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Review Archive
A REVIEW OF WILDCATS NEWS AND RESULTS, INCLUDING STATS AND INFORMATION FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE
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Tuesday 27th July 2010
With Coach Aldridge in Austria things still seem to be happening at the Wildcats. Russian forward Raimonds DANILICS signs for Montpellier in France and although the futures of Canadian forward Jason CASSELLS and British D-man Andy Finn are said to be undecided, a rumour kicking around for a few days says Slovakian Jozef KOHUT will re-sign.
Tuesday 20th July 2010
Ex-Wildcats’ forward Aaron NELL, who recently moved to Elite League Coventry Blaze is almost following in dad’s footsteps because Wildcats’ GM Steve NELL once played for Solihull, but probably longer ago than he cares to recall.
Young NELL said, ‘My dad used to play for the Barons in the late 1980s and only moved back to Swindon because I was born. He’s been the biggest influence on my hockey so far and even though he is the general manager for the Swindon Wildcats, fully supported me in my move to Coventry and wanted me to move there because he believes there isn’t a better team to play for in the country.
And of his future, the 20-year-old says, ‘I’m looking to develop my skating, using my size better on the forecheck and around the net and as a young player you always want to improve your play away from the puck. But I also would like to think I can play…solid in all three zones.’
Friday 16th July 2010
Talking about the Wildcats’ first opponents Coach Ryan Aldridge tells press, ‘ It’s good for them and the league that we’ve got another team coming in. I hope for Telford that they have a good year.’ Aldridge added that he was happy with how the team’s fixtures had been arranged. ‘You think if you can start playing a couple of the lower teams and get results then it sets you up,’ he commented, ‘but we have got to play everyone anyway.’
Monday 12th July 2010
Wildcats announce challenged games against Jets on 8th Sept then away on 15th Sept, also home to Tigers on 11th and away on 12th Sept.
Friday 9th July 2010
Former top scoring Wildcats forward Aaron NELL tells Coventry press of his move to EIHL Blaze: It was a goal of mine since I came back to the UK two years ago, and even more so last season. When I signed in Swindon last summer in 2009 I told the coach Ryan Aldridge that my goal was to be in the Elite League in the 2010/11 season and Coventry would be by far my first choice.’ NELL played four years of hockey in North America at Penticton in Canada and for the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Kenai and Kenai River Brown Bears in Alaska before joining the Wildcats.
Wednesday 7th July 2010
Coach Ryan Aldridge finally managed to claim the signature of Welshman Steve FISHER, which was rumoured two months ago. FISHER, a forward with the Cardiff Devils ENL team was top scorer with over two points average per game and finished third highest scorer in the league. Steve MORIA, coach with the Basingstoke Bison was known to have been after the player, as was ENL Wightlink, and FISHER’S own team.
Tuesday 29th June 2010
Wayne FIDDES (GBR), former Wildcats’ captain and stalwart D-man, who lost so much time through injury a couple of years ago, signs for ENL Oxford Stars.
Tuesday 29th June 2010
Long-serving British forward Gareth ENDICOTT, who had a season as coach of IOW Wightlink a couple of years ago, signs for neighbours Oxford Stars in the ENL under former Wildcats’ coach Ken FORSHEE. Endicott will double as player and assistant coach.
Tuesday 29th June 2010
Wayne FIDDES (GBR), former Wildcats’ captain and stalwart D-man, who lost so much time through injury a couple of years ago, signs for ENL Oxford Stars.
Tuesday 29th June 2010
Long-serving British forward Gareth ENDICOTT, who had a season as coach of IOW Wightlink a couple of years ago, signs for neighbours Oxford Stars in the ENL under former Wildcats’ coach Ken FORSHEE. Endicott will double as player and assistant coach.
Monday 28th June 2010
Backup netminder Glen JACKSON returns to ENL Romford Raiders. Jackson, who was a product of the Romford junior programme played with the Raiders before joining the Wildcats last season.
