Round The Rinks, January 16th...

In we go for another lap round the rinks...but first of all...

Belfast top off a good week...rumours that they had to take twenty pictures before Tyler Howells, Bobby Robins and Dave Phillips were all looking at the camera at the same time are scandalous and unfounded...probably.

Given that Coventry has this very famous daughter, who we Coventrians are quite proud of, surely there's some sort of promotional angle in there somewhere. If only for the comedy of seeing the entire Blaze team try and lift a scantily-clad woman on a horse...

Anyway, ramblings over. On we go.

Friday

For once, the first hockey gmae of the weekend doesn't take place at the Odyssey. Instead, we head to Yorkshire for a War of the Roses clash between Sheffield and Manchester. Sheffield have had the better of these so far this season, winning four games to their cross-Pennine rivals' two. With the Phoenix in what, for them, is something of a slump, the Hallam is probably the last place they fancy visiting right now. They travel with the hopes of not just their own fans but those of at least three other teams, though, as everyone bar those from South Yorkshire hops for a Phoenix victory to peg the Steelsrs back a bit in the race for the title. With both sides at or close to full strength, this should be a very nice warm-up to a night-out in the North...

Saturday

Hull v Sheffield
And so to the Yorkshire derby, as the Stingrays and Steelers renew hostilities at the Hull Arena. Quite frankly, I can see little other than a Steelers win in this one, although the Humberside fans will be given some hope by the fact they took the Steelers to overtime last time the two sides met. Even so, the current leaders had enough to force their way past on that occasion, and I can see similar happening here as the Stingrays get little joy out of a weekend in which they play the top two one after the other.

Coventry v Newcastle
This one could get a little tasty. To Viper eyes the Blaze are there for the taking after crashing out of the KO Cup. With Erik Hjalmarsson hopefully making his debut and looking to impress his home crowd, there is also cause for optimism in the Skydome camp, although rumours that have surfaced linking the Blaze with a goalie change (JF Perras out, Aalborg's Peter Hirsch in) will add an extra notch of intrigue to the game. As if it needed it-meetings between these two are always memorable Skydome occasions, and this one promises to be no exception, particularly as Newcastle have found something of their former selves since signing Ed Courtenay and Jeff Hutchins...

Basingstoke v Nottingham
Second v bottom, with the Panthers only missing Johan Molin and Kevin Reiter still injured? Could be an ugly night at the Silverdome...although with Scott Kelman now on the market the Bison may well be looking to add to their squad before the transfer deadline. However, with things in the state they are down south I can see little other than a comfortable Panthers win.

Sunday

Cardiff v Newcastle
This is possibly the toughest game to call of the weekend. Two physical teams who like to wear the opposition down meet in South Wales, with both needing points in the jostle for mid-table position. Much will depend on how hard Newcastle are worked the night before-the fact that Cardiff only have the one game this weekend may be the one thing that decides who stands up better to the pounding that both teams will dish out...

Nottingham v Hull
Poor Stingrays. It never rains, but it pours. After playing Sheffield the night before the Stingrays will come into this game either supremely heartened or just wanting to get it out of the way, depending on the result. Meanwhile, the Panthers can afford no slip-ups in front of their home fans, so will be watching the Stingrays with great care in order to a) avoid being caught out and b) make sure of the two points to keep up with Sheffield...


Manchester v Belfast

Gsme of the night-two teams who can rip others apart on their day meet up in Altrincham in the battle of the British goalies. The Giants looked cool, calm and confident in disposing of the Blaze during the week, but they will find the Phoenix a much tougher proposition than a half-empty Skydome with the tie effectively already lost, particularly with a hostile home crowd. Much will come down to which GB goalie plays better on the night...and if the Phoenix defence can stop the Giants attack long enough for the Beauregard/Hand combo and/or Bruce Mulherin to work their magic...it'll be worth watching either way

Edinburgh v Coventry
Left as something of an afterthought is the meeting in Murrayfield between two teams who need to restore their fanbases' faith in them. Edinburgh have lurched from loss to loss this season, while the Blaze have proved they can win games but have struggled against their title rivals. Given that this is the type of game the Blaze have won with relative ease this season, you have to back the Midlands club...however, those hockey fans in the Scottish capital may have something to say about that-particularly as the Caps chase that elusive playoff place again-we all remember the fruits of their efforts last year...

And that's your weekend previewed to within an inch of its life...