2001–02 Guildford Flames season

The 2001–02 season, was the Guildford Flames' tenth year of ice hockey. The Guildford Flames competed in the British National League.[1]

Guildford Flames
Season 2001–02
LeagueBritish National League
CoachStan Marple
Home Ice RinkGuildford Spectrum
League position5th out of 12
Findus Challenge Cup2nd in Group 2
Playoff RecordSemi-Finalists

After arguably their most successful season since their formation in 1992, the Guildford Flames shockingly ended up the season empty-handed.

On paper they should have added yet more silverware to their growing trophy cabinet after securing the triple crown in 2000-01, but head coach, Stan Marple, admitted his BNL side, packed with former Superleague stars, under-achieved.

Marple - back for his fifth season in the coaching hot-seat - was up against it from the word go. The fans had been given a taste of success and were expecting more.

But the Surrey side had strong competition, especially the league's new club, Dundee Stars, whose coach, Tony Hand, had recruited many top ISL players.

Coventry Blaze were always going to be tough, too, so Marple set about signing some big name players himself.

Perhaps his key acquisition was Finnish hotshot, Mikko Koivunoro, as Flames benefited from the demise of the ISL's Newcastle Jesters.

But Guildford had lost two veteran players through retirement at the start of the campaign. First was "Mr Guildford", Ryan Campbell, then Wayne (Reggie) Crawford called it a day at the age of 40.

Marple's new crop of players did not live up to expectations and frustrations began to show. Even returning netminder, Mark McArthur, was having a nightmare season after impressing in his debut year.

There were many inconsistent results, with Flames losing at home 4-3 to a rejuvenated Paisley Pirates, 6-4 to the surprising Edinburgh Capitals, and 3-0 to local rivals, Slough Jets.

Marple's cause was not helped when he lost Jason Jennings to a freak domestic accident - while cutting down a tree in his garden, he almost sliced off a finger.

The club's top scorer in the 2000-01 playoffs refused treatment and flew home to Canada. Though not expected back, he recovered in time to return and help Flames secure their best run of the season, reaching the league playoff semifinals.

There, though, Guildford were paired with Dundee, one of their fiercest rivals, who had won the league title. Flames lost 3-2 at home and 3-0 at Camperdown.

Player statistics

Player GP G A PTS PIMS
Derek DeCosty4741246552
Mikko Koivunoro3617476456
John Haig5622396136
Todd Wetzel4425325760
Nicky Chinn50164056104
Jason Dailey5624164058
David Smith5614243822
Ricky Plant547212863
Jason Jennings2412152714
Tony Redmond5110152530
Scott Campbell325202571
Kent Nobes2214102410
Greg Burke309132272
Paul Dixon372121422
Stan Marple365712104
Mitch Grant1865114
Rob Lamey222792
Regan Stocco2723526
Ian Defty1914522
Jason Stone1311234
Michael Plenty320222
Mark Galazzi391014
James Morgan50118
Michael Timms40000
Jamie Hepburn30000

Netminders

Netminder Iced Mins SOG GA SV % SO GAA
Mark McArthur543277180015691.3332.86
Grant King3180861483.7204.67
Alec Field0000000

Schedule And Results

Pre-season

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceCompetition
Saturday 25 August 2001Bracknell BeesAwayLost 2-0N/ABaker Tilly Challenge Shield
Sunday 26 August 2001Bracknell BeesHomeLost 6-31,830Baker Tilly Challenge Shield

British National League (BNL)

