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LOOKING BACK  -  2011-2012

After 7 years, and nearly 500 games, between playoff championships, the Flames finally put their post season frustration to rest by winning their first ever English Premier League Playoff title to close out the 2010-2011 season.  As one might have expected from a winning side, a large returning contingent was quickly re-signed, 14 in all, while at the same time some significant roster adjustments were afoot.  Offensive stars Martin Masa and Lukas Smital moved on to Bracknell, joined by Guildford product Rob Lamey, while Slovak netminder Miro Hala also took on the search for new employment.   Spectrum’s outfit went on the hunt for some new additions and came together first with Canadian forward Curtis Huppe who was coming off a league title capture, not to mention a 50+ goal and 100+ point campaign, with Manchester Phoenix.  He was joined up front by fellow countryman Greg Chambers who had just completed a 3 year contract with Coventry Blaze.  To bolster the blue line, Slovak defenceman Branislav Kvetan was picked up from French side Dijon while James Hadfield, a young up and coming netminder who spent his first senior season with Swindon the year prior, agreed to join Mark Lee as part of the goaltending pair.

Looking to build on the playoff momentum from months prior, not to mention a nearly 20 game winning streak that closed out the season, the Flames took the ice in mid-September for a home and away challenge set against Basingstoke Bison and quickly had reality restored with back to back 4-3 defeats.  Points not counting in the standings were hardly cause for alarm, but a stunning league and home opening 4-1 loss to Telford Tigers, making it 3 defeats on the bounce, and the only time in club history that September would close without a win of any sort, was surely not part of the plans drawn up during off season preparation.

With October, however, came better news as the club rolled out 4 wins over 5 games to start the month.  They generated 15 points from a possible 20, and won all 5 games on home ice sparking optimism once again.  The club would go on to stretch the home winning streak to 12 games, ultimately dropping only 3 more opportunities all season under Spectrum lights, while matching with a solid road record that qualified for first place from the end of November.  They did not relinquish the table summit over the next 4 months on the way to a 5th league title capture that was finalised when Jez Lundin scored on home ice just seconds into overtime against Basingstoke Bison on March 18th.   That championship was noteworthy also for its other significance.  The Flames had not secured a multi trophy season in more than a decade, but by the time league’s top spot was a lock, the Cup championship flag was nearing its final destination at Spectrum thanks to a 6-3 1st leg road win over Sheffield Steeldogs just days before the league celebration.  A 2nd leg 6-2 win on home ice capped a 12-5 aggregate series Cup win, and the club’s first double trophy haul since the treble of 2000-2001.  To set up the cup opportunity the Flames had established the top table position at the end of the group round, earning a semi-final berth against Manchester Phoenix against whom a late 3rd period powerplay goal by David Savage, again on home ice, was the only difference in a 2 game series tied at 2 after 60 minutes and still tied at 4 on aggregate after 100.

With a pair of trophies in the bag, and plenty of excitement on the way to the silver, those expecting an end to the drama may have been disappointed as the playoff quarter final unfolded.  In the quest for the Treble, a goal by Peterborough Phantoms with 5 seconds left in regulation set them up with a 3-2 lead returning to Guildford for the 2nd half of the ‘win or go home’ series.  A sold out Spectrum went through the ringer 24 hours later as things got worse early with the visiting side shooting out to a 3-1 lead, 3 goals to the good on the combined score.  The league and cup winners looked headed for early playoff elimination before scoring 6 times in the final 27 minutes to recover a 3 goal aggregate deficit on the way to an 8-4 win, 10-7 combined, to lock up a berth in the playoff semi-finals.  The spot in the advanced round was a chance to not only defend their playoff crown, an effort that would be the club’s first ever repeat of a title, but also make a mark on the club’s historical record books with a potential clean sweep of the available hardware for the season.  The Slough Jets, the eventual playoff champions, unfortunately for Flames faithful, had something to say on that subject.  They erased a 2 goal semi-final deficit and de-railed the treble quest by eliminating the Flames with a 3-2 defeat, but the loss, however disappointing, could do nothing to take away from a highlight season among 20 years of activity.

GUILDFORD FLAMES REVIEW

THANKS TO ‘THE JOCK STRAP’

YOU GOT IT 1st FROM THE

MATT TOWE OPTS OUT OF GUILDFORD - News Release - 30/04/12

Flames forward Matt Towe has informed the club that he will not be taking up a new offer for the coming season.  The Sheffield native has agreed a deal with an undisclosed UK based side which ends a 2 year term at Spectrum.  He helped the Flames to a playoff title in his opening stint, while leading the club in assists with 67 and finishing 2nd in points with 89.  This past season, as part of the double winning outfit, despite injury limiting him to 42 games, the 24 year old still managed 12 goals and 46 points.  His Flames career numbers end on 139 points from 37 goals and 102 assists in 109 starts.  

The 5’10”, 180lb skater arrived in Guildford to start 2010-2011 fresh off 3 seasons with Cardiff Devils with whom he registered 64 points over the stretch.  He transferred to the Welsh outfit after spending the bulk of 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 with his hometown Scimitars.  During his 2nd season in Sheffield, before even reaching his 20th birthday, Towe bagged 26 goals and 48 assists while lifting his side just 4 points short of the league title when they finished runner up to Bracknell Bees.  

Towe’s ability has earned attention from Team GB.  The national programme selected him for Jr. duty for 5 consecutive seasons from 2004 through 2008.  In 28 World Jr. Championship games, at both under 18 and 20 levels, Towe recorded 4 goals and 21 points with the overall highlight coming in 2006 when he helped lead the side to a gold medal.  Just a few months after that, Towe accomplished a rare feat when he was also selected for GB senior representation in the same season.  He played 5 games during the 2008 world championships in Austria before pulling on country colours for another 5 games in 2010 at Slovenia’s version of the same event.  

