Devils Insider - Episode 26 - We're in Safe hands

Welcome back to Devils Insider and this week we have a Bumper edition with not 1 but 2 special guests. 

First up we have Ross Evans from Kidney Wales who will talk to us about world Kidney day and all of the fundraising and awareness efforts of Kidney Wales. 

We then have Christian Stoever join the show to talk us through his time in the NCAA and how he's found his time in Cardiff so far. 

Then Gaz and Franny analyse this past weekends Belfast double header weekend and look forward to action against the Clan and the Panthers this weekend. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Today's episode of Devil's Insider is brought to you by Minerva Hearing. Hear the cheers, protect your ears. Hello, Kroiso, and welcome to Devil's Insider, your one-stop shop for all things Cardiff Devils related. And we have got a huge show for you today. Two special guests. We'll get onto them in a moment. But first, I am Gareth Hewish and I'm delighted to be joined by Mr. Neil Francis and Franny. You've been in Belfast this past weekend. Recovered alright? Recovered, alright, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 0:31

It was um a really positive weekend, and we'll I know we'll go on to speak about that in uh in a bit, but um yeah, back in one piece, which is all you can ask for after a weekend away in Belfast.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Indeed, it is, and I hope the Red Army all got back safely as well. We're gonna get straight into it tonight. Like I said, we've got a couple of guests this week, and our first guest is Ross Evans of Kidney Wales. It is Will Kidney Day shortly, and uh we have got a great partnership here at the Devils with Kidney Wales. So we thought we'd get Ross down to talk about that partnership, to talk about Will Kidney Day, and uh for him to talk about the great work that Kidney Wales do.

SPEAKER_04 1:13

Ladies and gents, a huge welcome on Devil's Insider this week to an additional guest on the show, and that is Ross Evans from Kidney Wales. Ross, thank you so much for coming down.

SPEAKER_03 1:22

We really appreciate it. How are you? I'm really good, thank you very much. Uh thanks for having me on the pod. Uh being a Devils fan for many years, I'm super excited. Beer, I absolutely love my drop job and role with Kidney Wales as well. So it's uh it's a really great opportunity. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_04 1:34

The reason we have you down here, of course, is because it's World Kidney Day on March the 12th. So next week uh as we're recording this, and then I just wanted to sit down and have a little bit of a chat about the relationship between kidney whales and with the Cardiff Devils and the impact it has. So, first of all, start us off World Kidney Day and Kidney Wells, what do you guys do in celebration of that day?

SPEAKER_03 1:52

Yeah, so World Kidney Day comes around every year. It's um it's an opportunity to raise awareness about kidney health, kidney disease, and one of the things we really try to push with it is bust some of the myths that exist around kidney health, kidney disease. There's a huge amount of misconceptions around it, a lot of confusion. For example, one of the biggest things is that people think there is uh a cure for kidney kidney disease, which there isn't. There's no cure whatsoever. There's treatment options, transplantation, dialysis, but there's no cure whatsoever. So we use it as an opportunity to raise that awareness with a cold audience, uh, particularly individuals with uh living with diabetes or high blood pressure, they're two of the leading causes of kidney disease as well. So just trying to raise that awareness amongst the general public.

SPEAKER_04 2:32

And the relationship with the devils, how does that tie into what you guys do, not only for World Kidney Day, but but throughout the year?

SPEAKER_03 2:38

Yeah, we we started off with the partnership last year, or we had a partnership historically with the Devils, um, and then the COVID-19 pandemic sort of put a stop to that, really. And then I joined Kidney Wales five years ago almost, um, knew about the partnership, and being a Devils fan myself, as I was just mentioning, sort of thought, how can we get this up and running again? So it started up last year, um, where we had the opportunity to offer free tickets to the kidney community to attend Devils Games. So I think we had 100 tickets last season. This year, that partnership has grown into sort of the main charity sponsor, and we're massively, massively appreciative of it. Um, Todd and Katrina support everything we do, they want us to see us, get the most out of the opportunity. Um, and this year, again, we've got 120 tickets that go out to the kidney community. Free of charge, they can come along, they can have a night out. Living with kidney disease is hard. There's there's sort of no way of hiding that, but it just gives people the opportunity to come along, enjoy the game, and have some fun. And um, it amazes me how many people that I come and speak to on a game where at the start of the game they've never seen hockey, some of them. Um, asking me about the rules and the understanding of it. First period, they're too end of first period, they're talking about sort of oh, we've seen drops, uh, gloves drop a little bit, having fun, seen a few goals, devils are winning. And come the second period, they've got jerseys on, hats, um, and talking about coming back again. So uh it's a it's a real good partnership. We value it so much.

SPEAKER_04 3:54

And that impact that it has on people, it offers them a little bit of respite, a little bit of time away from being you know, involved in the whole world that they have around the kidney disease and the kidney issues that they have, and and it gives them that chance, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_03 4:06

Yeah, totally. I think that's exactly what it does, really. If you talk about it a little bit of respite, like living with kidney disease, as I just said, it's hard, it's difficult. Um, if you are receiving treatment, if you're receiving dialysis, you might be going into hospital, into a dialysis unit three times a week for four hours a session. Uh that's a that's a big chunk of your week. Uh that affects your working week as well or your ability to work. Um, kidney patients are disproportionately affected financially as well, um, particularly with the cost of living and the cost of items, cost of food going up as well now. So it does, it does exactly that. It just gives individuals that opportunity to come out, have some fun, enjoy the game, and just forget what they're living with on a daily basis as well.

SPEAKER_05 4:48

Yeah, and one of the people I feel really privileged to have got to known over the years is Summer Kanzeri, who came down from the original Kidney Wales partnership and now is a lifelong Devils fan. And I I am absolutely in awe of her in terms of how uh uh inspirational she is, how positive, always positive and up deep beat. And like you say, you know, kidney patients, kidney dialysis patients, kidney transplant patients, they go through a lot, a lot. But she always has a smile on her face and is probably the most positive person I've met. And you know, it's been great through the relationship with kidney whales that you know we got to know her really well.

SPEAKER_03 5:25

Yeah, and do you know what? I again with the individual that come along to the games, it blows my mind. I feel really privileged to be able to speak to those individuals and just hear how much they value that opportunity. For us, it's that it's a game, it's a night out. I I I have the the luxury of coming once a week to watch the Devil's game. Um, but for them it means so much and and they reciprocate that back and share it to to the benefit of the organisation as well. And some of them come back again the following season. Um, from last year to this year, we'll have people come back again. So I think it just shows how supportive the Devils have been um for the kidney community, just how inclusive they've made everybody feel as well when they come along. So you're coming along for a game, you're not a kidney patient, you're a devils fan for the night as well, which makes a big difference.

