Wednesday: Must-win fixture for Stars' slim playoff hopes

Photo: Panthers Images

Dundee Stars' chances of making the 2023 Viaplay Elite League playoffs might be slim, but this Wednesday's fixture in Nottingham is must-win if they're to keep those hopes alive.

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Jeff Mason's team trail the top eight by by eight points and have five games left to play. They need a win here to keep that dream alive, but will also be relying on help from the Panthers in Glasgow on Friday to stay in the playoff race. A defeat here would leave Dundee's chances hanging by a thread, and coupled with Clan picking up at least a point on Friday would see the Stars eliminated with four fixtures still remaining. They picked up an impressive road win in Coventry on Saturday.

Nottingham are in high danger of finishing seventh in the regular season, which would be their lowest ever finish in the EIHL, and worst placing since coming eighth in the Superleague in 2001. To avoid that, they need to make up a four-point gap on Manchester with tonight being their one game in hand on the Storm. The Panthers need to better Manchester's points total as they have an inferior number of regulation wins and would lose the tie-breaker if the teams finished level on points.