Tonight: Panthers and Storm both trying to stay ahead

Photo: Panthers Images

Nottingham Panthers host the Manchester Storm on Wednesday night at the Motorpoint Arena, five days after the Storm came out 4-2 winners over the Panthers in Manchester.

Although the sides are separated by five points and three places in the Premier Sports Elite League, they find themselves in similar positions: both have played more games than teams chasing them as they try to hold their positions in the final part of the season.

Nottingham ended a losing streak with a well-earned 4-1 home win over Cardiff on Sunday which kept them three points clear in fourth. The Panthers are 29 points short of the top three which seems a distant possibility now, but are mindful of not getting caught up in the scrap for playoff places below them.

Manchester's Friday night win over the Panthers was much-needed. While they then went on to lose in Sheffield the following night, Storm stayed in seventh and have a two-point ahead of Dundee just outside the playoff places - those teams meet on Sunday in what will be a crucial game for both's hopes of making the post-season. While Storm's home record has been good this season, their road record of only 6 points from 17 games (17.6%) will have to improve if they want to make the playoffs.

Manchester's last win in Nottingham was in December 2019.