Round the Rinks, 1st February

There's a new top dog in the EIHL, and an absolutely massive pair of games on Saturday...so let's dive right in to this week's preview...

Basingstoke: The Bison, strengthened by the return of Steve Thornton, face Hull and Coventry this weekend as they chase the playoffs-two games which will see the opposition also desperate for points, although for different reasons. It's not often a team can all but end one team's season and put a big dent in another's title hopes on the same weekend, but that's the position the Hampshire side are in right now. With the Bison having proved they can beat anyone at any time, don't count out a four-pointer...

Belfast: Now the hard work starts for the Giants. Coventry (live on the webcast) and Manchester are the next targets for Ed Courtenay's side, and with the Blaze in particular wobbling slightly now they've been knocked off the top, the Giants will never have a better chance to take a big step toward the league title than if they take two more points off the Blaze-beating the Phoenix as well will just add to the force of the psychological hammer-blow a win on Saturday will inflict...

Cardiff: The Devils just have the one game this weekend, facing Nottingham at home. With players slowly returning from injury, and Dion Darling possibly making his debut if Hockey Canada release his ITC card, the Devils will at least be closer to full strength as they take on the Panthers...

Coventry: This weekend is huge. Four points and the recent wobble will be forgotten. Lose in Belfast on Saturday and suddenly the grip on the title will look like it's slipping. Lose to Basingstoke on Sunday as well, and suddenly the jitters will start to spread through the notoriously unforgiving Blaze fanbase. Four points is the only target-and failure is not an option this time out...

Edinburgh: The Caps only play once this weekend, against Newcastle at home. It's a game that's eminently winnable, but lose and those playoffs will look as far away as they ever have done...

Hull: KO Cup semi action in Basingstoke on Saturday will be the focus of the Stingrays' weekend, with the visit of Sheffield on Sunday looking like a loss even before the teams step onto the ice. However, a win on Saturday could just provide the boost the Humbersiders will need to pull off an improbable double-win weekend...

Manchester: Belfast visit the Ice Dome on Sunday, with all in Coventry becoming Phoenix fans for the night in the hope the home side can put a spoke in the wheel of the Giants' march towards a potential title. Steve Fone performed very well indeed last weekend, and will bar the way again in an attempt to help his team-mates down south...

Newcastle: Edinburgh away for the Vipers-a game that they can win with or without Cory Morgan. However, it remains to be seen just how they'll compete for the rest of the season while being an import down, especially now the signing deadline has passed...

Nottingham: Two big signings this week have strengthened the Panthers' D a thousandfold as they go into "Britain's biggest game" against Sheffield-it's not a bad time for Eric Nelson and Jon Coleman to make their debuts...After the Challenge Cup victory in the Hallam, the Steelers will want revenge-can the new boys bed down quickly and provide a wall that not even Dan Tessier and co can break through? Cardiff on Sunday seems almost an afterthought, but it would be just like these Panthers to win on Saturday and then suffer a surprise loss thanks to tiredness on Sunday...

Sheffield: The Steelers face Nottingham and Hull this time out...no prizes for guessing which game they'll be concentrating on after Randy Dagenais openly admitted that the team barely got out of second gear against the Stingrays last week. Saturday, however, will see both sides in top gear in what could be an epic battle...

I will definitely be in Sheffield for some part of this weekend, so Double Overtime may be late on Monday, as will my replies to the comments occasioned by yesterday's article. However, they shall appear early next week...

Let's play hockey...:)