Eight groups are in motion on Saturday night time, with an enormous double-header going down in Sheffield.
Six wins. That’s what Sheffield Steelers must win their first Elite League title since 2016, nevertheless it might be 5 wins in the event that they win out earlier than dealing with Cardiff Devils later this month. A giant step in that path to league title glory comes this weekend towards defending grand-slam champions Belfast Giants. The Giants have had their fingers on the league trophy for the previous three straight seasons, and in the event that they’re to cease the Steelers successful it this time round they’re going to have to tug off a pair of wins on this weekend’s double header. The Steelers have but to unfastened back-to-back video games this season and a victory in Dundee received them again within the win column after a shock house defeat to Manchester. The Giants received the league title on Steelers ice two seasons in the past, however had been thrashed 5-1 on their solely go to up to now in 2023/24. They’ll want their first wins of the season towards the Steelers over the subsequent two days in the event that they’re to make the title race attention-grabbing. Sheffield will likely be carrying retro recreation jerseys for each clashes.
Click on right here to look at Steelers vs. Giants.
Hoping that Belfast can do them a favour will likely be Cardiff Devils, who must maintain their very own enterprise in the event that they’re to remain within the title race too. The Devils play hosts to Nottingham Panthers, a group they’ve misplaced three of 4 video games to this season together with one on the Vindico Enviornment. The Panthers must make up 5 factors to get themselves into the playoff locations, with two video games in hand, as they play 12 video games between now and the primary weekend of April. The Devils will likely be of their retro jerseys for this recreation.
Click on right here to look at Devils vs. Panthers.
Manchester Storm want to make it 5 wins on the spin once they host Glasgow Clan on the Storm Shelter. Storm have additionally received their final 4 video games at house, plus took a wonderful win in Sheffield final weekend. They now discover themselves within the distinctive place of being inside a pair of wins of fourth, however solely two losses above eighth place. Clan traded additional time wins with Fife final weekend to maneuver up into seventh. During the last 5 video games, they’re one of many league’s prime 4 groups – a stat jointly-led by Manchester.
Click on right here to look at Storm vs. Clan.
Fife Flyers’ probabilities of making the playoffs will rely closely on how they carry out over their subsequent two video games, beginning tonight with the go to of Coventry Blaze to the Auld Barn. With extra video games performed than another group within the league, Fife are operating out of runway to make up the three-point hole to eighth. They’re 5 factors shy of tonight’s guests, Coventry, earlier than heading to Nottingham on Tuesday. The Blaze snapped a shedding run with a powerful 1-0 win over Cardiff midweek, however are one of many league;’s poorest groups over the past 15 video games with a return of simply 11 factors. A win right here would go a good distance in direction of cementing their place within the post-season.
Click on right here to look at Flyers vs. Blaze.
Photograph: Dean Woolley
