2003–04 Guildford Flames season
The 2003–04 season, was the Guildford Flames' twelfth year of ice hockey. The Guildford Flames competed in the British National League.[1]
| Season 2003–04 | |
|---|---|
| League | British National League |
| Coach | Stan Marple |
| Home Ice Rink | Guildford Spectrum |
| League position | 2nd out of 7 |
| Findus Cup | Runners-up |
| Playoff Record | Champions |
Coach Stan Marple brought in six Slovaks who would help the Flames to their most successful British National League season for three years. Milos Melicherik, Rastislav Palov and Jozef Kohut were the forwards, with Marian Smerciak and Peter Michnac on defence. Completing the Slovak crew later on was Edinburgh Capitals' leading scorer, Peter Konder.
Apart from Paul Dixon, Tony Redmond and Rick Plant, Marple made a clean sweep of his squad. In came Canadian forwards Ryan Vince from the ECHL's Dayton Bombers and Domenic Parlatore.
Rounding out the club were three GB internationals: netminder Stevie Lyle, defenceman Neil Liddiard and forward Nick Cross from Basingstoke Bison.
Player statistics
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PIMS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milos Melicherik | 69 | 38 | 50 | 88 | 96 |
| Ryan Vince | 69 | 43 | 41 | 84 | 68 |
| Jozef Kohut | 67 | 36 | 30 | 66 | 132 |
| Rastislav Palov | 60 | 25 | 33 | 58 | 22 |
| Paul Dixon | 64 | 10 | 40 | 50 | 16 |
| Peter Konder | 50 | 12 | 37 | 49 | 74 |
| Nick Cross | 68 | 13 | 28 | 41 | 96 |
| Marian Smerciak | 66 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 66 |
| Rick Plant | 53 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 20 |
| Neil Liddiard | 69 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 136 |
| Domenic Parlatore | 19 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 60 |
| Tony Redmond | 42 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 14 |
| Peter Michnac | 61 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 94 |
| Mark Galazzi | 66 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 52 |
| Scott Levins | 22 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 54 |
| Stan Marple | 46 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 209 |
| Andrew Hemmings | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Michael Timms | 37 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Chris Wiggins | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Ben Johnson | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Frank Evans | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Joe White | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Wiggins | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Simon Lavis | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rick Skene | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Joe Dollin | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stevie Lyle | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
Netminders
| Netminder | Mins | GA | GAA | SOG | SV % | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevie Lyle | 4033 | 161 | 2.395 | 1832 | 91.20 | 5 |
| Simon Lavis | 60:00 | 7 | 7.000 | 42 | 83.30 | 0 |
| Joe White | 20:00 | 2 | 6.000 | 16 | 87.50 | 0 |
| Joe Dollin | 58:07 | 9 | 9.310 | 47 | 80.90 | 0 |
Schedule and results
Challenge matches
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 30 August 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Tied 1–1 | - | - |
| Sunday 31 August 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Lost 3–2 | - | - |
British National League
Final Standings
| Team | Pld. | W | L | D | OL | GF | GA | Pts | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fife Flyers | 36 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 135 | 97 | 52 | 72.2 |
| Guildford Flames | 36 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 136 | 88 | 51 | 70.8 |
| Edinburgh Capitals | 36 | 19 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 143 | 117 | 42 | 58.3 |
