Sunday: Eyes fixed on the post-season
Photo: John Uwins
The penultimate weekend of the 2023/24 Elite Ice Hockey League season comes to a close with three games. The top three are all in action, but most eyes will probably be on the race for a playoff place.
Manchester Storm will look to put the disappointment of a road defeat in Dundee behind them when they welcome league champions Sheffield Steelers to the Shelter. Storm need three points over their remaining four games to secure fourth place, and they also have a three-game win streak at home to protect. Sheffield extended their lead at the top on Saturday against Cardiff, and will now play out their final four games of the season on the road.
Click here to watch Storm vs. Steelers.
Second place is still up for grabs as Cardiff Devils host Belfast Giants for the second time this week. Wednesday's game was won by the Giants who are aiming for a sweep of the series against the Devils at the Vindico Arena. A win secures second for the Devils, who have now lost two on the spin, while a Giants victory would move them to within two points of their hosts heading into the final week.
Click here to watch Devils vs. Giants.
A lot of eyes will be on the Spectrum tonight, and not just from the fan of the two teams involved. Guildford Flames are more or less locked into fifth, although a winless slide until the end of the season could theoretically see them overtaken. For Coventry, however, this game could be season-defining. The Blaze will drop out of the playoff places if they don't pick up at least a point here, and, with a far inferior regulation wins record than the other teams they're chasing, things would be out of their hands heading into the final week of the season.