SPEAKER_05 6:06

Yeah, and you can almost put everything out of your mind for two and a half hours and you know enjoy it. And that's what um you know, Summer's mum Joanne was saying that this is her happy place because you can imagine as a parent, you know, all the worries in the world um when your child is going through something like that. But you know, being able to come to the the devil's game and you know have fun and just forget about the worries for that two and a half hours is just so important, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 6:34

Yeah, it means a lot, so it really does.

SPEAKER_02 6:36

I and I think for for me it is kind of the other side of the coin. My um um my family is a history of polycystic kidneys, um, which we only as a family kind of discovered in the mid-90s. My grandfather was the first one that they kind of found when he was much older. Um and then my my my mum had it, and now my brother and my nephew have it as well. Um so from an awareness point for for me, like I I've seen firsthand sort of what ickany disease, you know, how tough it is. Um you know, I sadly lost my mum back in 2024, and that was you know a huge part. She was on dialysis um for a good few years before the end. And what's amazing is the sort of difference between when we first found out in the 90s to now how much all the treatment has come on, um and how you know it it was amazing to see the difference in my mum when she first went on dialysis and how much that kind of helped her with that. And yeah, I just for me the devils are very special to me. So to have this partnership and to raise that sort of awareness because I've seen it firsthand is is amazing. But um, yeah, the the treatment aspect of it is is amazing, and to learn about how sort of dialysis works and what in there and for a time they was told about transplant as well, and finding out how all that works was just mind-blowing uh to me. So I guess it's a thank you for me, really, for uh keeping uh the awareness going.

SPEAKER_03 8:05

Oh, really appreciate that and and extend that thanks to to the devils as well, really. We we obviously have a great supporter base at Kidney Wells, but what the the partnership with the Cardiff Devils allows us to do is reach a far wider base. Um, you've got 3,000 people coming to a game every week as well. Um, we got access to the emails and newsletters. We ran a fundraising campaign before Christmas actually as well, because as an organization, we don't receive any financial support from Welsh government local authorities, so we really rely on fundraising come. Um and I know a number of Devils fans tipped into that sort of fundraising campaign, I'll bring the magic campaign. But to come back to the the treatment and how it's advanced, it's changed hugely over the last sort of 10, 15, 20 years. Um, so much so now that there's a huge amount of medication out there for for slowing down um the loss of kidney function as well, which is why early detection is super important. Um, again, as I mentioned, if you're living with diabetes, high blood pressure, for example, two of the leading causes, it's really important to make sure you're getting those checks with your GDP on an annual basis because they can now prescribe medication that will slow um any of that that kidney kidney loss, that kidney function loss, um, and and and stop it coming into the stages where you will need renal replacement therapy kicking in.

SPEAKER_04 9:16

Where does this relationship go now with the devils? You know, you it's it's grown exponentially really since before COVID, like you say, and you've come back into it over the last year or so. And and what do you want from this partnership now going forward, not just not just for World Kidney Day, but going into the future?

SPEAKER_03 9:30

I think we're we're already looking um ahead to next season, really. I think we we definitely as an organization are supporter base, uh, would love to see it continue. I'd love to see it continue from from a fan perspective, um, but also from a professional perspective in my role uh with kidney well. So I think it's looking at moving it into next season as well. Um support through again World Kidney Day, the opportunity to invite kidney patients along to games, whether that's more games next season as well, um, trying to spread it out amongst others who haven't attended, but certainly keep driving that message there. Um, particularly from a kidney health perspective, it's known as that silent disease. It's a condition that's not really spoken about in the public sphere very much. So doing it once or twice isn't really going to break through that barrier. So continue it and using the opportunities in the platform that were given by the by the devils in and pushing that forward a bit more.

SPEAKER_04 10:21

The last thing we'll talk about tonight, and and all three of us on the show have have some relation to kidney whales and and to to the kidney kind of community, and and then of course Gaz with his family. I myself have one kidney, and then Franny, uh, you're playing for Kidney Wales in in a charity game alongside Ross over the summer.

SPEAKER_05 10:36

Yes, Ross and I are teammates. Um we can't wait. So um, as part of the uh one of the all-stars activities, there's there's an event in Cardiff on the 6th of June, and we are both on Team Kidney Wales. So that's been put together um by Gareth Shaw, who is a Cardiff Junior devil and a founding member of Cardiff Ice Hounds. Um now, Gareth sadly lost his wife and Miffy a few months ago. Um, she was a kidney transplant patient, and um we're really doing this in her honour, you know, in her memory to raise as much money as we can for kidney whales. So it's gonna be a lot of fun, but you know, there's a serious message behind it, and we want to raise as much money as possible. So we'd love to see people down on June the 6th, but also there is a uh just giving um fundraiser as well that I will put on my socials. And uh please, if you can, uh, you know, anything helps, and uh if you could yeah, just spare us a few pennies on that, that would mean a lot to Gareth and you know to the wider kidney whales community.

SPEAKER_03 11:40

Ross, how's the skating coming along? How are you looking? The skating's coming along pretty bang average, to be fair. It's not not too bad. In terms of um uh pucking a stick, uh I haven't touched one, so um it's okay. That should be fun on the day.

SPEAKER_05 11:52

He's saving it, he's saving that touch until he's going to the net and it gets on the end of that stick and it's in the back of the net. I know, I can feel it.

SPEAKER_03 11:59

I'm gonna manifest that between now and June the sixth.

SPEAKER_04 12:02

Oh, we all are, we all are. Well, Ross, thank you so much for coming down. Like I said, we'll kidney date March the 12th. Thank you so much for the work that Kidney Wells do with the Devils. We really appreciate it, and of course, June the 6th for the charity game as well. But yeah, thank you so much for coming down. We really appreciate it. Awesome, it's been great. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

Thank you so much to Ross for coming down and talking to us. Uh, a lovely uh chat, a great insight into the work uh that Ross does. And uh now a teammate of yours as well, Franny.

SPEAKER_05 12:31

Yeah, teammate, we're raring to go for June the 6th. And uh, like I said, I'll put the you know the links to um sponsorship on the um on my socials. Um and yeah, any contribution, no matter how small or or big, would be much appreciated. You know, it's it's amazing the work they've done. And you know, we've witnessed it firsthand with some you know uh well from the partnership they've gone on to become big devils fans, like I mentioned, Summer, uh, and obviously raising money um for um the memory of Miffy Shaw uh on June the 6th. So um yeah, uh very worthwhile charity, and they do absolutely amazing work for people who have it very tough.

SPEAKER_02 13:13

Indeed. Great cause and uh great interview as well. Thank you to Ross for joining us. So Ryan, let's get into it. You uh mentioned at the top of the show, really positive weekend, uh both on and off the ice, uh, I believe. Always a great weekend. I know, despite my reservations, which I talked about last week, but the boys proved me wrong and put in two great performances. Uh, you were there, uh I sadly wasn't. Talk us through it. What was it like? What did you like? What was good, what was bad?