Final Standings

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Dundee Stars44404028910180
Coventry Blaze44339222711868
Fife Flyers443112122211063
Basingstoke Bison442418220115150
Guildford Flames442419119814449
Hull Thunder442319219016148
Edinburgh Capitals442023118021241
Milton Keynes Kings441723414616038
Paisley Pirates441825116125937
Peterborough Pirates441130313620825
Slough Jets44733411221618
Cardiff Devils4453819031211
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorer(s)
Saturday 22 September 2001Dundee StarsHomeLost 3-1--
Sunday 23 September 2001Milton Keynes KingsHomeWon 7-1--
Saturday 29 September 2001Milton Keynes KingsAwayLost 3-1-John Haig
Sunday 30 September 2001Basingstoke BisonHomeWon 5-31,588David Smith, Nicky Chinn, Jason Jennings, Kent Nobes, Ricky Plant
Saturday 6 October 2001Slough JetsAwayWon 6-3-Derek DeCosty (2), Jason Dailey (2), David Smith, John Haig
Sunday 7 October 2001Edinburgh CapitalsHomeWon 4-2-Tony Redmond (2), Kent Nobes, Todd Wetzel
Saturday 13 October 2001Coventry BlazeHomeWon 4-21,683Derek DeCosty (2), Kent Nobes, Jason Dailey
Sunday 14 October 2001Cardiff DevilsAwayWon 7-21,953Todd Wetzel (2), Kent Nobes, Nicky Chinn, Regan Stocco, Derek DeCosty, Rick Plant
Saturday 20 October 2001Edinburgh CapitalsAwayWon 7-6 (OT)--
Sunday 21 October 2001Dundee StarsAwayLost 4-2--
Thursday 25 October 2001Coventry BlazeAwayLost 3-2 (OT)1,604Rick Plant, Todd Wetzel
Saturday 27 October 2001Hull ThunderAwayLost 3-2-Jason Dailey, Greg Burke
Sunday 28 October 2001Fife FlyersHomeLost 6-3--
Saturday 3 November 2001Paisley PiratesAwayLost 4-3 (OT)-Todd Wetzel, David Smith, Greg Burke
Sunday 4 November 2001Cardiff DevilsHomeWon 5-0-Derek DeCosty (2), John Haig, Rob Lamey, Greg Burke
Saturday 10 November 2001Basingstoke BisonAwayLost 3-1--
Sunday 11 November 2001Slough JetsHomeLost 3-0--
Saturday 17 November 2001Peterborough PiratesAwayWon 6-1--
Sunday 18 November 2001Peterborough PiratesHomeWon 5-2--
Saturday 24 November 2001Milton Keynes KingsAwayTied 3-3--
Saturday 1 December 2001Peterborough PiratesAwayLost 4-3-Todd Wetzel (2), Derek DeCosty
Sunday 2 December 2001Paisley PiratesHomeWon 5-4-Todd Wetzel, Scott Campbell, Mikko Koivunoro, John Haig, Derek DeCosty
Saturday 8 December 2001Fife FlyersAwayLost 7-3-Derek DeCosty, Todd Wetzel, Tony Redmond
Sunday 9 December 2001Edinburgh CapitalsAwayWon 9-2-Derek DeCosty (3), John Haig (3), David Smith, Todd Wetzel, Mark Galazzi
Saturday 15 December 2001Paisley PiratesAwayWon 6-3--
Saturday 22 December 2001Dundee StarsHomeWon 4-3 (OT)--
Sunday 23 December 2001Milton Keynes KingsHomeWon 7-0--
Saturday 29 December 2001Fife FlyersAwayLost 5-2--
Sunday 30 December 2001Dundee StarsAwayLost 6-3--
Saturday 5 January 2002Hull ThunderHomeWon 4-1--
Sunday 6 January 2002Cardiff DevilsAwayWon 9-3--
Sunday 13 January 2002Cardiff DevilsHomeWon 10-5-Mike Koivunoro (3), Jason Dailey (2), Todd Wetzel, Stan Marple, Tony Redmond, John Haig, Derek DeCosty
Saturday 19 January 2002Slough JetsAwayWon 10-2--
Sunday 20 January 2002Edinburgh CapitalsHomeLost 6-4--
Saturday 26 January 2002Basingstoke BisonHomeLost 6-4--
Sunday 27 January 2002Fife FlyersHomeLost 3-2--
Saturday 2 February 2002Hull ThunderHomeWon 3-1--
Sunday 3 February 2002Coventry BlazeHomeWon 4-2--
Saturday 9 February 2002Basingstoke BisonAwayLost 6-1--
Sunday 10 February 2002Slough JetsHomeWon 9-1--
Saturday 16 February 2002Peterborough PiratesHomeWon 9-11,620Derek DeCosty (2), Mitch Grant (2), John Haig (2), Todd Wetzel, Rick Plant, Mikko Koivunoro
Sunday 17 February 2002Coventry BlazeAwayLost 7-41,879Jason Jennings (2), Derek DeCosty, Mikko Koivunoro
Saturday 23 February 2002Paisley PiratesHomeLost 4-3 (OT)--
Sunday 24 February 2002Hull ThunderAwayWon 6-5--

British National League Play-Offs

The top eight BNL teams qualified for the playoffs. In the Quarter-Finals the teams were split into two groups of four with the teams finishing 1st, 4th, 5th and 8th in the league going into Group 1 and the others into Group 2. Teams tied on points in the Quarter-Final group stages were separated first by wins in normal time, then by away wins in normal time. The two top teams in each group qualified for the Semi-Finals with the winner of one group playing a home-and-away, aggregate goals series against the runner-up in the other group. The winning semi-finalists competed for the title using the same playing format.

