17th/18th Weekend Preview

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Saturday 17th January: Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) v Sheffield Steelers (1st) @ Hull Arena, F/O 5.30pm

Sunday 18th January: Nottingham Panthers (2nd) v Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) @ NIC, F/O 4.00pm

Form
Stingrays: OTL OTL W L OTL
Sheffield: W OTW OTW OTL OTL
Nottingham: W W L W W

Last 3 Meetings
v Sheffield
04/10/08 2-5 L H
02/11/08 1-2 L H
03/01/09 3-4 OTL A

v Nottingham
28/09/08 2-2 D H
11/10/08 4-7 L H
23/11/08 4-5 PSL A

Season Series
v Sheffield: 0-4 1 point 9GF 18GA
v Nottingham: 0-3-1 2 points 12GF 20 GA

Players to Watch
Stingrays- Steve Slonina (39GP 5+25)- Has scored 12 points in ten games from defence and leads the Stingrays in assists (25).

Sheffield- Jeff Legue (40GP 17+28)- Since scoring 2+1 in victory over Belfast in late 2008 has contributed four goals and one assist in four games including two overtime winners against Coventry and the Stingrays.

Nottingham- David Clarke (31GP 21+15)- Scored three goals and two assists in wins over Basingstoke and Edinburgh last weekend and leads British goal scoring in the league with 21 goals, good enough for sixth overall.

Absentees
Stingrays- Troy Neumeier (torn knee ligament), Stuart Kerr (doubtful; knee strain), Paul Moran (shoulder)
Sheffield- Nathan Gillies (elbow), Andrew Sharpe (suspended)
Nottingham- Johan Molin (doubtful; cheekbone), Rumun Ndur (doubtful; hand)

Other news
-It is expected that Richie Thornton will make his third and fourth appearances for the Elite League Stingrays after marking his long awaited debut with two solid performances last weekend.

-The Stingrays will have a better timescale on the knee injuries to Stuart Kerr and Troy Neumeier on Friday. Kerr has been out since November with a knee strain and was awaiting results from an MRI scan today whilst it is thought Neumeier, who has just returned to the country after spending Christmas period in Canada, could being skating on a torn knee ligament that was feared could have ended his season.

-Despite possibly being without Johan Molin and Rumun Ndur, the Panthers will have a full squad after the signings of Canadian Corey LeClair and Slovenian ultilty man Juraj Golcic.Meanwhile the Panthers are continuing their search for more reinforcements as they look to strengthen their side with an unprecedented 13th import, thought to be a forward.

-One Panthers forward that is staying with the side though is Dan Tessier who has rejected a contract worth £35,000 in the Swedish second tier.

-In their past five games the Stingrays have five points including three overtime losses. The streak is the Stingrays joint second best five game streak of the season.

Predictions
Stingrays 2-4 Sheffield
Nottingham 5-3 Stingrays