9:08pm Thursday 14th January 2010
By Nigel McFarlane
ALL Star games are not usually the most exciting of clashes but this year's Elite League All-Star game looks set to be hotly contested.
Utilising an NHL style voting system to encourage fan interaction and allowing the best of British to pick their wits against the Elite League's overseas stars should mean a cracking and interesting clash on January 27 at Ice Sheffield.
Already, fans have chosen their starting line ups with the Elite British All-Stars, coached by Sheffield’s Dave Matsos, back-stopped by Belfast's Stephen Murphy.
Murphy is the country's leading netminder at present with a save percentage just above 92 per cent.
Patrolling the blueline will be Coventry’s Jonathan Weaver – who will be the side's captain – and Stevie Lee from the Nottingham. Completing the line-up are forwards Colin Shields (Belfast), David Clarke (Nottingham) and Lee Esders (Hull).
In his coaching picks, Matsos also named Shields and Jonathan Phillips as assistant captains whilst Cardiff’s Stevie Lyle and Sheffield's Dan Green will support Murphy between the pipes.
Corey Neilson's Overseas All-Stars will start with Coventry's Peter Hirsch in goal after the fans named him the best 'non-British' nettie, while defencemen Dominic D’Amour (Nottingham) and Adam Knight (Hull) have been selected at the back.
Giants’ enforcer Sean McMorrow and team-mate Jeff Szwez will be joined by Panthers’ leading goalscorer Jade Galbraith – who has also been named as captain – to complete the line-up.
Neilson has named Sheffield defenceman Rod Sarich and Coventry's Adam Calder as alternative captains with Nottingham's Kevin St Pierre and Newcastle’s Michel Robinson his other two goalies.
The starting line-ups came after more than 3,000 votes were submitted at www.eliteleague.co.uk Elite League chairman Eamon Convery said: “We had a fantastic response to the supporter vote and I would like to thank everyone who took the trouble to vote. It is something we will certainly do again next year.”
Tickets are on sale for the exciting game from Ice Sheffield by calling 0114 242 3535. Prices are £15 for adults, u16s £7, concessions £10 and a family ticket £38.
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