SPEAKER_05 13:44

Yeah, I mean, Saturday um was an exceptional game. I thought the Devils were fantastic from start to finish. Um, great following from the Red Army, uh, again in massive numbers over in Belfast. And uh, you know, I saw lots of comments on social media about how you could just hear them right throughout the game. I think that really carried the team. Uh, and the team did respond massively, and uh none other than Ryan Barrow, who was absolutely incredible in that game. He he really was, he was unplayable and was rewarded with uh the first two goals. I mean, if there was a negative from that game, it was conceded twice in the last minute of a period, which is you know a bit of a no-no. But what what um out of that, which could have been a negative, you know, taking the momentum away, the guys just came out for the next period and you know, started off um with great tempo and uh it just played the right way, and it's what we saw pre-Christmas. Um, it was that intensity, that relentlessness right the way through the lines. Um it it was it was great, and you know the the frustrating part is where has it been for the last few weeks, but um that's kind of crying over spilt milk now, I think. But it was uh it was a timely reminder to the team themselves who have looked underconfident um and the fan base and everybody that you know this team is something something special and can play against any team in the league, and uh they certainly proved that on the on the Saturday night.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

I liked as well on the the Saturday night that we just kept ourselves ahead all the time. And I think when we've got a lead and teams uh have we sort of invite them to break us down, that brings out a little something in us, it brings out uh uh a competitiveness, it brings out our bit of nasty edge to it as well. And across the weekend, I really like the scrums around the net and the little individual battles that were going on. I think when we engage in that sort of stuff, it it does sort of galvanize us.

SPEAKER_05 15:47

Yeah, and we we've talked about that. We've talked about the um that the devils play best when they kind of get into that. They drag the other others into a bit of a scrap, and that happened. There was lots of scrums and incidents and you know, some huge, huge hits in that game. Uh both sides giving it out, and our guys you know took it, bounced back up, they gave it some more. And yeah, it was it was just a really good positive performance, and it was a good reward for that traveling fan base, and everybody was buzzing after the game, saying that they were a bit um not nervous, but apprehensive. Apprehensive going into the weekend, thank you. Um that there wasn't very high expectations of the performances that we were going to give the weekend against the Belfast team that have been rolling so well, and but that was unfounded because the guys really did go out and prove a point.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

I think it's important as well to print a performance because I think there was maybe a perception creeping in around the league that this top four this being quite close together, the devils were kind of floating away as the worst, the weakest of those four teams. And I think this weekend was a timely reminder to everyone as we creep towards the playoffs that that's not the case at all. I I don't think there's much between these four teams, and I think each four teams have something a little different to the other that that makes them what they are.

SPEAKER_05 17:17

Yeah, and I think at the start of the year it was the devils who were in the driving seat on that, in terms of who the other teams would least like to play, and then as the year went on, you know, we know that runner form has kind of flipped that around, but by putting in this timely performance, I think it was a good nudge to to those other teams to to say, well, you know, we we definitely can't take take them lightly. Um going on into Sunday now. Um the one disappointment from the weekend for me is not getting the two wins. That I mean if we get the two wins and and drag it to within a four-point gap on Belfast, who knows what would happen with them going to is it Sheffield on the football, then back to back Glasgow Games, then Nottingham doubleheader at home. There could have been a big wobble, but I think you know, getting themselves those those two points on Sunday, it makes it, you know, it it we it's been tough for a while, but it made it it makes it even tougher now as games are running out, um, and it would need to be uh an implosion from Belfast, I think, for us to catch them. But you know, you never say never. But um, yeah, it was it was another good performance, it was another big effort across the board, and I think you know fans really appreciated that. It didn't go our way on the night, and I think the difference was there was a couple of key mistakes not clearing our zone a number of times um that led directly to goals. Um yeah, it was I think I think one of them was off the back of a non-call, the one that ended up injuring Mark Richardson. I mean, I every every game you see a stick on skate contact where a player goes down, it's automatically called, and it was a dangerous distance from the boards. I didn't like it. I think it was Conway. Um and Richardson was obviously clearly hurt, and to rub salt in the wounds, they walk out the corner and and score that goal. I thought that was really um unfortunate. And uh yeah, it was the the the devils then were were chasing the game a little bit, but one massive positive we have to mention on that Sunday game was Riley Brand. He took off where Ryan Barrow left off and was just absolutely dominant. Three absolute pearls of a goal. I don't know if I've seen a more clinical hat-trick than those three goals.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Oh, absolutely, it's um uh a man in full flow, a man in confidence, the composure for all three finishes I thought were were electric, and uh it seemed like him and uh Christoph Kontos had really had brought that sort of understanding that they had uh a few weeks ago back to the four. They'd probably be broken up in the last couple of weeks. Brandt's been put here, there, and everywhere. Contos missed last weekend, and I I thought they had uh a real good gel uh there on the weekend. Condos with two assists, I think. Three assists on all three goals. So there we go. And that pass for the the second goal was absolute sublime, took five Giants players out of the game.

SPEAKER_05 20:26

Yeah, it was a team splitting pass, wasn't it? And you know, big shout out to Christoph Contos and his wife. Um that they just gave birth to their first child, so that's why he was missing last weekend. Um, missed a few training sessions this week, understandably, but then did manage to train later in the week and was able to travel later than the team to give him as much time at home as possible. But I thought he gave an absolute great performance, especially off the back of I'm sure, not much sleep and such an emotional event, a huge event in his life. Um, and I thought he really, really played his part, um, especially that that Sunday game link linking with uh Riley Brent.

SPEAKER_02 21:07

And it was kind of heartbreaking to score that fourth on Sunday for me with uh 12 seconds remaining, pulling the goalie, getting that goal, and it just felt like a little what if, I suppose. But I also enjoyed the fact that we battled right up to that last buzzer, and with 12 seconds left, I think there was a little inkling of belief in in the boys and the fans that you know why not maybe we could get that last goal, and maybe that is what we'll take away from this weekend that this these performances have instilled a little bit of belief back into everyone.

SPEAKER_05 21:41

Yeah, and I think that last sort of 12 seconds or or before that, getting that goal of 12 seconds, that um summed up the uh the willingness on the weekend uh to to really go for it and you know, not thinking right, the empty net goal, that's our speed, we're two goals down. With you know not much left in the game, you know, to go out there, push for 12 seconds, and then have another go at it with 12 seconds to go. Um, it yeah, that showed the determination that was on show this weekend. So you know, I was really pleased for the guys. You know, we we know that they've been lacking in confidence, but you know, they put up nine goals across the weekend. We win the two games on aggregate, so great, great practice for the playoff uh format. Um, but uh yeah, I think it was uh a nice boost for for everybody. Disappointing not to get that second win, but it wasn't from a lack of effort.

