Return of the Prodigal, and Round the Rinks

First, a bit of news...and it's a big bit...



Dan Tessier signs for Sheffield. Again.



Oh, goody. The little centre is and has always has been one of the best players in the league to watch, and I defy any hockey fan to say they wouldn't want him on their side. Even you, Panthers fans...



I refuse to get into the wage-cap debate this signing will no doubt provoke on hockey forums everywhere...at least not now. Suffice to say that Wednesday's game against the Panthers will now be just a little spicier than usual...



With that out of the way for at least a short while, on with Round the Rinks-which may seem confusing at first as I'm trying the new strategy of grouping teams together when they play double-headers, and there are two this week...



Basingstoke: Nottingham and Hull await for the Bison, in a weekend where they'll be grateful just to be putting a team out after being down to two (two!) fit d-men. All the laws say that this should be a hard and ultimately fruitless weekend in Hampshire, but then, all the laws said they should never have been able to score ten goals against Edinburgh last week with just ten skaters. And we all know what happened there. With the Stingrays back on form (well, for them) Sunday's trip to Humberside will be a little harder than it has been at times this season, but by the same token Panthers will not be relishing their trip to the Silverdome either. Surely the Bison can't beat the odds twice in a week?

Belfast: Manchester and Nottingham are the oppostion, as the Giants swing into another home-and-away weekend looking to put some serious pressure on Coventry at the top of the table and continue their impressive win streak at the same time. These two games are eminently winnable...except both the Phoenix and the Panthers are more than capable of pulling out a win. Several teams at the top of the table will be hoping they do...

Cardiff/Coventry: We'll take these two together, as it's a double-header of one of the most passionate and keenly-contested rivalries in the league. Blaze are coming into this weekend the stronger, as Cardiff are still in the midst of an injury crisis which means Phil Osaer is only slated to play one game this weekend (in Cardiff on Saturday) as he begins his return from a knee injury. However, nothing would please those in South Wales more than to put a bump in the road of the Blaze's seemingly relentless chase to be the first team to defend an EIHL title successfully. Nothing is ever certain as regards the results of these games, but one thing that's cast in stone is that both games will see a tooth-and-nail scrap between two teams who well and truly want to win at any cost...

Edinburgh/Sheffield: Another double-header sees two teams equally desperate for points face each other, although they currently lie at opposite ends of the table. Steelers need the points to keep in touch with Belfast and Coventry at the top, while Caps need the points to open up a gap on Hull at the bottom and close in on Basingstoke, who currently occupy the last remaining playoff spot. With the Bison weakened by injuries, and the Caps on something of a run of good form, they will fancy their chances-and may consider using Adam Stefishen as a battering-ram now that Steelers have lost their main policeman in Jeremy Cornish...

Hull: One game for the new, slightly-improved Stingrays-Basingstoke are the opponents, and Humberside is the venue on the Sunday night. Hull will fancy their chances against a weakened Bison, but would do well to be cautious after the Bison destroyed the Capitals when the Scots perhaps got caught looking ahead...A win would be a huge tonic if they can maintain their focus, however...

Manchester: Belfast are the Phoenix's only opponents this weekend-being the team to stop the winning run of the hottest side in the EIHL will certainly be motivation enough for the side who seem to delight in being the banana-skin that the top teams slip up on. Having already won in Northern Ireland this year, there is considerable reason for optimism in the North West, and the Angry Budgies will have several fanbases keeping an eye on them and hoping they can derail the Giants Express on Sunday night. I certainly wouldn't bet against it...

Newcastle: The Vipers don't play this weekend-probably a good thing as any good results would be lost in the furore surrounding a footballer deciding to return to his former club...However, the signing of Cory Morgan will add a small but not-unnoticed reason to be cheerful for those on the North East who prefer pucks to balls. If he has any sense, Rob Wilson will be using this weekend break to work out just how the new players will fit in in preparation for a hectic run-in...

Nottingham: Basingstoke and Belfast are the opposition for the Panthers, who still harbour hopes of climbing the table despite there being no sign of the promised PC Drouin replacement. With Dan Tessier going to Sheffield ahead of the Challenge Cup Final first leg on Wednesday, the Panthers need a four-point weekend this time out in order to give them the best possible lead-in to the first chance of silverware of the season. Both the Giants and the Bison will provide tough obstacles to getting it, however...

And that's your preview....let's play hockey!