Having seen Stephen Murphy's performance in the 6-2 win against Cardiff on Sunday night, it would be big a surprise to see Stevie Lyle start in goal for Team GB on Thursday against Poland. Lyle's only game this weekend was Saturday's 6-3 home defeat against Hull.
Murphy was the number one to finish the World Championships in April and, if anything, he has only improved since. Of course, we won't find out until head coach Paul Thompson confirms it, but if I were a betting man...Still, it's not exactly an easy decision. And Murphy's Phoenix team-mate Nathan Ward wouldn't like to be the one to choose between them."It’s tough to say, but I’m sure whoever gets in there will be deserving," Ward told the Manchester Phoenix game programme."Murphy’s a great goalie, he’s proved it this year and he’s given us a chance to win every game."You can hear more from Ward in next weekend's Phoenix game programme.
Continuing elite hockey today's coverage of the build up to next week's Olympic qualification tournament, here's an update on the Team GB goalie battle between Stevie Lyle and Stephen Murphy.
Belfast goalie Lyle might have lost his chance at being the starter after conceding five goals on 24 shots on Saturday as the G-men crashed 6-3 at home against Hull.
Phoenix netminder Murphy allowed the same amount of goals in a 5-4 defeat to the Panthers. However, considering the relative strength of the opposition, looking at the league table, Saturday's results could give Murphy one hand on the starting job.
With the Giants out of action tonight, a good outing from Murphy at the Altrincham Ice Dome, where the Phoenix host the Devils, could help him lock down the position.
At this point, it's fair to say that head coach Paul Thompson is no wiser about who should start, unless he's secretly made up his mind already.
Maybe Murphy will make his decision much easier tonight.
Earlier this week, elite hockey today discovered that Stephen Murphy was in the dark as to who would start for Team GB in the upcoming Olympic qualifiers - himself, or Stevie Lyle?
Murphy's apparently not the only one who doesn't know.
In an interview with skysports.com, head coach Paul Thompson said that he's not made up his mind yet and will be keeping an eye on the two netminders this weekend.
Lyle only has one game (home vs Hull on Saturday), but Murphy has a more difficult challenge ahead (away vs Nottingham on Saturday, home vs Cardiff on Sunday).
Will the tougher schedule hurt or harm Murphy's chances? Or is Thompson just keeping his cards close to his chest?
“We’ve got a weekend of games to go and anything can happen in that time,” Thompson said.
“I’m not a man who is afraid to make a decision and I’d rather have a hard decision to make than an easy one. They’re both playing well and by having that healthy competition it means we have a better national team.”
Murphy is the only Phoenix player in the squad, but Lyle is one of six Giants.
“I’m delighted with the form of both of them,” Thompson added.
“Goaltending is a crucial part of every team and it helps when you have two guys in competition for that number one spot.”
In the World Championships in April it was Murphy who played the majority of minutes, starting the team’s final three games. Lyle played in the shootout defeat against Poland and was pulled in the third period of the 10-5 loss to Austria.
Both goalies have experience of playing in Europe and Thompson has been impressed by Murphy’s development after he iced in Norway last year.
“When Murphy came back halfway through last year in France (at the Mont Blanc Euro Challenge Tournament), I saw a different netminder,” he said.
“He was playing in the Norwegian league on a poor team and doing really well. With him being back in the Elite League and Manchester and near the top of the table it’s great, just as it is for Lyle at Belfast.”
Thompson’s squad travel to Sanok, a town in south-eastern Poland, to play the host country (Nov 6), Japan (Nov 7) and Romania (Nov 9) in Group D of the pre-qualification tournament.
The group winners will advance to the final qualification round in February 2009.
Full Team GB squad here.
With only a week until Team GB travel to Poland for the Pre Olympic Qualification Tournament, head coach Paul Thompson is facing a selection dilemma.
Thompson’s already named his squad for the games against Poland (Nov 6), Japan (Nov 7) and Romania (Nov 9), but he’s yet to name his starting goalie. It comes down to either Belfast's Stevie Lyle or Manchester's Stephen Murphy.
If Thompson has made up his mind, he hasn’t told Murphy yet.
“I’m not sure which way he’s going to go at the moment.” Murphy told the Manchester Phoenix game programme.
“I think it’ll be a tough one for him. For myself, obviously I want to play the games and I’ve played the last three games for the national team going back to the world championships earlier this year.”
Who would you pick?
You can read the entire article in this week's Phoenix game night programme.