SPEAKER_02 22:34

Indeed, it wasn't, and also the uh a little tinkering of uh you know tactics as well from Tom with McLean came back in and big stick tap to him. He's kept himself ready uh for the for the last few weeks, and uh I thought it was he gave a really good account of himself, and I think he's uh been a really positive addition around around the club and and the way that he sort of handled not playing and things. And it was good to see him get his chance, and I thought he played well across the weekend.

SPEAKER_05 23:05

Yeah, he's been a great teammate since the day he got here. Um, you know, it must be frustrating for him not getting as many games, and you know, you would think, especially you know, look at our injuries last year, that he would have had much more opportunity than he's had, but he hasn't. Um but then you know, to be called in on such a big occasion against the league leaders, um, and he started in there, and I thought he had a great two games, really, really solid. Um, it gave the devils a chance to put Evan Mosey on the wing. And you know, Mose has looked a little short of confidence lately. And I think it was uh you know quite a smart move to get him up there playing a different role just to get his feet moving and maybe get some of that confidence back as we as we go into the stretch here. Uh, then with the injury to Mark Richardson, you know, Mosey was able to step back on D and you know, back to six D men, so he showed the value of his versatility across the weekend. Um yeah, I mean it it is tough when you get left out, same as it would have been for Ben Davis on the Saturday night, but he jumped in on the Sunday and made it a good account for him. You know, any guy that's left out is going to be disappointed, but it's how you respond when you get given the opportunity again. And you know, yeah, like you say, stick tap to McLean for um for stepping in and just being ready to respond for whenever he got the call.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

Talking about great teammates, uh we have another one lined up on the pod, and this is a guy who we've been trying to get on all season because we've heard so much about him in the the locker room and then the personality he is. And uh, this is another treat for you devils fans after a Belfast doubleheader. Mr. Christian Stover joined us on Insider.

SPEAKER_04 24:51

Ladies and gents, a huge welcome on Devil's Insider this week to our latest guest, and that's Christian Stover. Christian, thank you so much for coming down. How are you doing? You okay? Yeah, I'm great. Thanks for having me tonight. We really appreciate you coming on the show. You you we we looked down the list of all the guys we've had on this season, and you're one that has been fairly high on our list throughout the year. We've heard how much fun you are in the locker room, so we've wanted to have you on and to have a bit of a chat. But um, I want to start by saying, you know, you we're nearing the end now of your first season in Cardiff. How have you found yeah here in here in here in South Wales?

SPEAKER_00 25:18

It's definitely been a first year of a lot of emotions, um, especially with my first time playing pro and first time ever touching uh European soil. So I've never been across the Atlantic Ocean, so just up and moving here all in one go is a pretty big jump for me in my life. But um, it's been pretty good so far.

SPEAKER_04 25:36

The jump to pro, you know, you you you played NCAA and before that you were USHL. How have you found that? It's it's it it how different is it from playing back home in in North America?

SPEAKER_00 25:45

Uh the the ice sheet definitely was a bit of an adjustment at the first couple of weeks with the uh the wider uh broad there, but um it's been good. It's a bit easier to play as a goalie. You don't need to move as much, but uh when you do, you you're able to slow the game down and kind of break the ice up in into two halves right down the middle, and um it's it's been good for me.

SPEAKER_04 26:08

And and what kind of differences have you found living in Cardiff compared to tobacco in North America?

SPEAKER_00 26:12

Uh aside from the driving, uh Fran 8, um I had 500 pounds in fines my first month, but um aside from the driving, it's been I like it. I I'm originally from New York City, like Long Island area, but uh I like the the busyness of the whole city and you're able to walk out of your apartment and immediately be looking at people. It's not like the US where you have to get in your car, drive 10-15 minutes away, and then you see eight people at a coffee shop, which is Starbucks, so all you're able to try good coffee at a bunch of different places here.

SPEAKER_04 26:44

I want to ask you, Todd Kelman joked earlier this season about how the fact that it's the first time in years the Devils have signed someone from Bolden Green, and that's where you spent your time in the NCAA. How did you find it? What was that experience like? How did you end up there? And and yeah, what memories do you have of it?

SPEAKER_00 26:58

It's very cliche, one of the best four years of my life. Uh yeah, I mean, just a lot of stories I'll I'll keep to myself, but um I know it was the greatest, it was a great time. Met my best friends there, uh, a lot that I still keep in contact with, even with the time change and all that. But uh, I was originally supposed to go to school in Merrimack College uh in Boston. So um my family lives in Michigan now, my brother lives in Texas, my mom lives in New York, so we're kind of all over. Uh in my junior career, I was on a bunch of teams. You can probably look up the elite prospects and think, do you have it up right now? Yeah, Franny's looking at it right now, but so don't worry, your fingers scrolling through it. But um no, I so I bounced around a little bit in junior hockey, and I I knew I wanted to stay a bit closer to home uh and my friends and family in Michigan, so that's why I decided to make the move to uh Bowling Green, and which is only an hour and 20 from my hometown.

SPEAKER_04 27:57

Your game developed a lot while you were there, and and and you you can see that through the numbers getting better year on year. How did you feel you grew not only uh as a net minder but as a person as well while you were there?

SPEAKER_00 28:07

As a person, a ton. I you you're playing with older guys all the time and you're kind of forced to kind of grow up in a way. Like I lived, I moved out of the house when I was 17 and immediately playing with 21-year-olds after just playing the U16 bracket where everyone's 16 and not having their first kisses yet, and a bunch of stuff like that, and uh immediately just hearing a bunch of crazy stories uh from these older guys. But um, no, I mean, hockey-wise, uh at each level I've gone to, the hockey's just gotten faster, uh, better skaters, better shooters. And it's definitely helped me uh just kind of mature um off the ice where you kind of have to take things seriously at a given point. But it's also taught me not to take it as seriously as much. And I've learned that I play my best hockey when I don't take it as seriously. So that's why you'll see me in the locker room messing around a little bit more, and and then I need to dial it in at times. But yeah.

SPEAKER_04 29:05

I want to ask you a little bit actually about about you know the the the more fun side, shall we say, of your game. And and one story that that's come out of the change room this year, uh, it was was your relationship with Tomo and how you guys have probably quite a unique relationship. You like chirping each other, getting on each other's case. Where's that come from? And and and how do you find it?

