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Saturday 21st February: Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) v Cardiff Devils (6th) @ Hull Arena, F/O 5.30pmSunday 22nd February: Sheffield Steelers (1st) v Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) @ Sheffield Arena, F/O 6pm
Form
Stingrays- L W W L L
Cardiff- L PSL W L OTW
Sheffield- W W W PSW W
Last 3 Meetings
v Cardiff
13/09/08 1-6 L H
03/12/08 1-0 L A
01/02/09 1-2 W A
v Sheffield
02/11/08 1-2 L H
03/01/08 3-4 OTL A
17/01/09 0-4 L H
Season Series
v Cardiff: 1-2, 3GF, 8GA
v Sheffield: 0-5, 1 point, 9GF, 22GA
Man of the Moment
Stingrays- Matt Reynolds- Will return to the Stingrays lineup after five weeks on the sidelines with a broken finger that was sustained against Sunday's opponents the Sheffield Steelers. Prior to his injury he was the Stingrays leader in points and powerplay goals.
Cardiff- Matt Elich- A Rangy but speedy forward, he has scored three goals and seven assists in ten games since joining the Devils in early January after splitting the beginning of the year between Port Huron and Flint of the IHL.
Sheffield- Joey Talbot- Talbot has gone about his business quite quietly this season on what will surely become an Elite League winning side. His 31 goals ranks 3rd in the EIHL whilst his 57 points puts him in 14th, in his last eight games he has six goals and in his four games against the Stingrays this season he has four goals.
Absentees
Stingrays- Stuart Kerr (knee), Paul Moran (shoulder)
Cardiff- Marc Fulton (knee), Lee Cowmeadow (elbow), Peter Aubry (doubtful; concussion), Jason Silverthorn (doubtful; thumb), Derek Campbell (knee)
Sheffield- Full Strength
Other News
- This is the Stingrays final meeting of the season against current league leaders the Sheffield Steelers, and one thing is for sure, Stingrays coach Rick Strachan will be happy that it is the last meeting. Unfortunatly for him should the Stingrays make the playoffs they will almost certainly face the Steelers in the two legged playoff quarter final and although a local derby will be a great spectacle for the Stingrays, not to mention their bank account, with a record of five games and five losses it could be a quick exit for the Rays.
- Following on from that note, should the Stingrays have never won a game in Sheffield against the Steelers, the only rink in the country that the Rays have failed to win in since their first victory in Newcastle early this month.
- It has now been made clear that defenceman Stuart Kerr is unlikely to return to the Stingrays this term. Kerr, who has been out with a knee injury since November, will remain on the sidelines and unless an injury strikes the team yet again, he may have to wait until next season for more action, should he even return.
Predictions
Stingrays 4-3 Cardiff
Sheffield 4-1 Stingrays
