Tonight: Huge games at top and bottom

Photo: David Williams

It's game day again in the Elite Ice Hockey League. With two matches midweek, eight teams are in action this Saturday night as the race for the league title and playoff places hots up. 170 league games have been played so far this season - there are only 100 more before the playoffs!

1900 Cardiff Devils vs. Sheffield Steelers

A sold-out Viola Arena awaits the league's top two teams for their fourth meeting of the season. Sheffield head to Wales three points clear at the top of the league, however, Cardiff have some four games in hand on the men from Yorkshire to play between now and the end of the season. The Devils have also won all four meetings between the teams this season, of which only one was at home. If Sheffield are to win the league title, they're probably going to need to win in Cardiff at least once before this campaign is over.

"This is why you play the game: to be involved in huge games which might ultimately decide championships in front of a sellout crowd. No-one will need any extra motivation, but it's important we keep our emotions in check and stick to our game plan and processes." - Andrew Lord (Head Coach, Cardiff Devils)

"We had an excellent third period in Glasgow in the cup, but now it's about league points. We have very close games against Cardiff this season but it's time we got a result against them. If you want to win championships, these are the games you relish as a player." - Aaron Fox (Head Coach, Sheffield Steelers)

1900 Coventry Blaze vs. Dundee Stars

Over the last 10 games alone, Coventry and Dundee sit comfortably mid-table in the form guide; their positions however over the entire season to date tell different stories.

Coventry have a four-point cushion just inside the top six, but if they could pull out a few more results would start to make an assault on the top four. They are level with Guildford in fifth but have played two games more.

Dundee have caught up to just two points behind a playoff place, are off the foot of the table thanks to five points from the last eight, and are a much different team from the side that lost in Coventry a few weeks before Christmas. 

"In Cup & League together we're 0&7 in overtimes so we do need to find a way to win games in regulation. That said, we've been playing well of late and have put ourselves into a good position going into the last 10 weeks of the season." - Danny Stewart (Head Coach, Coventry Blaze)

"This is a huge game for us. Coventry are only a handful of points above us in the table so we know it's a big four-point swing game. We need to play a good road game, our system works well against them when we force them to dump pucks and have less possession, so if we stick to that and close down their key players we should have a good chance." - Jordan Cownie (Forward, Dundee Stars)

1900 Glasgow Clan vs. Belfast Giants

An almost 'must-win' game for both the Clan and the Giants takes place tonight in Braehead but with different reasons for each team.

Glasgow lost heavily in their Challenge Cup Semi-Final midweek and despite an encouraging performance 24 hours later in Nottingham, they have only taken three points from the last eight. That form leaves them only four points above the last playoff place and starting to be at risk of being dragged down into a four-way battle for two spots in the post-season. 

Belfast had an excellent win last Friday again Sheffield but losing 48 hours later in Guildford set them back again. Seven points off the league leaders with only two games in hand, the Giants risk leaving themselves too much to do in their final 20 games if they give away much more ground to the teams above them.

1900 Manchester Storm vs. Fife Flyers

While many eyes will be focussed on the top of the table clash in Cardiff, this game in Altrincham could go some way to deciding how the race for playoff places shapes up in the coming weeks.

Manchester, with three wins from their last five, have got themselves into the playoff places and have a two-point advantage over Dundee below them - plus a game in hand on the Stars. They extended that gap thanks to a 3-2 win away to Fife last Sunday. 

Defeat for the Flyers on home ice to the Storm kept them rooted to the foot of the table. The Flyers haven't won a league game since their overtime victory in the Storm Shelter on 21 December October and have just one point from eight games since. Losing here in regulation would put the Flyers five points outside the playoff places with only 19 games to turn things around.