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Friday, 03 September 2010

Belfast Giants ready for new season

"Get it going" - that's the message coming from the Belfast Giants' camp ahead of their tough Elite League opening weekend.

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They may have a new coach and a host of new players for the new season, but the old 'out-to-win' attitude is still there, with the team's latest additions already settled in and ready for action.

"It's been a lot of fun getting to know everybody and I think the team's coming together very quickly," new signing Josh Prudden told UTV.

"So we're just excited for this weekend - get it going!"

On Saturday, the Giants travel to Nottingham to take on the Panthers - then there is little time for recovery as they face the Devils in Cardiff on Sunday.

"Don't know too much what to expect, but I know they're a good team and we're gonna have to bring our A-game," Prudden said.

New coach Doug Christiansen will be at the helm after three seasons with the Edinburgh Capitals.

Named last season's EIHL Coach of the Year by the British Ice Hockey Writers' Association, he is not going to be resting on his laurels.

He told UTV: "Nobody's going to put more pressure on myself than me - we're gonna have a lot of fun this year and hopefully a lot of wins."

Of the opening weekend, Christiansen said: "Nottingham and then at Cardiff on Sunday - for us, that's about as tough of a weekend in the league as we could possibly have.

"We're gonna find out very quickly how good we are."

Also new to the Giants' roster are defencemen Richard Seeley and John Gleed, both looking to mark their mark as soon as possible.

"This is my first experience overseas and the city's been awesome, people have been great, really helpful and friendly," Gleed told UTV.

"It's been a great transition coming from over in Canada and I'm really looking forward to the season.

"The guys are great - we have a lot of talent here. I'm really looking forward to seeing how we come together on the ice."

Seeley added: "We had a pretty good test match last Wednesday - I thought it went well.

"We're still getting to know each other a little bit, but we've done some on-ice stuff and some off-ice training that lets us know our team mates a little bit better and it's coming together.

"We've had a good week of practise and we're excited for this weekend."

Belfast Giants new signing Richard Seeley

'Once-in-a-lifetime'

Excitement is also continuing to build for the much-anticipated Belfast Giants Selects match against NHL side, the Boston Bruins.

John Gleed is set to feature in that game, having already played against the Bruins four years ago in Montréal.

"I'm real excited - it was an honour to be picked for that team," he said.

Coach Christiansen is keen to stress just how special the event will be and how much it means to the chosen line-up.

"I think the Boston Bruins is a once-in-a-lifetime thing - it's something so special my entire family's flying over for it," he told UTV.

"I think this is something that the people of Belfast really should behold and see because it's gonna be something that will be talked about."

He added: "For a lot of these guys, it'll be the last time they ever play against an NHL team - or it'll be the first time.

"There'll be a lot of emotion for them."

But as special as that occasion will be, there is something else the Belfast Giants are looking forward to - getting back on the ice in front of their home fans at the Odyssey Arena.

"I think it should be a fantastic crowd," Christiansen said.

"Of course Coventry (Blaze, who will be the first side to travel to Belfast in the new season) and Belfast have a history going back, especially from last season going down to the wire.

"Hopefully our fans give them a rude welcome, but I think our fans should be expecting a great season - we can't wait to play in front of them."