Round the Rinks, 11th January

After a two-week break, your weekly team-by-team preview returns...

Basingstoke: The Bison face a fast-improving Edinburgh and a still-struggling Newcastle this weekend-two games that they'll need to work hard to win, for different reasons. With the Capitals looking to clinch an unlikely playoff berth and the Vipers desperate to put some sort of run together after being in the doldrums for seemingly forever, they'll both be very tricky opponents. The Saturday game against the Capitals is a must-win, although the Vipers game, while away from home, may provide the better chance of two points...

Belfast: Sheffield and Cardiff await the Giants...two teams who the Giants must beat if they're serious about challenging in the top half of the table. The Devils are in serious injury trouble right now and the 14-game streak of November and December is just a memory-and the misery looks like continuing on Sunday. Steelers will be a much tougher proposition in the Hallam Arena...but with both teams well-stocked with offensive talent, this game looks like being a shootout-well worth visiting if you're in the vicinity...

Cardiff: The misery continues for the Devils...Belfast and Nottingham are not teams you want to face without your starting goalie or several key players. Sadly for those in South Wales, I can see this being another winless weekend for the PT Maintenance Devils-although they will certainly make the opposition work for it.

Coventry: Home and away in Hull would have seemed like an easy four points as little as three weeks ago. But with the Stingrays looking more solid now that Jani Virtanen has returned and Troy Neumeier added to the lineup on the back line, four points is by no means a given. I'm not saying it won't happen-I think Coventry have too much for them. The 3-2 result up on Humberside last time out shows, however that the Stingrays will at least no longer fear being embarrassed on home ice...

Edinburgh: The Capitals, on the other hand, are flying as they chase eighth place and that last playoff spot. With Basingstoke and Nottingham standing in their way to four points this weekend, the Capitals will need to be firing like they have done recently, but don't be surprised to see more proof that this under-rated and underperforming (thus far) Caps side is finally reaching its potential...

Hull: Coventry are the opponents-and let's just say that the Stingrays will be motivated-a win on either night, particularly at the Skydome on Sunday, will send shockwaves through the league and give heart to the teams chasing the Blaze at the top of the table. As for the boost it'll give on Humberside..."rocket up the backside" is nowhere near strong enough. The last time something this unlikely happened, it involved a fellow called Lazarus. Beating the Blaze would be a sign that, like that fellow, someone on Humberside could possibly still bring Hull's season back from the dead...

Manchester: The Phoenix, stung by their exit from the KO Cup, face Newcastle and Sheffield as they attempt to get back on track. The Vipers are eminently beatable-Steelers less so. However, with Joe Tallari hovering around the opposition's goal, anything is possible for the hot-and-cold Angry Budgies...

Newcastle: The panic button has been pressed in the North East-Rob Wilson has returned to the ice. Manchester and Basingstoke are the opponents-two teams that the Vipers would have eaten for breakfast in September. Now, though, I can see another winless weekend on the horizon unless some people on Tyneside buck their ideas up fast...

Nottingham: Quietly sneaking up the table has become the Panthers' specialty. With Edinburgh and Cardiff on the slate for this weekend, Mike Ellis' men can continue their rise, but shouldn't underestimate either team despite their struggles at various times this season. I can see the Cats nicking another four points as they chase Sheffield and Cardiff in the race to lead the pack chasing the Blaze...

Sheffield: Belfast and Manchester-two opponents against whom the Steelers will want and need to win-especially as they're all playing for their jobs still. The Giants will be the tougher opponents on paper, but the Phoenix are the banana-skin side-underestimating them while concentrating on Belfast could be fatal...

That's your lot-all the games covered...

Let's play hockey...:)