SPEAKER_00 29:22

I I don't know. I honestly because I I've never chirped ahead coach in my life before. I I don't know if he just has that fatherly feel uh with me and him. Like I seriously I cannot tell you. Um I think it started with like a peanut butter joke where he's he's like a clock where him and Nicholas just always at the same time every day before and after practice, grabbing their coffees, and especially Tom, although I don't know if I was just in a good mood that day or if he was always giving me crap, but I threw like a oh another peanut butter sandwich for you, and he like he just kind of looked at me like stunned, like did this did I just say that? But um no, it's just the joke that kind of stuck, and I feel like I've kind of branched out into more areas that I feel like I need to be careful with at times. And even him, he'll joke around and be like, Oh, like you're you're not playing this and that. And when Bouncy was hurt, he was saying like bouncy, when are you coming back? Uh like yeah, like um no, but it's it's been a good relationship, and uh they've been great coaches so far and off the ice as well with certain things that I've been dealing with uh at times, and they've been making it a comfortable transition for me over here.

SPEAKER_04 30:33

You come into that locker room, and you you talked about how this was your first time coming over to Europe and to playing uh pro hockey. How did the move to Cardiff come about? Did you know much about not only Tomo and the Devils but the elite league generally before you came here?

SPEAKER_00 30:46

Yeah, um I think it was after my college, my senior year of college. I I'm not sure if I had signed with the AHL team with the penguins yet. Uh and I remember I at least check my my Instagram each day and I see a request, and I'm thinking, well, is this gonna be the nice looking girl? But no, I see uh yeah uh no, and I see uh Franny's face, I'm like, oh this will do. But I um I I clicked on it and I mean yeah, it was like an essay of a paragraph I had to read, but it was um it was obviously like uh just a little bit about Cardiff, like what my next move was if I was even gonna be playing uh in the fall coming up, and we just we connected and I learned a little bit more about Cardiff. I reached out to teammates that had played at Sheffield, uh different teams around the league, and they all said great things about Cardiff, not a single bad thing. And the um they were like, You'd be dumb if you didn't take Cardiff. They don't offer uh a lot of uh non-experienced pros, um, especially goalie. So I knew I knew it was something to explore, and I'm happy I did.

SPEAKER_04 31:57

Yeah, good job, Franny, on sliding into DMs. That's that's a good benefit. Um I want to ask you a little bit uh since arriving in Cardiff of sharing a net with Ben Bounce, and he's obviously a guy hugely experienced, legend here in Cardiff. What's it been like playing alongside him? He's a guy, obviously, you're a young guy, he's an older guy on this team, and so what what experience has that been so far?

SPEAKER_00 32:17

No, Bouncey's been great. Uh he's been a great mentor on and off the ice, where he's always telling me certain things, certain techniques, certain uh just reminders and helpful things just with what Coventry rinks uh will do, let certain balances happen because every rink here is a different dimension somehow. But um, no, he's been great. He's been uh again, I had no clue who many people were in this league, uh just not really ever looking into the European uh demographics here. But I uh he's been great, and obviously he's been having a great year so far, and I feel like we've had a good relationship uh on the ice, just pushing each other.

SPEAKER_05 32:58

Yeah, so one of the interesting things in the summit, when we're looking at getting a goalie, quite often the fact that Ben Bounds has been with the Carliff Devils for 10, 11, whatever years is off-putting to them because I I guess people feel they may not get a fair run at the net. And um, you know, we have spoken to some high-level goalies that have not come for that particular reason. And I don't know if you remember me speaking to you about this, and I said, you know, we we have the Great Britain goalie and he's been here a while. You know, how do you feel about that? Because you know, you have to be sure that somebody is comfortable. And the answer you gave was one of my favorite answers. And you said, Look, I realize I'm coming out of college into my first year pro, whichever team I play on. Um, I'm gonna have to battle somebody that's more experienced than me. So why not in Cardiff? And I I really like that answer, so well done.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

Yeah, no, I know. I I knew that's what you wanted to hear, but you played me, yeah. Yeah, no, and uh again, Phil Osaire, who's uh I believe with the Detroit Red Wings now, um some type of director role. Uh he played here for three years, I believe, and again said great things. Um and honestly, if like if I am gonna share the net with someone, why not let it be someone that's obviously like overly qualified and has done a lot of achievements so far, like like Bouncy has done. So um again, he's been great in teaching me things every day.

SPEAKER_05 34:21

Yeah, so there was another link, like uh Stove said, that uh Philosaire, who is a great netminder for the Devils for three years. Um I believe he coached you as a young kid.

SPEAKER_00 34:34

Here and there with the with the team USA stuff and like the the national camps, I believe, in Buffalo and uh just little things like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:43

I want to talk to you a little bit, uh Christian, about your your style of netminding. You're probably one of the best puck handling netminders that I've I've seen in Cardiff. Um who did you kind of model after growing up and where does that kind of confidence with the the puckety stick come from?

SPEAKER_00 34:59

I um a lot of uh a lot of extra work with my goalie coach and I guess friend now, um Eric Shar back in Michigan. Uh and I I wouldn't say I modeled it after anybody in the NHL. I just he was always just instilling puck handling with us. I'm not sure why. I because I'm I I don't even think puck handling was like that big uh at the time, especially for a 10-year-old, 11-year-old. Uh I'm always thinking like, why is he teaching us this? And just an annoying skill to have. But um I love that I'm able to handle the puck the way I am, but it's gotten me in some heat here and there, uh, just like that Dundee game. And I know some fans have let me hear it on Twitter and all that, so I try not to look. But um no, I I just I try to keep uh keep the plays easy for the D. And if I am able to get out there and stop the puck, set a play, I I know it in the long run, it does help with our uh D-Man just break it out and hopefully get a goal or a rush.

SPEAKER_04 36:00

In recent weeks, and and you kind of joked that Tom was been saying, oh when Webble Bounds would be bad, but you have kind of because Ben Bounds has been out injured, you you've been the devil's starter in recent weeks. And how have you found that how have you found jumping into that role from one where you were sharing the net now to where you're the guy?

SPEAKER_00 36:14

Uh it was pretty familiar territory. I I played a lot in college, uh, even before that. Uh my last two years in junior hockey, I I started a lot for the teams that I did play for. Uh and it was kind of it was nice to be able to you stay in a routine, like you know, you kind of have like you're able to take the pressure off of you throughout the week and not really wonder like what the deal is gonna be for the weekend or what game you're gonna get. Like you just know, okay, I gotta be ready for both games here, take care of your body. Um and so it was it was nice uh to be able to get that stretch of games here in a way, but uh definitely balancey came back at a good time because like you start to feel it at a certain point. And even when I was out with uh my sprained ankle and and he was going for a lot of games, I was I kept saying, like, I gotta get back because I I know he's probably feeling it, and obviously he he went down with that groin injury. Like I think the first game I I did come back, which was unfortunate, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

One thing that I love about a goalie is a goaltender mask. Can you talk us a little bit about your design this year? I think there's a bit of a Harry Potter vibe on yours this year. How much thought you put into that in the offseason, and have you got any previous designs that you were a fan of?

