V
Thursday 18th January: Manchester Phoenix v Excel Hull Stingrays @ Altrincham Ice Dome, F/O 7.15pm (British Knockout Cup Quarter Final 1st Leg)Form
Stingrays- OTL L W L W
Manchester- L L L L W
Last 3 Meetings
26/10/08 4-6 L A
22/11/08 0-5 L A
29/11/08 1-7 L H
Season Series
v Manchester 0-4, 8GF, 22GA
Man of the moment
Stingrays- Jeff Glowa (43GP 23+23)- Has six points in three games after recorded a goal and two assists in the Stingrays 4-2 victory over Newcastle last weekend.
Manchester- David Beauregard (42GP 40+32)- Has scored nine goals and four assists in four games against the Stingrays including a hat trick and two assists in his last game against the Rays.
Absentees
Stingrays- Troy Neumeier (torn knee ligament), Paul Moran (shoulder), Matt Reynolds (finger), Stuart Kerr (knee), Jamie Thompson (neck)
Manchester- Full Strength
Other news
- The Stingrays good run of form continued last weekend with two points out of four against the Newcastle Vipers. The win at the Hull Arena on Sunday sealed form which has seen the Rays record nine points in nine games.
- The league's leading goal scorer, David Beauregard, and linemate Luke Fulghum have scored 12 of Manchester's 22 goals against the Stingrays this season.
- Already without Paul Moran, Troy Neumeier, Stuart Kerr and Matt Reynolds, the Stingrays will also be without forward Jamie Thompson, who is set to miss his first games since joining the side with a neck injury.
- Manchester broke their five game losing streak, their longest of the season, with a 2-0 victory over Cardiff last weekend.
- The Stingrays have signed Kingston Jets forward Craig Elliot, 18, and Swindon Wildcats forward Matty Davies, 19, as injury cover for the first leg of the Knockout Cup. GB Under 20 international Davies has so far scored 18 points in 27 games in the English Premier League whilst Elliot has recorded 19 points in 13 games in the English National League.
- The Stingrays met the Phoenix at the same stage of the British Knockout Cup last season with the Stingrays coming out victorious in the two legged affair with Jake Riddle the star of the Stingrays show.
Prediction
Manchester 5-3 Stingrays
