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Cardiff Devils 2, MAC Újbuda 4
The music man took cantre stage for Cardiff Devils after their final pre-season fixture against MAC Újbuda at the Viola Arena.
Canadian ice hockey forward Mike McNamee, who loves playing the guitar and singing in his spare time, provided the post-game entertainment for Devils fans in the bar.
McNamee, whose favourite band are Kings of Leon. says: “I have an uncle who always played the guitar for us when I was a kid,” he says. “He bought a guitar for me as a Christmas gift when I was 13-years-old.
“It was in my closet for five years without being touched. But one day I was bored and took it out.
“Now I have become pretty good at playing. It’s something creative and the guitar travels with me.
“I have something with music and write songs. Music is part of me and has an influence on me. If I need entertainment, then I take the guitar out, even in the locker room.
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“I play a lot of music and draw a fair bit, but music takes up most of my spare time.”
McNamee, aged 25, describes himself as ‘quiet, passionate and creative’, saying: “As a player I’m creative and also outgoing and sensitive.”
He likes to play number 27, but switched to 72 when he joined Danish club Aalborg last season, saying: “I number 27, but that was taken, so creatively I just changed the numbers and had number 72.”
Captain Joey Martin led his Cardiff Devils team into battle against Hungarian team MAC Újbuda at the Viola Arena.
Martin missed the first few pre-season fixtures with a minor muscle injury, but is ready for the opening Championship Hockey League fixtures next weekend.
Devils host the first two Champions Hockey League matches when they welcome Mountfield HK on Friday at 7.30pm and then Graz 99ers on Sunday at (4pm).
Martin played alongside Sean Bentivoglio and Blair Riley in the first shift of a clash with Újbuda which proved to be hard fought between two evenly matched teams. The visitors clinched victory with an empty net goal near the end.
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Sunday’s visitors, who play in the Slovakian Tipsport liga, opened the scoring after nine minutes 24 seconds with a powerplay strike from Canadian Chris Langkow.
Just over a minute later, Devils evened the score when Charles Linglet scored from a Mike McNamee pasts at 10-40.
The middle period saw Ujbuda go back in front with a second powerplay goal and the second of the night for Langkow at 27-44 to make it 2-1.
Then at 33:24 the visitors went 3-1 aheads courtesy of Istvan Sofron, who beat Ben Bowns in net for the home team.
With 22 seconds left in the period Martin set up Blair Riley for his first goal in a Devils uniform to pull the home side within one going into the final period.
A second assist went to Sean McMonagle.
The teams traded powerplay chances early in the final period and then, with just over 10 minutes left, Devils had a golden opportunity to tie the game when Ujbuda went down two men for one minute, 20 seconds, but the powerplay couldn’t convert.
Devils threw everything they had at the Ujbuda goal in the dying minutes, but with Bowns pulled for the extra attacker, visitors Újbuda scored an empty net goal to seal the 4-2 win.
Next up for the Devils are the first two Champions Hockey League matches. They host Mountfield HK on Friday at 7.30pm and then Graz 99ers on Sunday at 4pm. GET TICKETS HERE or call on 0800 0842 666.
Cardiff Devils pre-season and Champions League results/schedule:
August
Saturday 10 Cardiff Devils 5 Fehervar 2
Sunday 11: Cardiff Devils 2, Fehervar 4
Saturday 17: Nottingham Panthers 3, Cardiff Devils 2
Sunday 18 Cardiff Devils 2, Nottingham Panthers 0
Sunday 25 Cardiff Devils 2 MAC Budapest 4
Friday 30 Cardiff Devils v Mountfield HK (Champions Hockey League fixture, Viola Arena, 7.30pm)
September
Sunday 1 Cardiff Devils v Graz 99ers (Champions Hockey League fixture, Viola Arena, 4pm)
Thursday 5 Mountfield HK v Cardiff Devils (Champions Hockey League fixture, 5pm)
Saturday 7 Graz 99ers v Cardiff Devils (Champions Hockey League fixture, 6.15pm)
October
Tuesday 8 Frolunda Indians v Devils (Champions Hockey League fixture, 5pm)
Tuesday 15 Devils v Frolunda Indians (Champions Hockey League fixture, Viola Arena, 7.30pm)
Tickets: CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE or call on 0800 0842 666
