Let's look at the semi-finals, and stick our (well, Mark's proverbial one) neck on the line and try and predict a winner. Apologies to Braehead for giving them the kiss of death as regards the League title. Obviously, we aren't that good this prediction lark.
Sheffield Steelers vs Hull Stingrays: Face Off at 1pm, 4 April 2015.
By all accounts, the Steelers should win this one comfortably being League Champions and all that. However, Hull will not read into this script that you can be assured. Steelers advanced to this stage with a nervous, it has to be said, 6-5 aggregate win over a plucky Fife Flyers team that didn't want to give in at any time: Robert Dowd's strike at 32:20 in the second leg proving decisive. The defending play-off champions are many people's favourites to record back to back triumphs.
Hull themselves inflicted one of the play-offs with an overtime aggregate win over much fancied Braehead Clan. What Stingrays lack in depth, they don't certainly lack in character and they are sure to test the Champions. In 2012, a then Derek Campbell inspired Hull shocked Steelers in a remarkable quarter-final at Ice Sheffield. Question remains as such: Surely Steelers will not fail to deliver again against their Yorkshire rivals? Nine teams hope that they will.
Verdict: Hull's two line hockey might have seen off Braehead but on the biggest ice in the country, this is going to cost them. Steelers to make the Final for the second successive season, winning by at least two clear goals and in regulation too.
Coventry Blaze vs Belfast Giants: Face Off at 5pm, 4 April 2015.
The battle of the underdogs. Both sides had a wretched league campaign, and were expected by many that they would exit the play-offs at the quarter-final stage. Yet both bounced back and have fully deserved their spot in the finals weekend. Blaze's change of fortunes under new coach Chuck Weber has been astonishing, and many are speculating that their ousting of 2013 play-off winners Nottingham has all but sounded the death knell for Corey Neilson. The return from injury of Steven Goertzen will boost their hopes massively.
Belfast were given equally tougher assignment, facing this year's Challenge Cup winners Cardiff who almost won the league in one of the tightest finishes in recent times. A slender 1-0 win in the Odyssey did nothing but expect a Cardiff win in the return back in Fortress Big Blue Tent. Just like Hull, Giants produced one of the best performances of the season to record a 7-3 road win on the night. If they can replicate this in both the semi and the Final itself, they could be skating back to Northern Ireland with a trophy.
Belfast were given equally tougher assignment, facing this year's Challenge Cup winners Cardiff who almost won the league in one of the tightest finishes in recent times. A slender 1-0 win in the Odyssey did nothing but expect a Cardiff win in the return back in Fortress Big Blue Tent. Just like Hull, Giants produced one of the best performances of the season to record a 7-3 road win on the night. If they can replicate this in both the semi and the Final itself, they could be skating back to Northern Ireland with a trophy.
Verdict: This is going to be a close run affair between two sides who many thought would not be contesting the weekend's games. Personally I reckon it might have overtime and penalty shots written all over it or will be a goal fest. It certainly won't be dull. Giants to squeak through by the most slender margin possible.
So according to the oracle, we are in for a repeat of last season's Final. How will that pan out then? Before that, we will have Blaze and Hull contest the 3rd/4th place game which we expect Blaze will be comfortably victorious in. That will be more like an exhibition game than a serious encounter. So what of the Final? Just like last year, our crystal ball sees it going to overtime after a 1-1 regulation draw. Then an uncharacteristic error from Stephen Murphy will present Mathieu Roy with yet another point in a remarkable season and those in orange will go bananas again.
It probably won't turn out anything like the above, after all we know nothing about hockey according to some quarters. Our record on predictions is equally dismal, after all how many times have we predicted the first goalscorer correctly on the Match Night Show? Yeah, once. That shows how good we are at this. We do have one thing planned though, and that's to have a good time in Nottingham. See you there!
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