Elite Report: Week 4 Preview

Making an early start this week with the fourth week of action. We start off this week's look ahead with a rare midweek encounter and then move onto the usual ones at weekend. Maybe, just maybe, we might get some right.

Time to dust off that crystal ball and see what we can predict.

Wednesday night:

Braehead Clan v Fife Flyers  - CHALLENGE CUP

Clan are in a bit of a pickle, they can't win a game of hockey at the moment. It reached new heights on Sunday night when the Caps won the M8 derby in Murrayfield. Surely they can find a way past Fife, a nemesis of theirs?

Verdict: Clan regulation.

Saturday night: 

Belfast Giants v Dundee Stars  - CHALLENGE CUP

It wasn't a bad week just gone if you're a member of the Teal Army, 1000 games for the Club and celebrated in style with a four point weekend. Can they continue the good form against a challenging Dundee?

Verdict: Giants regulation

Cardiff Devils v Coventry Blaze  - CHALLENGE CUP

These two sides had a couple of interesting games in pre-season and I don't expect this to be any different. Both teams like to leave it all out on the line so to speak, it could be a real tasty game down in IAW.

Verdict: Devils regulation

Fife Flyers v Edinburgh Capitals  - CHALLENGE CUP

Having overcame Clan on Sunday in their opening home game, confidence is sure to be high in the Caps camp especially now Travis Fullerton is in the country and between the pipes. Fife will want to bounce back however from last weekend's pointless tally.

Verdict: Fife to squeak this one in overtime

Manchester Storm v Braehead Clan  - ELITE LEAGUE

Depending how Clan fare on Wednesday night, will determine how confidence in the purple ranks is. Either way, Storm will be keen as mustard to continue their good form and secure a second win in the space of seven days. Way they are playing, you can't argue with them.

Verdict: Clan will edge this one, probably in overtime

Sunday night:

Coventry Blaze v Nottingham Panthers  - ELITE LEAGUE

There's certainly no love lost between these two, remember the SkyDome bench clearance in 2010? I'm no saying we will get a repeat of that but it's going to be a feisty game. Will Klotz and McGrattan drop the gloves? That could be worth watching.

Verdict: Panthers to win after a penalty shoot-out

Edinburgh Capitals v Manchester Storm  - ELITE LEAGUE

Potentially this one could either way. Caps want to show their fans that they have a decent squad who will compete every time and not fall apart mid-season, Storm want to build on early season momentum and make a statement.

Verdict: Storm to be happy with an overtime win

Braehead Clan v Belfast Giants  - CHALLENGE CUP

Can Clan get a couple of morale boosting home wins to get the Purple Army back on side? We're saying they can get the first tomorrow night, but it will be hard against a Belfast team that seem to have made a decent start. It's always possible though.

Verdict: Clan in overtime

Dundee Stars v Fife Flyers  - CHALLENGE CUP

For the second time in eight days, Stars and Flyers clash. Dundee won convincingly in the first encounter, but can Flyers avenge that? No quarter will be given for sure, whichever team wants it the most is going to be successful here.

Verdict: Stars smiling in regulation again.

So that's how my crystal ball views it. How do you see the games panning out?

                

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