Paul Dixon was not surprised at the interest from other clubs:

“Matt is a good forward who has accomplished a great deal even though he is still relatively young. He has been a big part of our achievements in the past couple of seasons and it is no surprise that there is a lot of competition for his service.  It is a business for players, and careers are very short, so we never blame a guy for doing what is best for him at any given time even when that decision involves a departure from us.  We appreciate the effort Matt delivered on our behalf over a pair of seasons, and we wish him all the best next year.”

Photo attached of Matt Towe in action at Spectrum during 2011-2012. Photo by Alan Bone.

For further information contact Kirk Humphreys on 01483 452244 ex 3 or kirk@guildfordflames.com

HUPPE RETURNS FOR UPCOMING SEASON   -   News Release - 01/05/12

The Flames efforts to defend the league and cup championship will include returning forward Curtis Huppe.  The Canadian skater, going back to his 2010-2011 season with Manchester Phoenix, will be working on his own personal ‘threepeat’ of the league trophy he has helped claim in back to back seasons between the Northern side and Spectrum’s tenants.  After a 110 point campaign from 59 goals and 51 assists with Phoenix, injury limited the 33 year old skater to just 39 games this season, but he still managed 31 goals, behind only Nathan Rempel, and added 26 assists for a 57 point showing.   

The 6’1” 200lb veteran embarked on a pro career in 2000-2001 with Greenville Growl and Greensborough Generals in the East Coast Hockey League.  He opened his career with a 50 point campaign before spending another 3 seasons in America, registering 94 goals and 203 points in just under 300 starts.  After a split 2001-2002 with Jackson Bandits, Arkansas Riverblades and Cincinnati Cyclones,  he found a home his last 2 seasons at South Carolina Stingrays where he had the bulk of his American success with a pair of 20+ goal stints and 113 points over the stretch.  

In 2004-2005 he made is first foreign venture when he iced with Belfast Giants.  He had an immediate offensive impact by recording 24 goals and a league leading 36 assists in 48 games.  The following season, his middle term at the Irish base, he demonstrated his range of skills when he led the league in goals with 28 as part of the Giants league championship winning run.  The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba moved on to Coventry Blaze in 2007-2008 and helped them to their own league title as well as the Knock Out Cup collection while posting 32 goals and the same number of assists.  He played back in the United States the following year in Corpus Christie, Texas, before returning to Hull where he iced in 2009-2010 ahead of the league title capture with Phoenix and the most recent Flames ‘’double’’.  

Paul Dixon discussed Huppe’s return:

“Curtis had an excellent first half of the season offensively.  While he was healthy he was one of our most consistent goal scorers on a nightly basis, and he left the line up leading the team in both goals and points.  Obviously injury put him on the sidelines for an extended period from about mid-January so he did not have the opportunity to match the last half of the schedule with his opening. We were, however, pleased with the impact that he had while he was healthy, and he showed why he has been a part of winning teams in so many different places.  He is a good character guy and he thinks about team needs rather than his own.  We always want to have experienced winners in our dressing room and we are pleased that Curtis is happy to make a commitment to our objectives for 2012-2013.’’

For further information contact Kirk Humphreys  on 01483 452244 ex 3 or kirk@guildfordflames.com

FLAMES AND SAVAGE AGREE TERMS FOR NEW SEASON

News Release

14/05/12

The Guildford Flames ice hockey club and defenceman David Savage will remain paired when the new season starts in September.  Still just 23 years old, the new term will already be the 6th of his full time senior career.    His return is an opportunity to write a bit of Flames history.  4 games into the new season, Savage will become the youngest player ever, and only the 8th in club history, to make 400 starts with the team.  The former Guildford Jr. star, in addition to his defensive duty, chipped in this past season at the other end of the ice with 9 goals and 31 points.  

The 5’11”, 200lb skater spent his first full time stint with Spectrum’s team in 2007-2008, and has iced his entire junior and senior career at the Surrey base.  His first taste of the senior circuit occurred back in 2004-2005 while still enrolled in the development side with whom he helped claim back to back national under 19 titles.   

During 396 outings, the London native has shown an offensive flare not always consistent with his position, scoring 85 goals, 28 on the powerplay and 5 of them game winners, to go with 120 assists.  This past season’s league and cup double adds to his trophy input that already included another pair of league titles as well as two Premier Cup championships and the 2011 playoff crown.  

Savage also boasts international exposure as a key member of the junior British national side at under 16, 18 and 20 levels; helping team GB to a world championship under 20 Bronze medal in December 2006.

David Savage .  Photo by Alan Bone.

Paul Dixon, Head Coach, discussed the level of maturity that he saw emerge during the course of this past season:

“It has been obvious since David was 15 or 16 years old that he had an offensive attribute to his game.  I think at one time that defined him as a player, but now he has progressed from that.  Though he did not have his top career numbers this season compared to nearly 50 points the year prior, I think we saw something very crucial happen at this stage of his development which resulted in an outstanding effort.  David has become very aware of the other valuable attributes his game can offer, and he is taking as much pride in that as he is with the offensive side.  As he matures, he is recognising that while he has a valuable offensive gift, there are expectations for more than just good looking stats, and he can be evaluated positively even on nights when his number does not show up on the offensive record.  The resulting consistent performance from night to night moved him up to the top of our rotation, and his teammates selection of him as their British player of the year is a testament to the respect he earned with his contribution to our success. We are pleased to have David back in our line up and we are looking forward to seeing his impact continue to evolve next season. ”

For further information contact Kirk Humphreys on 01483 452244 ex 3 or kirk@guildfordflames.com