SPEAKER_00 37:28

Yeah, um I've I've always put a movie character or theme on my mask. So I had like Nightmare Before Christmas uh for two or three years. Like I would always just switch up the whatever team I was playing for. Uh and then I said I thought I was gonna run with that. I I always liked Cam Talbot and how he had the the Ghostbusters theme, and he always just kept that theme, but different design, different layout, and all that. But I realized okay, I'm not that big of a fan of this movie anymore. And I switched over to uh Spider-Man. I had uh one year at Bowling Green, and then this year I was just like, okay, I'm moving to United Kingdom. I I have to put Harry Potter on there.

SPEAKER_04 38:09

So have you got any any thoughts on next year's one yet? Have you given that any any thought?

SPEAKER_00 38:15

If I do come back here, I I've been thinking about Peaky Blinders. Um there's one I'll be right up top of the street. Yeah, that's why, because whenever we're passing, and I think that this is another thing I was joking with Tomo about uh in Birmingham because that's where he's from, obviously. And um, I was just giving him a little bit of crap about the he's not actually uh Peaky Blinder, but because he was saying his mom was protected by them. Or I don't I don't want to send the wrong I don't want to start a rumor here, but yeah, he like they are real, he was saying. So I don't know if he was just taking the piss out of the LCA. Yeah, um, but yeah.

SPEAKER_05 38:51

So you're gonna go with Peaky Blinders eating a peanut butter sandwich. Honestly, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:56

We'll get some little hat for the bench as well.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

I want to see if someone can fashion a goalie master look like a flat cap.

SPEAKER_00 39:01

Yeah, because that'll be brilliant. Yeah, with the razor blades. He was saying that that was fake though. So acting like he was running around with them.

SPEAKER_04 39:11

I do want to quickly, before we go on to the quick fire questions, ask you about um your confidence and your mentality. When you you you say you you come into games, you try and be relaxed and and and kind of loose with it. When you jump into games that that because I I think back to the start of the season and there were games that you lost, which I thought you were really good yourself. It's just the devils didn't do a good enough maybe job, but in front of you of protecting that. How do you keep your your mentality strong? How do you keep your confidence up so that when you do come into games then and you get on a roll, you can you can feel a lot better about yourself?

SPEAKER_00 39:39

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a it's a skill that a goalie learns throughout junior hockey or college hockey, and you need to realize you can only control what you could control. And obviously, like those games that you're talking about where if if I'm playing well and we're just not going or we're not on the same page that night, it's it you can't really think about the goals that we're not scoring or the goals that you're letting up. It's just about just I take it five minutes at a time, that's how I break up my periods. And if you think about it, 60-minute periods are pretty long time, especially with the stops and the starts. Um, I so yeah, I break it up in five minutes, just get to the 15-minute mark. Okay, that's done, get to the 10, that's done, get to the five, and so on. And um, just again, I'll I'll sing a little bit in my head. And uh I if you watch my feed, like I'll kind of shuffle around and dance a little bit to the song. I think we need to mic him up, then you I think we did try, and I just like it's weird. Like, again, it's I I'm not a fan of the people that they get a mic and then you just start turning into characters. So when when they did mic me up for a little bit, it was first it was like in my belly button the whole time because I kept falling down my chest protector. But um no, I I'm usually pretty quiet too. Like, I like unless if I'm talking or or yelling at Brandon S to not throw a pizza up the eyes, but no, we joke about that too, so that's not a shot at him. So anything guys you'd like to add?

SPEAKER_02 41:09

Uh just uh just when you were talking then about you know you're moving your feet and you're trying to get into it. I think one of the best or memorable moments of this year was you playing up to the crowd when you were on the screen with the whole boos and then the yees, then the boos, then the a's, and I just uh you seem to enjoy yourself during that little time.

SPEAKER_00 41:29

Yeah. Um no, I because that uh I've never seen that be like I've seen it before, it's and I've never been part of it. And I think that was pretty early on. That was October, I want to say, or November. And uh, I don't know. I don't know if I I didn't want to seem arrogant or like I was like too cool for it. So like I just I that was the first thing I did, and um yeah, I've I've seen some videos going around, and yeah, it was a good moment.

SPEAKER_05 41:53

I think my favorite moment might have been the penalty shootout where I think you thought it was three shooters, didn't you? Yeah, so what I was three, yeah. So we went to Sally and then saw the bench just sitting there and kind of like pulled out of it, and then even when you saved the fifth shot and we did win, you were very mute for that second order, just to try to make sure.

SPEAKER_00 42:14

Yeah, no, I mean, yeah, that's exactly how it happened. So because I remember I kept wanting to do the uh the fishing celebration and do it towards Jimmy and reel him in, but I just yeah, I didn't want to look stupid if it was too early, and then they come down, they win it, and now I just looked like like a big dummy just celebrating too early. So you can say the one for the for some point between now and the end of the year, I think uh you'll be safe on that one. Yeah, I mean I gotta stop one and not do what I did at Nottingham.

SPEAKER_04 42:40

So yeah, fair point. Yeah. The last thing we're gonna do tonight with you is the 20 questions, the quick fire questions. We do it with everybody, and I always say you can give reasons, you can give explanations for your answers. You don't have to if you want to just say your answers as they are. We can run with that, but here we go. So, Christian Stover, your 20 questions. Your favorite singer or music artist?

SPEAKER_00 42:58

Right now, Zach Bryan.

SPEAKER_04 43:00

You've got a favorite Zach Bryan song.

SPEAKER_00 43:03

I mean, it's pretty typical revival. Yeah, I get choice. Good memories with that one. Your signature dish when you cook at home. I've been cooking a lot of uh zucchini and broccoli this year.

SPEAKER_04 43:14

Your favorite place to eat out in Cardiff.

SPEAKER_00 43:17

Matsu Dai Raman. Uh yeah, Rossetti showed me that one. Yeah, I read it, yeah. Rossetti, if you need a place to go eat. Uh what is your favorite of the four seasons?

SPEAKER_04 43:29

That's a good one. Uh fall.

SPEAKER_00 43:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:32

Uh who is your best friend in hockey? It doesn't have to be a devil, it could be anyone.

SPEAKER_00 43:36

Uh Sally Vola, one of my one of my goalie partners uh at Bowling Green for four years. Your favorite TV show. I don't know. I I'm notoriously known for not watching TV shows just because I need to watch it with someone, but um You're gonna sit on the peaky blind des judgment. I don't want to say that one either, no, uh probably uh Punisher. What is your game day routine?

SPEAKER_04 44:01

Take us through a day in the lead up to a game.