Wednesday 16th June 2010
Estonian forward Toivo SUURSOO becomes Wildcats’ third import signing. SURRSOO was selected by Detroit Redwings in the 1994 NHL Draft while playing in Russia, and has played in several other European countries most recently in Sweden.
Tuesday 15th June 2010
Coach ALDRIDGE signed his second import for the Wildcats in the shape of Slovakian forward Jozef LISKA saying the power forward will be perfect for the type of team he is building. LISKA comes from the Slovakia league where in his last season he scored a fraction over a point per game.
Thursday 10th June 2010
Most people will remember Jamie HAYES, the Cardiff-born forward who iced for the Wildcats just two years ago and who last year went home so-to-speak and signed for the Cardiff Devils. Well, he’s back!
Friday 4th June 2010
Coach Ryan ALDRIDGE said of young British forward Loris TAYLOR, ‘His skill, shots and skating are second to none for his age.’ Which is just as well because he re-signed for the Wildcats for a second year today. Taylor, at just sixteen must have broken some record for his age last season, and will still be seventeen when the new season starts.
Friday 21st May 2010
Matt FOORD becomes the latest player to re-sign for the Wildcats. Coach ALDRIDGE says he believes a second term will see the best come out of the British forward.
Tuesday 18th May 2010
So the announcement we had all been waiting for finally occurred today: Aaron NELL signed for his other, although not necessarily better, half in Coventry. Coach ALDRIDGE said he felt NELL was the best British player in the EPL last season, and it is hard to argue with that. If you look not just at his scoring figures but at the pattern there is a good argument there was an improvement over the season, which hopefully bodes well for his future. Nell set several club scoring records, possibly his best being ten consecutive games scoring a point.
Friday 14th May 2010
Joe BAIRD became the latest signing for the new season, back for a second year. D-man BAIRD ended the season at the top of the club penalty chart with 135 penalty minutes and 32 games as the leading penalty receiver.
Wednesday 12th May 2010
Welshman Steve Fisher, last seasons top scorer for the Cardiff Devils’ ENL team where he achieved an over two points per game average is, apparently, being sought out by Wildcats’ coach Ryan ALDRIDGE, and who can blame him? The problem is not only do Cardiff want to keep the player, but Basingstoke are also interested, and possibly a couple of other teams.
Friday 7th May 2020
Ryan WATT(GBR)(F) returns to the Swindon team where he iced with brother Nicky a couple of years ago before being dropped by former coach Pete Russell. The Watt brothers ended up at Bracknell last season but Ryan left under controversial circumstances part-way through the campaign and was immediately re-employed by Russell who by then was coach at Slough.
Rumour has it, Joe Baird is about to re-sign for the Wildcats for a second year.
Tuesday 4th May 2010
Long-serving defenceman Jason STONE(GBR), who spent 21 seasons with Elite League Cardiff Devils and has a wealth of experience as well as the odd bit of silverware, signed for the Wildcats. Coach ALDRIDGE described him as solid and dependable at the back.
Thursday 29th April 2010
Chris DOUGLAS became the third signing for next season which I am sure will sit well with most fans seeing as he joined the Wildcats around half way through the season and flew straight into the top ten EPL netminders’ chart with a save rate comfortably above the magical 90%, which is achieved by few over a lot of games. Coach Ryan ALDRIDGE sang his praises, as you would expect, and added that further new team announcements would be made next week. Shortly after a further release was promulgated stating that last year’s captain Lee RICHARDSON had also returned as part of a two-year contract he has with the club. So that’s four in the bag.
Friday 23rd April 2010
James GRIFFIN, just seventeen and an international to boot, is the second signing for the coming season. Can’t see too many complaints about that.
Wednesday 21st April 2010
Local press reports Jan KRAJICEK will be joining the Jets where Coach-of-the-Year Pete RUSSELL has been reappointed for another season. Apparently KRAJICEK needed housing as part of his new contract which the club wasn’t able to provide, so the Czech will be joining the Jets with accommodation and a pay rise. Coach Ryan ALDRIDGE says he expects to announce a replacement shortly.
