V
EIHL PLAYOFF QUARTER FINAL
Saturday 27th March 2010: Excel Hull Stingrays (8th) v Coventry Blaze (1st) @ Hull Arena F/O 5.30pm
Sunday 28th March 2010: Coventry Blaze (1st) v Excel Hull Stingrays (8th) @ Skydome Arena F/O 6pm
This is it, the moment the Excel Hull Stingrays have been building up to for four long years. An Elite League playoff quarter final. Two legs of intense playoff action with the winner heading to the coveted final four weekend in Nottingham and the loser dusting off the golf clubs and hitting the course for an agonising six month summer.
Okay, so the Stingrays haven't exactly earned the right to be there, with all eight EIHL clubs automatically qualifying after a 56 game regular season, but try telling that to Sylvain Cloutier and his players, who have just completed the most successful Elite League campaign in the teams short history.
Whether they are worth it or not, the Stingrays are in their first ever Elite League Playoff Quarter Final and they have been presented with a huge chance to make the league's showpiece event for the first time.
They needn't even win two games, winning one game by two goals and keeping the other within one will be enough.
Of course, standing in their way are the four time and 09/10 Elite League Champion Coventry Blaze. A team that dominated the Stingrays during the regular season by netting 46 goals in the ten games between the sides, claiming nine wins in the process. Composed of offensive talent and solid defence in equal measure, the Blaze, coached by current Great Britain coach Paul Thompson, led the Elite League from the front this year and didn't look back.
The Rays will naturally and fairly be labelled the underdogs having claimed just one win over the Blaze all season and having occupied bottom spot for most of the season, however, that win sole win did come in the last meeting between the two sides and the Stingrays have hit form post-Christmas.
If, just if, Sylvain Cloutier's Stingrays can continue post-Christmas home form that has seen them claim nine wins in 13 games by notching up another victory to add to that impressive tally then, with the second leg in Coventry to come, the odds of a shock Stingrays victory may begin to fall. The home leg of the tie is crucial for both sides, lose that, in front of your own fans and it either be an uphill struggle or it'll already be over.
It is a big chance, a huge chance, for Cloutier and his team to get the Stingrays to a place many fans never thought they'd see the team. A two game push to qualify for the final four in Nottingham.
For the first time, it's playoff hockey time! Go Stingrays!
Form
Stingrays: W W W L W
Coventry: L W W W L
Last 3 Meetings
v Coventry
17/01/10 5-3 L A
31/01/10 6-1 L A
27/02/10 2-1 W H
Stingrays Season Series v Coventry Blaze
Record: 1 win, 9 losses (Series Lost)
Points: 2 points
Goals for: 23 (2.3 av. per game)
Goals against: 46 (4.6 av. per game)
Key Players
Stingrays
Konstantin Kalmikov (54GP 31+27 4PIM) The Ukrainian sharpshooter will need to return to form that saw him hit ten goals in nine games at the end of February and beginning of March, which ultimately saw him crowned player and forward of the season. Somewhat worryingly, in the three games since March 10 he has failed to tally one goal and while for most players this would be but a small blip in a brilliant season, Kalmikov's presence and goal scoring ability is vital to the Rays success.
Curtis Huppe (52GP 19+23 36PIM) It will be hoped that assistant coach Huppe will reproduce the four goal, five point effort from last weekend, this weekend against his former club Coventry. The same drive, determination and, most importantly, goal tally is required from Huppe, particularly if Kalmikov is out of form or is being marked out of the game.
George Halkidis (46GP 6+15 36PIM) Halkidis has had a rollercoaster ride in his return to hockey after a year out due to a shoulder injury last year. Points and defensive solidity have come back to his game eventually and, although mistakes and poor positioning have cost the Rays a number of times this season, more of the former will be needed this weekend if the Rays are to move to the semi finals.
Coventry
Jonathan Weaver (56GP 13+54 50PIM) GB defenceman and former Hull Thunder forward Weaver doesn't flinch in the big games. His offensive ability from the back is unquestioned but it is his defensive qualities that will be most important for the Blaze this weekend. Theoretically they have more than enough firepower to deal with the Stingrays, therefore the risk of Weaver carrying the puck forward on the rush is somewhat unnecessary. His shot from the blueline on the Coventry powerplay could be a game winner for Thompson.
Luke Fulghum (56GP 48+32 62PIM) After joining from an impressive Manchester side in summer, little more than secondary scoring was expected from Fulghum in Coventry colours after the service he received from Tony Hand in Altrincham. 48 goals in 56 games is what the forward congered up this season and included in that 12 goals in ten games against the Rays. A Stingray killer you could call him, he has scored in all eight games against the Rays and it is certain that he will be deadly once again this weekend.
Adam Calder (45GP 33+27 82PIM) The Canadian popped up at the perfect time to net a hat-trick, including the championship winning goal in overtime against Edinburgh last weekend. His decision to quit the Blaze and move North as player/coach of Braehead next season is now well known, although not officially announced, and he will want to leave Coventry on a high. Well up there in all-time Elite League goal and point scorers list, Calder is dangerous at the worst of times but this weekend, with the end of his Blaze career in sight, he will want to extend that career for at the very least another game.
Between the Pipes
Stingrays: Martins Raitums (22GP 3.73GAA 89.8sv.%) The signing of the Latvian in place of Swede Tommy Sandahl was a masterstroke by Cloutier. Since he joined the team has gone on the kind of impressive run of form that was expected from the beginning in Hull with the only possible criticism now being that Raitums should have been brought in sooner. Raitums, who once faced Canada at the Olympics, has looked assured and confident in the Stingrays net behind a defence that does, on occasion, go missing. If the Stingrays are to progress two massive games are needed from the Latvian netminder.
Coventry: Peter Hirsch (58GP 3.00GAA 91.5SV.%) After a year of JF Perras, the Blaze have finally found an adequate replacement for Trevor Koenig in former Denmark number one keeper Hirsch. The 31 year old, like Koenig before him, has been consistent in the Blaze goal and that, in itself, has helped them to the title this season, despite, incredibly, criticisms of the defence in front of him. Realistically, if the Blaze play to their strengths and undoubted ability, Hirsch should have to be no more than solid this weekend. If he is being called on too much, chances are a cracking series is in the making.
Absentees
Stingrays: Aivars Gaisins (broken hand)
Coventry: Full Strength
Predictions
Stingrays 4-3 Coventry
Coventry 4-2 Stingrays
Other Games
Belfast Giants (2nd) v Newcastle Vipers (7th)
Nottingham Panthers (3rd) v Edinburgh Capitals (6th)
Cardiff Devils (4th) v Sheffield Steelers (5th)
