2006–07 Guildford Flames season

During the 2006–07 season, the Guildford Flames played their second season in the EPIHL. It was the 15th year of Ice Hockey played by the Guildford Flames. It was to be the tenth and final season under head coach Stan Marple.

Guildford Flames
Season 2006–07
LeagueEnglish Premier Ice Hockey League
GM/Head CoachStan Marple
Home Ice RinkGuildford Spectrum
English Premier League position
EPL CupSemi-finalists
Play-offsRunners-up

The Flames made a solid start with nine wins in their first ten games to secure a cup semi-final place, but fell behind in the league after dropping points to Slough Jets and Sheffield Scimitars. Injuries to Jozef Kohut and netminder Joe Watkins then caused concern, but the final game of 2006 at the Spectrum produced a battle for top spot with Tom Annetts backstopping the team to a 3–1 victory over the Scimitars.

The New Year started bleakly. After losing only eight points in the first four months of the season, Guildford dropped nine in January. This persuaded Marple to make changes and he brought back Nick Cross from retirement and signed Robert Sobala from Solihull Barons as cover for Kohut. But Sobala lasted only 13 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

In the cup semi-final the Flames gained revenge over Slough, with Marian Smerciak's overtime winner putting them into the final against Milton Keynes Lightning. There they took a 3–2 home advantage to Milton Keynes and, in a thriller, triumphed 4–3. Marple and his men duly celebrated but it turned out to be their only trophy of the season.

Three losses in February and an injury to their top scorer, Milos Melicherik, put an end to them retaining the league title and they eventually slipped to fourth. After clinching a place in the playoff final, Melicherik returned for the weekend's games in Coventry. In a memorable semi, the Flames overcame the Scimitars 5–4 with Rick Plant scoring the winner 18 seconds before the end of overtime.

But their defeat by Bracknell Bees in the final was a bitter pill to swallow after they had lost only one of season's previous eight encounters against their local rivals.

Player statistics
Player GP G A PTS PIMS
Milos Melicherik52266793104:00
Jozef Kohut41433073195:00
Rick Plant62234871109:00
Ollie Bronnimann5830366694:00
Rob Lamey5925356042:00
Paul Dixon5912465866:00
Vaclav Zavoral54283058291:00
Stuart Potts5421315232:00
Marian Smerciak61173148154:00
Neil Liddiard6282735138:00
Andrew Hemmings521010208:00
David Savage511282048:00
Rick Skene5541115100:00
Robert Sobala13551016:00
Nick Cross1636944:00
Chris Wiggins5445962:00
Ben Duggan5753824:00
Robert Young551568:00
Ben Johnson6204424:00
Stan Marple620239:00
Joe Watkins4702222:00
Adam Hyman191128:00
Russ Plant40114:00
Tom Annetts240110:00
Simon James120112:00
Tom Horton00000:00
Matt Colclough00000:00
Michael Varcoe10000:00
Ben Austin580002:00

Netminders

The asterisk represents the fact that Tom Annetts and Joe Watkins shared a shutout.

Netminder Mins GA GAA Shots SV% SO
Joe Watkins2640:521212.74815030.9193*
Tom Annetts1109:00512.7595320.9041*

Results

Pre season
DateOpponentVenueResultCompetitionAttendance
Saturday 9 September 2006Peterborough PhantomsHomeLost 4–3Challenge-
Sunday 10 September 2006Peterborough PhantomsAwayWon 6–2Challenge-