Later in the day the first signing was announced in the shape of D-man Jan MELICHAR from Slough who played in 52 games for the Jets in what was a very successful season. Ryan ALDRIDGE said MELICHAR had been his first-choice D-man for four years since previously working under him during his championship year at the Bees. Although not a scientific comparison, or even fair for that matter, as a replacement his tally of points is about three-quarters that of KRAJICEK's, but penalties only about a third.
Tuesday 20th April 2010
Three or four clubs have already announced re-signed players, but in the Wildcat’s case the first player movement news was an announcement that D-man Jan KRAJICEK had decided he would not be available to play for the club next season. Obviously it will leave a huge hole in the defence, and it has been rumoured the Jets have shown an interest in the Czech, so it will be interesting to see where exactly he ends up.
Tuesday 13th April 2010
Aaron NELL has been named by GB coach Paul THOMPSON as reserve cover for any squad injuries. The GB team took the bronze in Poland last year and fly to Slovenia on Friday to take on Croatia, Korea, Hungary Poland and hosts in Division 1 Group B. NELL is only EPL player to be named for the squad.
Monday 12th April 2010
A few more figures to come out of the last games. Jozef KOHUT pipped Jason CASSELLS at the post for the leading assists scoring, but CASSELLS kept the better game average. Aaron NELL managed to touch the one-point-three average points per game, but CASSELLS and KOHUT were right behind and all three players were the only ones to go over the magic one point per game average. But, it wouldn’t be fair not to acknowledge Jan KRAJICEK’s magnificent showing as a D-man with a tad under a point per game. Chris DOUGLAS, unsurprisingly having picked up eight from 22 man-of-the-match awards completed the season with a save rate comfortably above 91%, which means he is placed sixth in the netminders’ chart, but placed first if you consider he faced the highest average number of shots on goal per game.
And talking of charts: Aaron NELL finished the regular season in the Top Ten British Points Scorers chart and overall Top Ten Goal Scorers chart, and higher in the Top Ten chart of British Goal Scorers.
The Wildcats also ended the season with the fewest number of bench penalties, and the highest number of games going beyond regular time.
Sunday 11th April 2010 – Playoff Final
Despite the absence of the Wildcats in the game for this coveted title, it had all the atmosphere and drama of a sporting final worthy of that appellation.
On a local level, however, it is worthy to note a couple of records, other than the semi-final for the Wildcats in itself being a first. Aaron NELL equalled Jozef KOHUT’s eight points best scoring run over two consecutive games, while KOHUT himself set a new record of ten points for the best scoring run over three consecutive games. On the downside, the fourteen rostered players (excludes WHITFIELD and OLIVER) which iced was the lowest bench of the season.
Saturday 10th April 2010 – Playoff Semi-Finals
First off was the Wildcats against the Flames and what a terrific atmosphere it was at the Skydome in Coventry. Sadly the Wildcats were outplayed by Guildford Flames, but once again the flying Chris DOUGLAS won the man-of-the-match award, for the eighth time, with some tremendous acrobatics amongst the 57 shots he faced. Aaron NELL, picked up the only two goals in a two-minute burst that, had the team been able to sustain the momentary increase in speed and workrate, would probably have produced a victory. On both occasions Lee Richardson and Jozef KOHUT provided the assists, and while Josh OLIVER and Steve WHITFIELD were thrown in the deep end for the missing James GRIFFIN and Loris TAYLOR, who are GB duty, both were obviously missed.
