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Tuesday 26th October: Belfast Giants v Excel Hull Stingrays @ Odyssey Arena F/O 7.30pm
The Excel Hull Stingrays face a quick return to action on Tuesday night with an away fixture against last Saturday's opponents the Belfast Giants at the Odyssey Arena in Northern Ireland.
Although the Rays were beaten by the league leaders last time out, they out shot Doug Christiansen's side and ended the game clearly on top of an injury ravaged Belfast side.
The Giants will still be without a number of key players tomorrow night, although Mark Garside has returned to action, but they will be eager to maintain their lead at the top having lost 2-0 to Coventry on Sunday.
Sylvain Cloutier has his own injury worries as the crippling injury curse threatens to make a return with key Brits Ryan Lake, Craig Mitchell and Lee Mitchell all out.
Having proven in those final minutes on Saturday that they can compete with the Giants, injury hit or not, the Rays will want to build on those closing minutes and their win against Newcastle on Sunday with another victory.
In form forwards Jason Silverthorn and Jereme Tender, who has four goals in two games, will be key as will building off Sunday's improved defensive performance.
Elite League
Stingrays: 9th 6GP 2W 4L 0OTL 18GF 24GA 4PTS
Belfast: 1st 15GP 12W 2L 1OTL 59GF 40GA 23PTS
Form
Stingrays: L L L L W
Belfast: W W W W L
Last 3 Meetings
v Belfast
04/02/10 4-2 L A
04/03/10 9-0 L A
23/10/10 3-5 L H
Rays 09/10 Series
v Belfast: 8GP 2W 6L 14GF 37GA 4PTS
Top Scorers
Stingrays
G: Tendler (6)
A: Dulle, Kalmikov, Read (5)
PIM: Sladok (40)
Belfast
G: B.Hemingway (13)
A: Shields (13)
PIM: Welch (28)
Between The Pipes
Stingrays: Boucher (6GP 88.7sv% 4.44GAA)
Belfast: Murphy (14GP 91.6sv% 2.62GAA)
Absentees
Stingrays: Craig Mitchell (broken arm), Lee Mitchell (knee), Ryan Lake (broken thumb), Jozef Sladok
Belfast: Jeff Mason (wrist), Richard Seeley (knee), Colin Hemingway (unspecified injury), Brandon Benedict (leg)
Predictions
Belfast 5-2 Stingrays
23/10/10 3-5 L H
Rays 09/10 Series
v Belfast: 8GP 2W 6L 14GF 37GA 4PTS
Top Scorers
Stingrays
G: Tendler (6)
A: Dulle, Kalmikov, Read (5)
PIM: Sladok (40)
Belfast
G: B.Hemingway (13)
A: Shields (13)
PIM: Welch (28)
Between The Pipes
Stingrays: Boucher (6GP 88.7sv% 4.44GAA)
Belfast: Murphy (14GP 91.6sv% 2.62GAA)
Absentees
Stingrays: Craig Mitchell (broken arm), Lee Mitchell (knee), Ryan Lake (broken thumb), Jozef Sladok
Belfast: Jeff Mason (wrist), Richard Seeley (knee), Colin Hemingway (unspecified injury), Brandon Benedict (leg)
Predictions
Belfast 5-2 Stingrays