| Bracknell Bees | 36 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 116 | 103 | 39 | 54.2 |
| Newcastle Vipers | 36 | 17 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 109 | 135 | 37 | 51.4 |
| Dundee Stars | 36 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 112 | 140 | 35 | 48.6 |
| Hull Stingrays | 36 | 4 | 25 | 3 | 4 | 71 | 142 | 15 | 20.8 |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 25 October 2003 | Edinburgh Capitals | Home | Lost 6–4 | - | - |
| Sunday 26 October 2003 | Hull Stingrays | Away | Won 5–1 | - | - |
| Saturday 1 November 2003 | Fife Flyers | Away | Lost 4–2 | - | - |
| Sunday 2 November 2003 | Edinburgh Capitals | Away | Won 3–2 | - | - |
| Sunday 9 November 2003 | Fife Flyers | Home | Won 4–3 (OT) | - | - |
| Saturday 15 November 2003 | Newcastle Vipers | Home | Won 3–2 | - | - |
| Tuesday 2 December 2003 | Fife Flyers | Away | Lost 4–2 | - | - |
| Saturday 29 November 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Won 2–0 | - | - |
| Saturday 6 December 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Won 3–2 | - | - |
| Sunday 7 December 2003 | Edinburgh Capitals | Home | Won 4–3 | - | - |
| Saturday 13 December 2003 | Dundee Stars | Away | Lost 5–4 | - | - |
| Sunday 14 December 2003 | Edinburgh Capitals | Away | Won 4–2 | - | - |
| Saturday 20 December 2003 | Dundee Stars | Home | Won 6–0 | - | - |
| Friday 26 December 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Lost 2–1 | - | - |
| Sunday 28 December 2003 | Hull Stingrays | Away | Lost 1–0 | - | - |
| Saturday 3 January 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Away | Lost 7–4 | - | - |
| Sunday 4 January 2004 | Fife Flyers | Home | Lost 4–2 | - | - |
| Sunday 11 January 2004 | Hull Stingrays | Home | Won 9–1 | - | - |
| Wednesday 14 January 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Away | Won 3–0 | - | - |
| Sunday 18 January 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Home | Won 5–3 | - | - |
| Tuesday 20 January 2004 | Edinburgh Capitals | Away | Won 4–2 | - | - |
| Saturday 24 January 2004 | Dundee Stars | Home | Won 4–2 | - | - |
| Sunday 25 January 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Lost 4–3 (OT) | - | - |
| Wednesday 28 January 2004 | Hull Stingrays | Home | Won 6–1 | - | - |
| Saturday 31 January 2004 | Edinburgh Capitals | Home | Lost 2–1 (OT) | - | - |
| Sunday 1 February 2004 | Dundee Stars | Away | Won 7–1 | - | - |
| Saturday 7 February 2004 | Fife Flyers | Away | Lost 4–3 | - | - |
| Sunday 8 February 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Won 6–1 | - | - |
| Wednesday 11 February 2004 | Hull Stingrays | Home | Won 3–0 | - | - |
| Saturday 14 February 2004 | Hull Stingrays | Away | Won 3–2 (OT) | - | - |
| Sunday 15 February 2004 | Fife Flyers | Home | Won 4–2 | - | - |
| Wednesday 18 February 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Away | Lost 5–4 (OT) | - | - |
| Saturday 21 February 2004 | Dundee Stars | Home | Won 4–3 (OT) | - | - |
| Sunday 22 February 2004 | Dundee Stars | Away | Won 4–3 (OT) | - | - |
| Saturday 28 February 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Home | Won 5–2 | - | - |
| Sunday 29 February 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Won 5–2 | - | - |
British National League play-offs
The top six league clubs competed in the playoffs in a double round-robin tournament played over three weeks after the end of the regular league season.
The top four teams after the first round progressed into the semi-finals with the first-placed team playing the fourth and the second against the third, home and away, with the teams finishing first and second in the round-robin stage having a choice of the home date.
The final was also played over home and away legs, the team finishing highest in the league receiving the choice of the home date.
The playoff winner received the John Brady Bowl, named in memory of the former manager of Kirkcaldy ice rink who was influential in creating the league.