SPEAKER_00 44:03

I'll I wake up uh around 9 30. Um I'll just I'll sit there for 30, 40 minutes, just get the news on the phone. Um I'll drive to the rink and just whatever, switch into workout clothes here. I'll go upstairs, I'll ride the bike until I play free bird. Um I'll play free bird, and as like the guitar kind of slowly ramps up, I'll put the I'll adjust the speed or whatever it is, just a bit higher, a bit higher. So by the time it's like full on is going, it's uh it's hard to pedal, and like you're just kind of sweating your dog in it, but um whatever. I'll come down, shower, go home, make four eggs, toast, make my pasta, save that for later, take a two-hour nap or so, wake up, eat, and then come to the rink. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 45:01

Probably the most specific game team routine we've ever had. That's my favorite so far. Yeah. Um, what is your favorite rink away from Cardiff to play at around the elite league?

SPEAKER_00 45:11

I know I said Guildford earlier in the year. Just I think I was asked that question in October or November, and I didn't really have an answer. I just always played well there. But uh I would say Nottingham's rink is pretty good. Uh Sheffield gets too hot, where I'm always sweating, and it's like it's you're changing shirts and you're cramping up. I haven't played at Belfast yet. Um yeah, there's a couple rinks that I haven't played at yet. At Glasgow, I haven't, um, but probably Nottingham. Uh, which NHL player do you most enjoy watching? Player or golden? Either. I was a big I was the biggest uh Marc-Andre Fleury fan. Uh so I'm sad to see that he just retired, but uh Celebrini is pretty pretty cool to watch right now.

SPEAKER_04 45:56

I can see the similarities with uh with Flower as well in your approaches. Yeah, um what was your first car? Forward fusion hybrid.

SPEAKER_00 46:07

And did you crash your forward fusion hybrid? No, but wait a jinx meeting no, I've never been in a car accident. Good man. Did you get a lot of tickets in that week? Actually, my whole yeah, so my whole driving career in the United States, I've only gotten one ticket, and it was because I had uh an expired license.

SPEAKER_04 46:24

Best moment of your career so far.

SPEAKER_00 46:28

Oh, there's a lot. I mean, I really just enjoy the certain relationships that I've gotten. Like I can say a certain big win or a certain moment in overtime, but a lot of the relationships that I've been able to hold and continue to cherish uh to this day, I'd say.

SPEAKER_04 46:47

What is your go-to karaoke song?

SPEAKER_00 46:49

Iris, uh Google Dog.

SPEAKER_04 46:51

That's a fabulous choice. I'm all about that. Uh do you prefer the devil's black, white, uh, red, or green jerseys?

SPEAKER_00 47:01

I really like the red ones. I don't like the the black ones or the green ones. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 47:07

Your favorite sports to watch or play outside of hockey?

SPEAKER_00 47:12

I barely watch hockey, so um I I enjoy uh basketball playoffs, or uh we we we're always watching golf in the in the locker room and little highlights of that. What is your coffee order? Sadie always gives me for this, or sorry, um but uh vanilla latte.

SPEAKER_04 47:34

Um who's the best player you played with and then against in your career? Uh with I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_00 47:44

I played with Cole Sillinger for a cup of coffee quick, but um against, I don't know. There was one year where the 01 USA and TDP group, so it was just Cole Caulfield and Jack Hughes, like Spencer Knight, Baldy. Um, and that was always uh a blowout game, uh not a not for us, so it was annoying to play against them.

SPEAKER_04 48:08

I said that's quite the experience.

SPEAKER_00 48:09

Yeah. Um, do you have any fears or phobias? I hate snakes. I I'm terrified of them. Uh I lived in Florida for seven years, and you'd always see one like every two days or so. And yeah. It's another one of the snakes for the for the season.

SPEAKER_04 48:24

Yeah. Um, your favorite film Inglorious Bastards.

SPEAKER_00 48:30

Uh Big Night Out or Quiet Night In? Can I be both? I I've had a loud night since since I moved here since we have uh the Saturday Sunday game. So if I do get a night out, I'd be I'd be pretty loud.

unknown 48:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:46

And the last question: if you could change one rule in hockey or one thing about hockey, what would it be and why? One rule. One rule if you could change anything about hockey. You're in charge for the day.

SPEAKER_00 48:54

Yeah. What are you doing? Um I don't know. Actually, there's it seems pretty pretty spot on. Get rid of the trapezoids, maybe? Yeah, no, that's actually the trapezoids, actually, because I they don't have them in college. And I don't know if you you've probably done some video on me of uh seeing me in the corner playing the puck. And uh, there's a lot of times where I normally would go out and grab it in college or just before I came here. And I I've gotten a couple penalties, I think, here, and it's yeah, I always forget about it. So probably have the trip remove the trapezoid.

SPEAKER_04 49:27

Yeah, good choice. Well, that uh those are your 20 questions, and that's all we've got for you tonight. So thank you very much for coming down, Christian. We really appreciate it. Yeah, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 49:37

Thank you so much to Christian Stover for coming in and talking to us. That was recorded before the Belfast double header, which is where you heard the uh dulcet tones of Dan Raddock the asking the all-important questions. And uh Ranny, we uh were told a lot of things about Christian Tover. You obviously spent time with him uh uh across the earth. The first time I've really got to spend extended time with him, and what a thoroughly funny bloke. Just even when we weren't recording the way he is is just effortlessly kind of amusing and puts you at ease. What a what a what a great interview.

SPEAKER_05 50:13

Yeah, I don't think he realizes how funny he is, but uh you know, he's been a great addition this year. Um, you know, obviously in the locker room you can see that character, but on the ice, you know, a first-year pro to perform as he has uh is brilliant, you know, and he has struck up a good relationship with Bouncey, you know, they bounced well off each other. Um and you know, it in the games I I felt sorry for him in the games where we haven't performed at our best, he has been absolutely immense, and he's still given us a chance to win those and pulled off some saves he had no business making. Um, and you know, that that says a lot about him. And I just yeah, I just think he's he's a very talented goalie, and you know, hopefully one that is on the up.

SPEAKER_02 50:56

Indeed. Uh we talked about the double header from the past weekend, back at it again this weekend, and another trip to another country this Friday, the Glasgow clan, uh Friday evening. Another big game. Uh at this point, Ronnie, it's looking at the fixtures. This is only one of I think three away games left in the season. The rest uh are at home. So uh, you know, when you look at it like that, the devil's got to be looking at you know as much as much close to maximum points as possible in this last few weeks running.

