Round the Rinks, 12th December

It's been a busy week for me. Apart from anything else, I've been trying to get all copies of this Mark Tredgold photo destroyed, not because I have an aversion to the sadly-underachieving (except in the mouthiness department) Scott Kelman, but mainly because I'm pulling my best Kenneth Williams impression in the background. Well, either that or I can't believe what's just happened in front of me...a smiling Kelman!

But enough of that..on to a round-up or two...

Clearly, the amazing amount of logical thought on there couldn't be allowed to continue:..or, more likely, the Elite League have just given up trying with the official Elite Forum, which, on the Blaze section anyway, was hardly a shining example of rational debate. It's now dead, and the link has been removed from the front page...Hardly a loss, really-although there were a fair few decent people on there from various teams.

On we go, then....missing out Manchester v Edinburgh, which, after the Phoenix's 4-1 loss to Sheffield last night, is in progress as I write, with the Phoenix leading 3-1. I suggest that for a proper review of that, you have a gander at either Five Minute Major, The Pyre or the Angry Budgie, all of which you can find linked...I'm sure they will serve you far better than a neutral like myself in mentioning these two games...

Friday: Steadying the Ship...

Belfast v Nottingham is this week's treat on http://www.giantslive.tv/, and if last week's loss to Manchester is anything to go by, this is a meeting of two teams who have somewhat lost their way. Michel Robinson faces the high-powered Giants offence hoping that the Panthers can give him better protection than the Capitals did, while the Giants need to bounce back, especially after Sunday's tanking by Sheffield, a game in which Becky of FMM reliably informs me they were "awful". With two teams who can provide a feast of attacking play when they have a mind to, though, it should be a decent warm-up to your Friday night out, and, at five pounds, is likely cheaper than the first drink, too. Or will be shortly...

Saturday: The Sound of Silence

Where have all the games gone? With only two EIHL games taking place, you're faced with a straight choice if you want to watch action from the top league in British hockey tomorrow...

Firstly, down south, is the undercard as Basingstoke face Newcastle, a game which may be worth checking out for the always-entertaining antics of the Vipers Unholy Trinity of Andre Payette, Derek Campbell and Rob Wilson, as well as having a few players worth the entrance fee alone in Danny Stewart, Kevin Reiter and the sharp shooting of Greg Chambers. However (and I may be slightly biased here)....

...the game of the night, and possibly the weekend, is the Battle of the Super Snipers in Coventry. And, for Coventry v Manchester, I might get in touch with my inner movie-trailer voice. Start the music:

"One team are the kings of British hockey. The other are the surprise pretenders to the throne. And both were born out of the flames of their predecessors. From the North comes an army led by a wily general with the cunning of a fox, and his partner, a battle-scarred veteran with a deadly shot who has brought his followers new hope of riches to come. Rising to meet them come a band of men who, for the past few years, have been almost untouchable. Now, though, they are weakened, their leader has left for the plains of Texas, and their most-feared soldier is lagging behind his Phoenix rival. Last time they met, the battle was epic, but the kings survived. This time, the pretenders want revenge.

It's Beauregard v Calder. It's Hand v Thompson. It's Five Minute Major v the Breakaway...

It's Blaze v Phoenix. The Return.

And they say the Steelers have taken hyping a game to an art form...:)

Sunday: Feeding Frenzy:

After Saturday's famine, Sunday sees a feast as all ten Elite teams are in action. Pick of the night is the return leg of Nottingham v Belfast, previewed as above, but there are a few other tasty morsels...

Cardiff v Sheffield: This is where Ryan Finnerty meets Jay Latulippe again for the first time since this..., although given that it's away from home, we shall see if the Steelers pest is actually going to back his words up. Given the amount of friction between these two sides every time they've met this season, it's only a matter of time before this one bursts into flame...

Manchester v Basingstoke: Two under-rated teams battle it out in Altrincham, as best scorer meets arguably the league's best goalie. Beauregard v Reiter is the main attraction, but there should be enough battles all over the ice to make this a fine bill of evening's action...

Newcastle v Coventry: The gloves will be off in this one. No question. These two teams just plain don't like each other. With the Vipers still looking for their first win against the Blaze this season, however, they would probably do better to concentrate on trying to put the puck in the net. After all-best place to make a point is on the scoreboard...

Finally, and tagging along at the rear, Hull travel north to face Edinburgh. This should be a close if unspectacular game, which will stay off the radar of most fans thanks to the bigger attractions mentioned above-however, with the Stingrays only rumouredly taking two fit defencemen with them, it could be a night when the Stingray's mini-revival is brought to something of a screeching halt...

There you are...that's your weekend preview...