The Elite League always delivers entertainment and thrilling storylines, with Nathan Ripley’s remarkable hattrick for the Coventry Blaze the latest example of the division’s complete unpredictability.
Ripley – who usually plays around five minutes per appearance and had been held off the scoresheet through the first month of the season – starred as the Blaze downed the Guildford Flames 6-1 at the Skydome Arena on Sunday [15 October].
Elsewhere, the Belfast Giants continued their unbeaten start to the domestic season, while the Sheffield Steelers jumped to the top of the table with a shutout win over the Fife Flyers.
Nathan Ripley headlines gameweek four team of the week
With that in mind, here is our team of the week – which features four forwards, plus a defenceman and a netminder, because we simply couldn’t leave Ripley out and the only way to include him was to ice a powerplay unit.
Netminder: Ben Bowns, Cardiff Devils
Ben Bowns has played spectacularly to start the season and was at his very best in gameweek four, helping the Devils achieve back-to-back wins over Coventry and Guildford.
The Team Great Britain star produced a 23-save shutout versus the Blaze, thwarting high-danger scoring chances taken by Ian McNulty and Kobe Roth from the low slot.
Ben Bowns, Cardiff Devils (Image: James Assinder)
Bowns also stood out in Cardiff’s 6-3 win over the Flames, denying higher-danger scoring chances from Ryan Hughes and Matt Alvaro to protect his .925 save percentage in all competitions this season.
The Devils were second-best versus Guildford, heavily losing the expected goals battle – but pulled through regardless thanks to a mighty performance from their starting goalie.
Bowns is back to his best.
Defenceman: Cody Donaghey, Cardiff Devils
Cody Donaghey is back in our team of the week, after only a fortnight away, thanks to a stunning performance against Coventry.
The 27-year-old was Cardiff’s most productive player versus Coventry, scoring once and tallying a hattrick of assists through 23:03 time on ice.
Donaghey was less influential the next day in Guildford, playing a solid defensive game to finish the night with an even plus-minus score alongside River Rymsha on the third pair.
Forward: Nathan Ripley, Coventry Blaze
Nathan Ripley just produced the best performance of his career – and we’re here for it.
The 21-year-old played a starring role for Coventry on Sunday, scoring a remarkable hattrick to help his team topple the Flames 6-1 at the Skydome Arena.
It’s rare for any player to score a hattrick in professional hockey – let alone a homegrown fourth-liner in the Elite League like Ripley.
Nathan Ripley, Coventry Blaze (Image: Scott Wiggins)
Ripley played out of his skin against Guildford, finishing the night plus-four through a personal best 15:43 time on ice.
“I’m thrilled because we got contributions from everywhere in the line-up,” said Coventry head coach Danny Stewart. “If you told me that we’d get four goals from the third line and Ripley would score a hattrick [I wanted believe you]… it’s great to see, it was a great team performance.”
Forward: Marc-Olivier Vallerand, Sheffield Steelers
In Quebecois forward Marc-Olivier Vallerand, the Sheffield Steelers have one of the most creative, talismanic players in the Elite League.
Vallerand is known for his ability to skate circles around his rivals – but his recent form has exceeded even the loftiest of expectations placed on his shoulders.
Marc-Olivier Vallerand, Sheffield Steelers (Image: Dean Woolley)
The 34-year-old started the week with a hattrick of assists, doubled down by scoring a brace, and then added another assist to his tally on Sunday.
He remains one of the best players in the league and continues to age like fine wine.
Forward: Daniel Tedesco, Belfast Giants
Daniel Tedesco has been a colossal addition for the Giants, who have benefited from the Italy international’s arrival domestically and on the continent.
Tedesco produced one of the most iconic moments in Champions Hockey League history on Wednesday [11 October], scoring in the final three seconds of overtime to secure a pair of make-or-break points versus Red Bull Salzburg and keep Belfast’s playoff hopes alive.
𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗛𝗟! 💥
The timer, the fans, the atmosphere and… the GOAL 🔥
Absolutely perfect @BelfastGiants, we just had to get the extra 📸 angles 🙌#ChampionsGoBeyond pic.twitter.com/8WfhjvMk70
— Champions Hockey League (@championshockey) October 13, 2023
The 29-year-old showcased his elite puck control on his game-winning goal, breaking Atte Tolvanen’s shutout with a precise backhand finish from close range.
Tedesco was equally as impressive two days later, scoring twice to help the Giants beat the Fife Flyers 7-4 on home ice.
Forward: Josh Waller, Cardiff Devils
Josh Waller is one of the Elite League’s most dynamic bottom-six forwards – a fact he underscored by scoring a brace in just 7:53 time on ice against the Flames.
The 24-year-old has endured a quieter start to the season than usual but will take confidence from his standout performance versus Guildford.
Would Coventry’s Nathan Ripley qualify for your team of the week? Join the debate in the comments.