SPEAKER_05 51:30

Well, yeah, I mean there's still a um a lot of pride at stake. Even if we say that the league is a very, very big stretch now, we don't want to finish in fourth place. You know, we want to finish as high as we possibly can. First, yes, of course, ideally, but if not, then second place. And uh to do that with uh you know the other two teams uh a couple of points ahead of us, we need to close out results like that. So um yeah, going into Glasgow is you know is always tough. They are a team that are you know they're sitting lower in the table than they would want to, but you know, they've um they they they want to move up the stand-ins, of course they do. And in the last few games, you see they're always close results. They there's been a lot of one goal losses by Glasgow, so you can you can think that yeah, their confidence is probably fairly low, and they're just looking for that one to get them on their way there. So they're always a dangerous team. They've got very good goaltending. I don't know if it'll be Aita Caglio or the new guy Sullia that will be a net, but they they've got a deep squad as well. Um they got some high, high-end talent right the way through the lineup. So it's always a tough, it's always a tough game, but like you say, the devils now have to focus on these remaining games and just try and close out with the best record we can to just see what happens, but also then to lead into the playoffs.

SPEAKER_02 52:58

And all of the playoff berths are now secure as well. And uh to me, I wonder if that helps Glasgow in the sense of it's one less bit of pressure in the back of their mind, there's one less nagging thing that they have to worry about. Of course, like you say, they want to finish as high in the standings as possible, but maybe they're not gripping their sticks as as tight as they were. Maybe that little bit more freedom will benefit them.

SPEAKER_05 53:25

Yeah, I mean that when you are down that end of the table, that is the big pressure, isn't it? That you know, if you are on a bad run of results and another team below you starts winning, then all of a sudden you can feel that pressure. But you know, quite comfortably, comfortably now with what is it, you know, nine games to go. Uh the top eight teams are set, so they know they've made the playoffs. They won't want to finish in eighth place out of sort of pride, they'll want to uh push up. So they they have jumped over Coventry Blaze into seventh. They're within what three points of Guildford Flames and you know, six points of Manchester. Maybe maybe they've even got their eyes on that uh on that fifth spot, which is totally different optic, isn't it, from finishing in eighth. So still lots to play for for them. Um, but you know, there's been some really good games against the clan this year from the Devils, uh, well, both sides really. Um, and I yeah, I'm looking forward to to seeing that one.

SPEAKER_02 54:23

Yeah, there's been a bit of needle as well, hasn't there, in the last couple of games as well. And uh, you know, it only takes one sort of borderline check to be thrown before that uh can all uh kick off again. And of course, this is the first time that we played Glasgow since Corey Nielsen left as well. So a little bit, I guess, not unknown so much, but a little bit of a different slant when a new coach is there. It'll be a different set of video being studied, certainly, by Tomo.

SPEAKER_05 54:50

Yeah, exactly. I mean, systems change is change with coaches, um, so they will be a different prospect than than we faced before. Um, so more work for the for the coaches there. Um, but yeah, like you said, it's there have been um a couple of incidents against the clan, and they have all started with some big hits or questionable hits. So yeah, it'd be interesting to see what the physicality is like in the start of that game because it I think it's been a while since we've played them, hasn't it? Um so has that all that been forgotten, or does it just take one hit to to like the touch paper again? Oh, I think hockey players have long memories.

SPEAKER_02 55:30

Uh and then moving on to Sunday in the Vindico for the start of what we have three home games in a row for the Devils. Uh the Nottingham Panthers in town, and the Panthers uh had a pretty formidable win last time uh in the Vindico. So revenge very much on the mind of the boys.

SPEAKER_05 55:51

Yeah, it was uh that was one of the the more disappointing games at home this year. Um we did go up to Nottingham after that and fought back from the two-goal game. Uh the Halgerson fight kind of reignited the Devils and fought back to overtime, unfortunately. I think it was a shootout, wasn't it, that that uh we ended up losing on them there. So, I mean that's two losses in the last two games against Nottingham. So, again, you want to put that right, and again, they are a team that is um just ahead of us at the moment. So, anytime you're playing somebody within this top four, it's a four-point swing, isn't it? So it's really important that you can get those to to finish higher as possible in the standings. Um and you know, you would expect in the playoffs that Nottingham will be there or thereabouts again. So you always want to kind of leave a marker as you move into the postseason.

SPEAKER_02 56:48

And of course, Nottingham have got their minds on that Challenge Cup final as well against the Coventry Blackers, involved across all three fronts at the moment. The Panthers, uh maybe a welcome distraction for them from a devil's perspective.

SPEAKER_05 57:02

Yeah, maybe. I mean, do they start kind of sitting out players who are borderline with injuries and um trying to give them a bit of rest ahead of that final with a trophy at stake? Who knows? But you know, it's the same with most teams. When you've got spare imports to come in, then you know they're all quality, so you're not gaining that much if they do sit with another. I know they've got a big loss at the moment with uh Malvaro, their captain, uh, who is on a long-term injury, it could be the season, maybe he makes it back for playoffs. Uh, and he's a player that has impressed me over this last couple of years. He's um not one that grabs the headlines, but uh he's one of those all-important team players, one of those glue guys that you know kind of knits the side together and lets the um the guys like your Fossiers and Chase Pearsons do their bit because you just got that reliability with him, you know, being the captain in the his uh first years in Nottingham. He's obviously got the leadership quality as well, so he'll be a big miss, but it just does give somebody else on their roster a chance to stake their claim for the rest of the year.

SPEAKER_02 58:13

Just to kind of end uh this preview of this weekend, from a devil's perspective, we've talked about the positivity coming out, both you know, atmosphere-wise and performance-wise. The guy's got to build on this now this weekend and got to continue in the same vein. We've talked about it a lot about the consistency issues with the team, but now it feels like there's a bit of a platform, a bit of a foundation built from this weekend that needs to be built on.

SPEAKER_05 58:42

Yeah, and I I'm just hoping it gives them the confidence to remind them how well they can perform because I don't think during the poor spell, I I truly don't believe it was through a lack of effort. It might look that way when things aren't going right, and you know, you always get criticized that uh criticism that people aren't trying this and the other, but I think that all stems from the confidence issues that sometimes people are trying too hard, and it in a weird way it looks like they're not. Um, so I think getting those nine goals over the weekend against a very good Belfast side, um, and just the the reminder of the way that I think the Devils do play best by getting on the front foot, especially if they can get a lead in games. Um, I think it's uh it's timely and they won't want to slip back into that patch. Now it's kind of like right, okay, turn the corner there, let's use this as a springboard for the rest of the season.

SPEAKER_02 59:42

Indeed, let's see if the Devils can do that. They will be, as we said, in Glasgow this Friday. If you can't make the trip up to Glasgow, then please join Murph on the webcast for that. And then we are back home in the Vindico when the Nottingham Panthers are in town. Again, if you can't make it to the Vindico, we'll be live on Devils TV. Myself and Franny will be on the call for that one. Thank you so much to our guests, Ross Evans and Christian Stover. We will be back for the debrief after the game against Nottingham on Sunday, and we'll be back for Insider next Wednesday. Thank you so much for joining us. We'll see you again soon. And thank you to our sponsor, Minerva Hearing, who have brought you this podcast today.