Regular season
DateOpponentVenueResultCompetitionAttendance
Saturday 23 September 2006Milton Keynes LightningAwayWon 3–2League-
Sunday 24 September 2006Wightlink RaidersHomeWon 10–2Cup-
Saturday 30 September 2006Bracknell BeesAwayWon 4–2Cup-
Sunday 1 October 2006Bracknell BeesHomeWon 2–0Cup1,745
Saturday 7 October 2006Wightlink RaidersAwayWon 13–3Cup626
Sunday 8 October 2006Romford RaidersHomeWon 9–0League1,342
Saturday 14 October 2006Chelmsford ChieftainsHomeWon 9–3League1,438
Sunday 15 October 2006Peterborough PhantomsAwayLost 8–7League412
Saturday 21 October 2006Telford TigersAwayWon 8–5League600
Sunday 22 October 2006Milton Keynes LightningHomeWon 4–1League1,582
Saturday 28 October 2006Slough JetsAwayLost 6–4League605
Sunday 29 October 2006Swindon WildcatsHomeWon 6–1League1,314
Saturday 4 November 2006Wightlink RaidersAwayWon 8–2League524
Sunday 5 November 2006Bracknell BeesAwayWon 4–0League1,218
Saturday 11 November 2006Telford TigersHomeWon 9–1League1,472
Saturday 18 November 2006Solihull BaronsAwayWon 2–1League-
Sunday 19 November 2006Milton Keynes LightningHomeWon 3–2League-
Saturday 25 November 2006Slough JetsAwayLost 4–3League689
Sunday 26 November 2006Telford TigersHomeWon 6–1League1,242
Saturday 2 December 2006Bracknell BeesHomeWon 5-3League-
Sunday 3 December 2006Romford RaidersAwayWon 6-2League-
Sunday 10 December 2007Peterborough PhantomsAwayWon 2-1 (OT)League-
Saturday 16 December 2006Peterborough PhantomsHomeWon 4-3 (OT)League-
Sunday 17 December 2006Sheffield ScimitarsHomeWon 3-2League-
Saturday 23 December 2006Sheffield ScimitarsAwayLost 3-0League-
Tuesday 26 December 2006Solihull BaronsHomeWon 8-3League-
Wednesday 27 December 2006Solihull BaronsAwayWon 6-2League-
Saturday 30 December 2006Sheffield ScimitarsHomeWon 3-1League-
Saturday 6 January 2007Telford TigersAwayWon 4-1League-
Sunday 7 January 2007Slough JetsHomeLost 7-1League-
Saturday 13 January 2007Romford RaidersHomeTied 3-3 (OT)League-
Sunday 14 January 2007Romford RaidersAwayLost 5-3League-
Saturday 20 January 2007Peterborough PhantomsHomeWon 6-3League-
Sunday 21 January 2007Wightlink RaidersHomeWon 7-4League-
Tuesday 23 January 2007Slough JetsAwayWon 5-4Cup Semi-Final, First Leg-
Wednesday 24 January 2007Slough JetsHomeTied 3-3 (Guildford win 8-7 on agg)Cup Semi-Final, Second Leg-
Saturday 27 January 2007Swindon WildcatsAwayLost 3-2 (OT)League-
Sunday 28 January 2007Slough JetsHomeLost 3-2League-
Saturday 3 February 2007Sheffield ScimitarsAwayLost 3-2League-
Sunday 4 February 2007Bracknell BeesHomeLost 5-2League-
Monday 5 February 2007Chelmsford ChieftainsAwayLost 6–1League-
Saturday 10 February 2007Wightlink RaidersAwayWon 5-3League-
Sunday 11 February 2007Swindon WildcatsHomeWon 5-4League-
Saturday 17 February 2007Swindon WildcatsAwayWon 4-1League-
Sunday 18 February 2007Wightlink RaidersHomeWon 10-1League-
Wednesday 28 February 2007Milton Keynes LightningHomeWon 3-2Cup Final, First Leg1,232
Saturday 3 March 2007Bracknell BeesAwayTied 4–4 (OT)League-
Sunday 4 March 2007Chelmsford ChieftainsHomeLost 7-1League-
Thursday 8 March 2007Milton Keynes LightningAwayWon 4-3 (Guildford won 7-5 on agg)Cup Final, Second Leg1,026
Saturday 10 March 2007Solihull BaronsHomeWon 6-1League-
Saturday 17 March 2007Milton Keynes LightningAwayTied 3-3 (OT)League-
Sunday 18 March 2007Chelmsford ChieftainsAwayWon 5–0League-

Playoffs
DateOpponentVenueResultCompetitionAttendance
Saturday 24th March 2007Bracknell BeesHomeWon 6-4Quarter-Final, Group A-
Sunday 25 March 2007Chelmsford ChieftainsAwayWon 8-2Quarter-Final, Group A-
Saturday 31 March 2007Chelmsford ChieftainsHomeWon 2-1Quarter-Final, Group A-
Sunday 1 April 2007Bracknell BeesAwayWon 3-2Quarter-Final, Group A-
Saturday 7th April 2007Milton Keynes LightningAwayLost 5-2Quarter-Final, Group A-
Sunday 8th April 2007Milton Keynes LightningHomeLost 3-1Quarter-Final, Group A-
Saturday 14 April 2007Sheffield ScimitarsSkyDome ArenaWon 5-4Semi-Final2,031
Sunday 15 April 2007Bracknell BeesSkyDome ArenaLost 3-2Final2,223

End of Season Awards
  • Player's Player of the Year – Vaclav Zavoral
  • Player of the Year – Vaclav Zavoral
  • Top Points Scorer – Milos Melicherik
  • Most Sportsmanlike – Rick Skene
  • British Player's Player of the Year – Rick Plant
  • British Player of the Year – David Savage

References
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