Wednesday: Second hosts Third in midweek action

Photo: William Cherry

It's midweek hockey, and it's a big one at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Wednesday night.

Click here to watch Giants vs. Blaze

Second-placed Belfast Giants host third-placed Coventry Blaze at 7pm with both teams look for that early advantage ahead of a packed Christmas schedule.

The Giants have won five straight games including shutting out defending champions Sheffield Steelers 3-0 on Sunday, and a 6-1 win in Coventry the week before that. Adam Keefe's side have scored 25 goals across those wins, conceding just seven.

Coventry Blaze responded to a zero-point weekend by thrashing two Scottish teams in Week 15. They beat Dundee Stars and Fife Flyers both by a score of 7-1 to put themselves back into the top three.

Both teams have had excellent goaltending of late. Tom McCollum has the league's second-highest save percentage on 92.24%, followed closely by Mat Robson on 92.13%.

The Blaze also boast two of the league's top point scoters - Alessio Luciani with 24 ponits in 18 games, and Nick Seitz on 23 points over the same period. Giants' Elijiah Barriga also sits in equal third with the same return as Seitz.