Blood in the Water...or Round the Rinks

Tonight's Round the Rinks is, as expected, opened by the goings-on in Basingstoke. And then goes off on a patented Breakaway ramble...



Déja vu...of the worst kind: There's trouble down south again. Ryan Aldridge has resigned as Basingstoke coach following the Bison's nightmare start to the season, and suddenly there's blood in the water from all sides...the Bison fans are split between EPL-bound doom-merchants, happy-clappy "we'll survive fine" fans who seem just not to see the problems currently facing their team. Or won't (I mean, how obvious do the problems have to be, if having to buy a stick from the opposition for one of your own players (Danny Stewart, up in Manchester) isn't a problem. The talismanic Brad Cruikshank is supposedly heading for Sheffield according to a rapidly-growing rumour, now that Nathan Gillies has left the Steelers an import short with an unlucky season-ending injury. And Eric Braff is coaching.
A double header against Hull is probably the best way to welcome him to the job as well...win that and suddenly the clouds lift a little, if only briefly.
The door may be closing slowly on EIHL hockey in Basingstoke, if you believe the forums, but Braff and friends will try to prove this weekend that it ain't dead yet. Good luck to 'em.

If you want excitement, head for the Odyssey...as Belfast face Coventry (in progress now) and Newcastle tomorrow. One game is a meeting between two traditional EIHL rivals, and the other is a game given extra spice after the Steve Thronton-inspired melee of the last meeting between the two sides. Both games are live at http://www.giantslive.tv/ should you not be able to make it to Northern Ireland...

Manchester v Nottingham: game of the weekend?!: Easily. Tomorrow's meeting between the two sides could see some of the most open, fast-flowing hockey the EIHL has been treated to to date, as two skilful sides battle it out, one to keep their traditional status as one of the best teams in the league, and the other to prove that this season they well and truly belong in the same boat.

Powerhouses collide: Meanwhile, Sheffield v Cardiff is a meeting of two traditional British hockey powerhouses who have both started somewhat below their usual standards. Cardiff are unlucky enough to face Nottingham the following night so will want to take momentum into that game and need the points desperately. Oh, and Brad Voth is back, just to add a little extra spice to the meeting. Ryan Finnerty for one has been on the Steelers website claiming that he's not even on the Steelers radar as a threat, but you can bet that when he places his 6'5 frame in front of Jody Lehman, he'll appear on it in one big hurry...Sunday sees Cardiff meet Nottingham and Sheffield meet Newcastle, which also makes for a pair of games where just about anything could happen. And probably will. Pity Manchester and Edinburgh-their meeting on Sunday night will be the least-watched game of the weekend, at least outside of those two fanbases...

And there's your speedy preview of the weekend in hockey...all that remains now is for the puck to drop...