Round the Rinks, 21st December...

Apologies all (especially Ringer who commented below :))...the last week has been nightmarish what with physiotherapy for my injured knee, Christmas shopping, work and Lord only knows what else. I simply haven't had time to keep up with all the news floating round the hockey world, and refuse to post anything simply for the sake of it...However, I have grabbed myself a spare half-hour in each evening, and hopefully something approaching normal service will be resumed...beginning with this week's Round the Rinks...

Basingstoke: Happy Christmas, Steve Thornton-here's a broken hand for the festive period...an event which somewhat took the shine off Bison's 5-3 victory vs the Blaze yesterday, and will make this weekend's games against Sheffield a much trickier proposition despite the Herd being on a good run of form recently. However, with Sheffield also up and down at the moment form-wise, don't bet against the Hampshire side taking at least two points...

Belfast: After the fine win in Coventry last Saturday, the Giants meet Coventry again tomorrow, this time at home, in a game which is live on the web at this address (full details on the service are in this post) before visiting Newcastle on Sunday, a rink where they won 6-3 last time out. The Northern Irish looked a completely different side from the early-season shambles last seen at the Skydome in winning last weekend, and with the Blaze in something of a mini-slump and the Vipers still trying to find their form after losing it spectacularly, Irish eyes could be smiling for more than just the obvious reasons come Christmas Eve morning...

Cardiff: Beaten twice by Hull, nicking a win against Newcastle in overtime-a goalie coming back from injury and uncertainty because of this-the Devils have finally come back to earth. This weekend sees a double-header against Manchester, which would seem a tricky task given the Phoenix's slow resurgence recently. I can see a split weekend on the cards and festivities being a little more subdued than they were a few weeks ago...

Coventry: Meanwhile, Blaze fans are also learning that their team is mortal, with another loss away to Basingstoke on Wednesday night pegging back the league leaders. It could get worse this weekend as they face two form teams in Belfast and Nottingham, although a Saturday off will at least give a day's recovery time. I can foresee Christmas being good to the chasing pack, though, with two more losses a real possibility. If they happen, suddenly the Midlanders will seem all too generous in giving away presents to their rivals just when they need them, at least to those of a Sky Blue persuasion...

Edinburgh: The Caps will be hoping for some Christmas cheer against Hull this weekend, although with the Stingrays on something of a mini-run they will have to work hard to win the battle of the basement clubs. However, it can be done-after all, miracles happen this time of year...at least if you believe the TV fare...

Hull: Just three weeks ago I ripped into the Stingrays, writing this blistering post after they lost 9-1 to Sheffield at home. And frankly, I'm still baffled by the incompetency shown on Humberside. Yes, they're on something of a mini-run recently, with two notable victories against a (weakened) Cardiff, but the latest twist sees Marlon Joseph signed and then released barely three weeks into his contract, with Rick Strachan admitting he "wasn't what we needed, but we gave him a chance". Erm..why sign him, then? Edinburgh are perhaps the ideal opponents as confusion reigns supreme by the North Sea, as they will merely beat the Stingrays if given the chance, and not hammer them. However, Christmas cards for Rick Strachan will be few and far between from the Stingrays fans-he'll be lucky if they don't start hurling lumps of coal should the Capitals win...

Manchester: Cardiff are the opponents for the Phoenix this time out, and with injuries receding and Luke Stauffacher finding the net, the holidays could be happier than expected, particularly if the Manchester side play to their full potential-four points would go down very nicely as a present to the Altrincham faithful right now..

Newcastle: The Vipers need wins-or are they still "where they deserve to be" as carols hang in the air like fog over the Tyne? Nottingham and Belfast are the Grinches looking to steal points from the North East this weekend, and you really wouldn't bet against them doing so, despite Ryan MacDonald's heroics and Andre Payette's desperate attempts to put the weight he'll gain from the pre-Christmas party buffet to intimidatory use. Certainly the Vipers should be looking to people other than their opponents if they want to receive anything gift-wrapped this weekend...

Nottingham: Christmas is spent away from home for the Panthers, in Newcastle and Coventry...both teams they've proved they can beat even without being on top form. So now they are running on all cylinders, and have faith that the high-powered Coventry attack can be held off by more than just luck thanks to Tom Askey, look for the Panthers to roar and try to make Christmas an unhappy one for their near rivals...

Sheffield: Finally, the Steelers face Basingstoke twice this weekend-they've already received a boost thanks to the bad luck of Steve Thornton, but can they capitalise on that and Cardiff's stutter to haul themselves back into the slipstream of Coventry and leave their Midland rivals to deal with a bitter-tasting Christmas dinner? Certainly they have the talent-but at this time of year, all that glitters isn't necessarily useful, and two losses will leave the decorations without their sparkle...

So, the games then...

Friday

Belfast v Coventry

Saturday

Hull v Edinburgh

Basingstoke v Sheffield

Cardiff v Manchester

Nottingham v Newcastle

Sunday

Manchester v Cardiff

Sheffield v Basingstoke

Edinburgh v Hull

Coventry v Nottingham

Newcastle v Belfast

Let's play hockey...:)

And of course, should this be the last post you read before the festivities next week (there will be a Double Overtime on Christmas Day and a Round the Rinks for the midweek games appearing on Boxing Day should the kids get too much, however...:0)), merry Christmas to you and indeed all other hockey fans in the UK...