Friday 9th April 2010 – Playoffs Week 2
In an interview with the Swindon Adver Ryan ALDRIDGE expressed his confidence the Wildcats would put up a good showing in the forthcoming finals’ weekend. ‘I am confident my team is the best in the league right now,’ he said, ‘…we know what we are capable of.’ General manager, Steve NELL, meanwhile, was telling BBC Wiltshire: ’We’ve beaten Slough, Manchester and Guildford recently, so we’re confident.’ As he rightly points out, once you get into the finals, anything can happen. And we shouldn’t forget, Jets’ coach Peter RUSSELL recently issued a statement apologising for his team’s poor performances, and Phoenix coach Tony HAND stated he couldn’t account for his team’s extraordinary lack of opposition to the Wildcats. As for the Flames, apart from a win against the Bison, they have had their weakest results of the season in the last few weeks, so it really is a pretty even playing field, er, rink.
Monday 5th April 2010 – Playoffs Week 2
As a result of the weekend’s games against the Lightning, a few team records were equalled, and one broken, that one being Aaron NELL setting a new point’s per game record of six with his four goals and two assists. The twelve combined goals in the second leg equalled the most combined number of goals in a game, and Jozef KOHUT equalled the record set by Lee RICHARDSON of four assists in a game. Also equalled was KOHUT’s record of four goals in a game, also by NELL.
The semi-final games schedule was announced by the League pitting the Wildcats against the Flames in the first game and the Phoenix against the Jets in the second. Some hours later the General Manager of the Phoenix requested clarification from the governing body as to whether or not the proposed arrangement was correct. The Phoenix management believe that the Jets, as the highest surviving seed, should be given the opportunity to decide whether to play first meaning the announced games are out of order.
Sunday 4th April 2010 – Playoffs Week 1
What another nail-biting game it was with the Wildcats coming from behind again and then taking the lead minutes from time. Again an improvement in the result at the right time, and again interesting that three of the Lightning’s goals were on powerplays while all of the Wildcats’ goals were even-handed. There was a staggering ninety-seven combined shots on goal and perhaps more unbelievably fifty-four of them on Hollyhead. Nell, with yet another hat-trick plus the eng was a worthy man-of-the-match so you have to ask yourself if his days are numbered at Swindon. Are the Wildcats peaking at the right time with the weekend’s results and recent wins against the other semi-finalist, Manchester, Slough and Guildford?
Saturday 3rd April 2010 – Playoffs Week 1
Well, you can’t argue with that! Apart from Slough the Wildcats have the tightest record against the Lightning and although they haven’t won in six games, the goals scored against them are fewer than all other teams. But there have been two overtime losses, and now there is a draw, so things must be improving. It is also interesting that two of the Lightning’s goals were on the powerplay, while for the Wildcats it was one, and that the Wildcats came from behind and then took the lead so the draw was actually a game-saver for Milton Keynes.
Friday 2nd April 2010 – Playoffs Week 1
Under-18 GB squad announced for forthcoming world championships in Poland starting April 11th and include Wildcats’ Loris TAYLOR and James GRIFFIN.
Thursday 1st April 2010 – Playoffs Week 1
Bees’ boss Claude DUMAS said his side didn’t so much lose the fight for the last playoff place as the Wildcats won it. He added that Swindon couldn’t really afford to make a mistake in their last games, and they didn’t.
Wednesday 31st March 2010 – Playoffs Week 1
When asked about the Phoenix 10-2 defeat by the Wildcats at the weekend, coach Tony HAND said, ‘ It was just one of those games.’
Tuesday 30th March 2010 - Playoff Week 1
With the forthcoming game against the Lightning in the playoffs, coach Ryan ALDRIDGE tells the Swindon Adver,’It’s a great time for us to go in there. Out of the top four teams we’ve probably run Milton Keynes the closest and maybe it’s our turn right now to turn them over. I can’t think of a better time to play them.’ He could be right with two games settled in overtime, only once losing by three goals and a close final game. Also, apart from Sheffield the Wildcats have a goal difference at the end of the season of only five goals, less than an average of a goal a game.