Quarter-Final Standings
| Team | Pld. | W | L | D | GF | GA | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford Flames | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 16 | 14 |
| Fife Flyers | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 22 | 13 |
| Bracknell Bees | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 25 | 11 |
| Edinburgh Capitals | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 42 | 9 |
| Newcastle Vipers | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 21 | 31 | 7 |
| Dundee Stars | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 37 | 6 |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Competition | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 3 March 2004 | Dundee Stars | Away | Tied 2–2 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Thursday 4 March 2004 | Fife Flyers | Home | Won 6–1 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Saturday 6 March 2004 | Edinburgh Capitals | Home | Won 6–0 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Sunday 7 March 2004 | Edinburgh Capitals | Away | Lost 1–0 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Tuesday 9 March 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Away | Won 3–1 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Saturday 13 March 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Lost 4–1 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Sunday 14 March 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Won 5–2 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Wednesday 17 March 2004 | Dundee Stars | Home | Won 4–1 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Saturday 20 March 2004 | Fife Flyers | Away | Tied 2–2 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Sunday 21 March 2004 | Newcastle Vipers | Home | Won 4–2 | - | Quarter-final Group | - |
| Saturday 27 March 2004 | Edinburgh Capitals | Home | Won 6–2 | - | Semi-final, First Leg | - |
| Sunday 28 March 2004 | Edinburgh Capitals | Away | Won 4–3 [Guildford win 10–5 on agg] | - | Semi-final, Second Leg | - |
| Saturday 3 April 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Won 5–4 | 2,213 | Final, First Leg | Jozef Kohut, Ryan Vince, Scott Levins, Milos Melicherik, Paul Dixon |
| Sunday 4 April 2004 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Won 4–3 | 2,069 | Final, Second Leg | Scott Levins, Jozef Kohut, Marian Smerciak, Milos Melicherik |
Findus Cup
All British National League teams were eligible to compete in the qualifying round of the competition. After each team played each other home and away, the top four teams were drawn into the semi-finals, which were played over two legs. The final and third place playoff were one-game contests played at the Newcastle Arena.
Qualifying Round Standings
| Team | Pld. | W | L | D | GF | GA | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford Flames | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 45 | 33 | 15 |
| Newcastle Vipers | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 49 | 39 | 14 |
| Bracknell Bees | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 29 | 14 |
| Fife Flyers | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 32 | 41 | 12 |
| Hull Stingrays | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 37 | 39 | 10 |
| Dundee Stars | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 42 | 10 |
| Edinburgh Capitals | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 32 | 9 |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Competition | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 6 September 2003 | Newcastle Vipers | Away | Won 5–3 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Sunday 7 September 2003 | Newcastle Vipers | Home | Won 4–2 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Saturday 13 September 2003 | Edinburgh Capitals | Home | Won 5–1 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Sunday 14 September 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Tied 4–4 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Sunday 21 September 2003 | Hull Stingrays | Home | Won 8–3 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Saturday 27 September 2003 | Fife Flyers | Away | Lost 4–2 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Sunday 28 September 2003 | Dundee Stars | Away | Won 4–2 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Saturday 4 October 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Won 4–1 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Sunday 5 October 2003 | Edinburgh Capitals | Away | Won 4–3 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Saturday 11 October 2003 | Dundee Stars | Home | Lost 4–3 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Saturday 18 October 2003 | Hull Stingrays | Away | Lost 4–1 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Sunday 19 October 2003 | Fife Flyers | Home | Lost 2–1 | - | Qualifying Round | - |
| Saturday 22 November 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Away | Won 5–1 | - | Semi-final, First Leg | - |
| Sunday 23 November 2003 | Bracknell Bees | Home | Lost 5–2 (OT) [Guildford win 7–6 on agg] | - | Semi-final, Second Leg | - |
| Monday 29 December 2003 | Newcastle Vipers | Newcastle Arena | Lost 6–1 | 3,300 | Final | Ryan Vince |
End of Season Awards
- Player of the Year – Milos Melicherik
- Player's Player of the Year – Ryan Vince
- Best British Player of the Year – Paul Dixon
- Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year – Paul Dixon
- Top Points Scorer – Milos Melicherik
References
- "2003–2004". GuildfordFlames.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- Roberts, Stewart (2004). The Ice Hockey Annual 2004–05. East Sussex: L & S Printing Co Ltd. ISBN 0-9536410-5-8.
