il be watching every single game. They say they pick up every game in the league so hopefully they will put the Stars/coyotes game on for me. Especially since it will start around 9/10pm here and there won't be many big games on then. Yesterday i bought tickets to my first ever NHL games. Saturday the 26th i'l be in the Saddledome watching the flames v oilers and then on Wednesday 13th Feb i'l be watching my Dallas Stars take on the Flames. I can't wait.

First time i've been on OWTB for a while! It was a great weekend indeed! Couldn't believe the Latics score when i got in from work, i had heard about the lockout ending in the morning and the cup win was the iceing on the cake. I can't wait for the season top start. The best thing is that the puck drops on the 19th and on the 22nd i'm moving from Halifax to Calgary so i will be in a city with an NHL team!! Gonna try and get to some games if i can get tickets. Hopefully the Stars will play the flames early on so i can go to the game. It would be awesome to see them play live, even if it is an away game!

Winter classic due to be cancelled today

I don't know if it will help in future but you can download something called expat shield that will set up a British proxy. I use it to watch bbc iplayer

I hate the lockout. But a tiny particle of my being is enjoying it. I imagine that behind the scenes it's a bit like The Thick of It. The two and fro and reaction to events it quite interesting. I can just imagine don fehr laughing victoriously after the owners PR movements were leaked. He must have been thinking he had well and truly won the PR battle only for Bettman to public ally release a deceptively acceptable offer the day after, completely swinging opinion back in his favour. The players had to reject the offer and Bettman knew it, but to the casual fan it appears that the players are being unreasonable. Genius

So far in these polls I voted to keep him until Christmas and see where we are. The last poll before the wins I was losing a lot of faith but couldn't bring myself to vote either way. I'm glad Dickov has started to turn things around and made it so I can happily vote keep

Stars should have played the yotes tonight. Habs leafs should have been yesterday I think. Apparently it's all down to the big 8 owners. Well :censored: them and their puppet Bettman.