Monday 29th March 2010 - Playoffs Week 1
End of season awards announced after Saturday’s game. Aaron NELL picked up the Dave Richardson Award for the Best British Player plus the Coach’s Player of the Year. Jan KRAJICEK was voted the Defenceman Of The Year by the fans, and Jason CASSELLS Forward Of The Year, also by the fans. But James GRIFFIN, at just sixteen, scored a hat-trick with Most Improved Player voted by fans, Players’ Player and Supporters’ Player Of The Year. Coach ALDRIDGE commented: ‘ Griff’s been outstanding for us from start to finish. He’s stepped into professional hockey and is the first one to listen. Both on and off the ice he’s been a professional.’
Sunday 28th March 2010 – Week 28
And so to Basingstoke where for two periods the game could have gone either way. But a minute into the third and a wheel fell off and the Bison romped to an easy victory. Chris Douglas was superb, as usual, and probably saved an even greater rout, deservedly gaining a sixth man-of-the-match award in only his nineteen games, which in itself has to be some sort of record. Young Glen Jackson came on for a short spell near the end and was tested several times, so the experience will have done him no harm.
And the Bees? Well their foe for the evening was somewhat fittingly the Phoenix who demolished them by ten goals, so the Wildcats keep their two-point lead and head to the playoffs.
Saturday 27th March 2010 - Week 28
Final weekend of the regular season and the crunch time for the final playoff spot. Wildcats faced the Phoenix at home and it should be remembered the Manchester team has never really been threatened by the Wildcats in five games, so who would have predicted the massacre of ten goals to 2. Not only was this the season’s worst defeat for the Manchester side, but it was also the Swindon team’s best result. But there’s more! A lot of team records fell too like Lee RICHARDSON scoring the most assists of the season, and no less than four players scoring five points equalling the record of most points in a game. Aaron NELL run amok pointswise with not only his forth hat-trick of the season but the best points run over 10, 9, 8 and 7 consecutive games. Also, both he and Jason CASSELLS set a new best points run over six consecutive games. The penalties department saw the fewest number and PiMs in a game and fewest PiMs on the Wildcats. And, all against what a lot of people thought was going to be the team to beat this season.
Meanwhile the Bees trounced the Raiders in what turned out to be their biggest score of the season and the Raiders’ worst, so a real night of carnage at the lower end of the table that still didn’t decide the final playoff spot.
Thursday 25th March 2010 - Week 28
Bison player-coach Steve Moria(CAN)(F) said the Wildcats will beat the Phoenix on Saturday, and the Bees will beat the Raiders meaning the Basingstoke game, the last of the regular season, on Sunday against the Wildcats will be hard and decisive for the final playoff place. Not too sure about this as the Bees face Manchester in their final game so if they lose and the Wildcats lose to the Bison, the two-point gap remains and the Wildcats go through.
Monday 22nd March 2010 - Week 28
Wildcats assistant coach Gareth Endicott, in referring to the Sunday game which gave the Wildcats a two-point gap over the Bees for the final playoff place, said, ‘It was a big result and one we really wanted. It puts us in the driving seat now and it is all ours to lose.
Sunday 21st March 2010 – Week 27
The Wildcats took the points at Sheffield making it eleven in eight games, their best run of the season, but more importantly sticking two more valuable points in the playoff bag. The Bees went down in a cracking game against the Flames which means there are now two points of clear air between them and the Wildcats, so that eighth playoff place is going to the wire.
Saturday 20th March 2010 – Week 27
Although losing to the Lightning, the three-one score was no humiliation because having previously fought two games into overtime, the two points is as good as anyone other than the Jets and Phoenix, and only once have the Wildcats lost by three goals. It might also come as a surprise to note that only the Jets have had fewer Lightning goals scored against them, and only just. So a creditable result, and although not quite spoiling the league-winning party as Aaron NELL had hoped, it did make them hold the fire with lighting the candles. On the good side, with the Bees losing to the Flames the eighth playoff place is still up for grabs.