The semi-final with the Coventry Blaze was overshadowed by controversy over ITV's insistence that the second game, rather than the first should be held in Guildford. The change was agreed by the league headquarters to avoid travelling costs (which would fall on the league) for ITV's southern based camera crew who naturally believed the last leg would be the more important one. The fuss was not of Blaze's making and they rode out the politics to beat the Flames by three goals each time.

Quarter-Final Group 1

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Dundee Stars660024512
Guildford Flames633013136
Basingstoke Bison623113195
Milton Keynes Kings60518211

Quarter-Final Group 2

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Coventry Blaze651034910
Fife Flyers641124209
Hull Thunder614118333
Edinburgh Capitals615015292
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceCompetitionGoalscorers
Saturday 2 March 2002Milton Keynes KingsAwayWon 4-3-Quarter-Final Group 1Ricky Plant (2), Jason Jennings (2)
Sunday 3 March 2002Basingstoke BisonHomeLost 3-2-Quarter-Final Group 1Jason Dailey, David Smith
Saturday 9 March 2002Basingstoke BisonAwayWon 3-01,148Quarter-Final Group 1Paul Dixon, Todd Wetzel, Jason Jennings
Sunday 10 March 2002Milton Keynes KingsHomeWon 2-1 (OT)1,606Quarter-Final Group 1Todd Wetzel, Jason Dailey
Saturday 16 March 2002Dundee StarsHomeLost 3-2-Quarter-Final Group 1-
Sunday 17 March 2002Dundee StarsAwayLost 3-0-Quarter-Final Group 1-
Saturday 23 March 2002Coventry BlazeAwayLost 6-3-Semi-Final, First Leg-
Sunday 24 March 2002Coventry BlazeHomeLost 4-1 (Coventry win 10-4 on aggregate)-Semi-Final, Second Leg-

Findus Challenge Cup

The new competition, which effectively replaced the Benson and Hedges Plate, involved all the Findus British National League clubs and the English Premier League sides.

The 16 teams in the qualifying round played a round-robin in four regional groupings during September 2001.

The winning team in each group qualified for the final stages at the Nottingham Arena in November 2001.

Guildford suffered their first-ever shutout at the Guildford Spectrum as Coventry won 3-0.

Guildford's game at Milton Keynes on Saturday 29 September 2001 was also played for league points after the standalone Challenge Cup game scheduled for Sunday 2 September 2001 was cancelled due to faults with the ice surface.

Qualifying Round - Group 1

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Fife Flyers660033912
Dundee Stars642041118
Paisley Pirates624014344
Edinburgh Capitals60608420

Qualifying Round - Group 2

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Coventry Blaze651033710
Guildford Flames642026148
Milton Keynes Kings624017254
Solihull Barons615017472

Qualifying Round - Group 3

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Peterborough Pirates6600371712
Hull Thunder623116225
Cardiff Devils624023314
Swindon Lynx614114203

Qualifying Round - Group 4

Team Pld. W L D GF GA Pts.
Basingstoke Bison6501381611
Slough Jets641122139
Invicta Dynamos624021284
Romford Raiders606015390
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceCompetitionGoalscorers
Saturday 1 September 2001Solihull BaronsHomeWon 6-21,078Qualifying Round Group 2Kent Nobes (3), Nicky Chinn, Jason Jennings, John Haig
Saturday 8 September 2001Solihull BaronsAwayWon 9-4247Qualifying Round Group 2-
Sunday 9 September 2001Milton Keynes KingsHomeWon 7-11,357Qualifying Round Group 2-
Saturday 15 September 2001Coventry BlazeHomeLost 3-01,500Qualifying Round Group 2-
Sunday 16 September 2001Coventry BlazeAwayWon 3-11,560Qualifying Round Group 2John Haig, Nicky Chinn, Jason Daily
Saturday 29 September 2001Milton Keynes KingsAwayLost 3-1-League/Cup-

End Of Season Awards

  • Player's Player Of The Year - Paul Dixon
  • Best British Trained Player Of The Year - Paul Dixon
  • Most Sportsmanlike Player Of The Year - Tony Redmond
  • Top Points Scorer - Derek DeCosty
  • Supporters' Player Of The Year - Jason Dailey
  • Supporters' British Player Of The Year - John Haig

References

  1. "2001-2002". GuildfordFlames.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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