Saturday: Final 5-game schedule of 2023
Photo: John Uwins
Saturday night sees the final five-game schedule of 2023. All ten teams are in action as the year comes to a close, with four of today's matchups being reverse on New Year's Eve.
Guildford Flames have the earlier start, facing off against Cardiff Devils at 6pm. A good run of form recently has seen the Flames win eight of their last ten games, propelling them up to fourth in the league. Cardiff remain the closest chasers to league leaders Sheffield, but the Devils have fallen four points behind and have played two games more, leaving them very little margin for error in 2024.
Click here to watch Flames vs. Devils.
Belfast Giants are back on home ice only 48 hours after being shut out by Glasgow Clan, and face more Scottish opposition in Dundee. The Stars picked up a pair of wins over rivals Fife Flyers over Christmas to put themselves back into the top six, and are on a run of three straight wins. Belfast sit third but that defeat to Clan left them eight points off top spot, having played three games more. It also ended a run of five league wins in a row. Dundee are winless in Belfast since November 2021.
Click here to watch Giants vs. Stars.
Having been the league's form team on a run of nine games without defeat, Coventry Blaze have now lost four in a row, a sequence that's seen them slip down the table to eighth. Tonight they face the team three points below them, and the only ones in the league on a worse run of form than themselves. Nottingham continue to work their way back into competitive games but have logged only one win in their past nine fixtures.
Click here to watch Blaze vs. Panthers.
Glasgow Clan could find themselves back in the top five tonight if they can get a results against Scottish rivals Fife Flyers. Clan were third not long ago, but a string of defeat saw them slip down the standings. A win in Belfast in their last outing pulled them back into the mid-table mix as they return to home ice to face a Flyers team that conceded 14 goals in two games over Christmas. Fife have one win, and a shootout loss, in their last 12 games.
Click here to watch Clan vs. Flyers.
Manchester Storm's search for a first win in Sheffield since 2018 continues tonight as they head into the Utilita Arena for the third time this season. Storm have lost every game against the Steelers so far, in both league and cup, but head across the Pennines fifth in the league after a Boxing Day win over Guildford. Sheffield kept their four-point lead at the top with Christmas wins over Nottingham, and continue to be the team looking down on everyone else