Monday 15th March 2010 – Week 27
A few more facts and figures coming out of the weekend. The two wins gave the Wildcats their best run of home wins with four games, although were outshot in both games making that a total of 35 to 14 games. Jan Krajicek joins Raimonds DANILICS as the joint leading assists scorers although, ironically, it is Jason CASSELLS who still has the best assist average.
In the league stats, Aaron NELL still sits midway up the Top Ten British Points Scorers chart, and near the top of the Top Ten British Goal Scorers chart while Joe BAIRD remains midway up the Top Ten British Penalty Receivers chart. The Wildcats still have the fewest bench penalties, and also still lead the overtime chart with eleven games going beyond regular time, so no change there.
Sunday 14th March 2010 – Week 26
What can you say? Not only a four-point weekend, for only the second time, but it’s the Flames and Jets that take the bashing and to top it off the Bees must be feeling a bit wobbly now that things are equal on points. Jan KRAJICEK got the man-of-the-match again for the eighth time and a record three consecutive games. Bees and Wildcats’ games to play look about even, so an interesting climax to come.
Saturday 13th March 2010 – Week 26
In a very tight game, the Wildcats not only took the lead again but did it twice, and then managed to sustain the lead and come out on top. But with the Bees fighting of the Raiders in a spirited fifteen-goal bonanza, the two point gap remains. The win gives the Wildcats their best home winning streak of three games, and Jan KRAJCEK won the man-of-the-match for the seventh time.
Friday 12th March 2010 – Week 26
According to the Swindon Adver, the Wildcats’ tail is up following the thrashing dished out to the Bees and the unlucky loss to the Jets. What enhances the inclination in the tail is the first opponents are Guildford who start the weekend on the end of a 3-game losing streak, followed by a visit by the Jets against which they will be seeking revenge.
Wednesday 10th March 2010 – Week 26
Claude DUMAS, boss of the Bees says he is speechless following Saturday’s game against the Wildcats in which his side got thrashed in an eight goal shutout, but did manage to say he had no idea what happened.
Monday 8th March 2010 – Week 26
Some stats from the weekend’s games show Raimonds Danilics took over from Jan Krajicek as the leading assists scorer although Jason Cassells still has the best assist scoring average, but as far as points and goals go, Aaron NELL leads both in numbers and averages. Jozef KOHUT, though, matches Aaron NELL and Jason CASSELLS as having in excess of a point per game scoring average.
Coach Ryan ALDRIDGE in an interview with local newspaper the Swindon Adver said he was pleased with the weekend’s performances and believes the playoff can still be made.
In the league stats Aaron NELL is still at the bottom of the Top Ten Points Scorers chart, the top of the Brit chart and m id-way in the Brit points scoring Top Ten chart.
Sunday 7th March 2010 – Week 25
Away to Slough and things couldn’t have started better with a lead into the first break and then, when the Jests equalised, another lead. But things we not to be and what looked like a good goal by Lee RICHARDSON was disallowed and a tragic deflection off Joe BAIRD’s skate causing own goal ended it for the Cats in what was the twenty-fifth game where a lead was overturned. Jan Krajicek claimed the man-of-the-match award for the sixth time.
Saturday 6th March 2010 – Week 25
Despite some worryingly poor results against what is one of the weakest teams in the league, including the biggest defeat of the season at 10 – 2, the Wildcats came back with a vengeance beating the Bees with an 8-0 shutout with the most goals scored against a team this season, both new records. Chris DOUGLAS, who on top form again managed to grab an assist along with his forth man-of-the-match award. Although not ‘firsts’ like DOUGLAS’s point, it was good to see Loris TAYLOR and Gareth ENDICOTT help out with a point apiece, and especially warming to see Wayne FIDDES come up with two.
But there is more good news. Lee RICHARDSON had his best points scoring game of the season with a goal and three assists, and both he and Aaron NELL equalled the best scoring run over three consecutive games with seven points, a record currently held jointly by Raimonds DANILICS and Jozef KOHUT. And more. NELL bagged another hat-trick, his third so far, which must boost his position in the Top Ten tables when they are compiled next week.
