It's the final countdown....

"Der der der der der...." - with sincere apologies to Swedish rock legends Europe. The final week of the regular season is almost here and the title race took an unexpected twist again on Sunday night when a result coming straight out of EH12 surprised all and sundry. The final countdown is definitely on, will my prediction still hold true or have I given the kiss of death to the Purple Army? Let's see...

 

Nobody, not even myself, could have scripted Sunday's events. Sure I expected a bit of backlash from the Cardiff Angels (as our good friend Mr Caps Banter Army has re-dubbed the South Wales team) against us but seriously who would have thought that the Caps would go and win against title chasing Clan? Come on one and all, you never saw it as well: did you?

What it has done for sure, the title race is now wide open and Clan now have to win out to secure the Monteith Bowl which I predicted they will get. Conceivably too, if Cardiff win their game in hand (against the very same Caps team) in the Big Blue Tent tomorrow night then Clan will slip to third and only regulation wins will separate Steelers and Devils. Complex enough for you? That's why I think this season's title race has been one of the most exciting ones in the 11 years the EIHL has been going. It's had more twists and turns than the world famous "Big One" rollercoaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Which makes for great entertainment but isn't too good for the nerves and chewed fingernails.

So will Caps ruin a second team's title ambitions on Wednesday and do the Steelers a second favour? Ideally, we would love it if they did but I honestly can't see happening. Cardiff are pretty damn good in their own barn, and not many teams escape there with a maximum haul. If it had been in Murrayfield, I would have viewed it as a banana skin for Andrew Lord's Angels but not in the BBT. Which makes for grim reading for both Gerad Adams and most importantly; Ryan Finnerty up in the West of Scotland. This then leads us onto 3 potential massive days...

Friday night sees the Steelers travel to the fabulous NIC again for the last time in the regular season where all sorts of implications could abound. The hosts want the win for the Erhardt Conference title; which can give them second seed in the play-offs provided Braehead win the league. Likewise Steelers are in the title hunt, and two points in the Lace City will really launch them into the box seat as regards the Monteith Bowl. If Steelers play like they did in the Challenge Cup semi-final second leg, then they can easily skate away with another win.

Saturday brings games in each Conference which will determine things. Should Sheffield have the win from Nottingham 24 hours earlier in the bag, they could easily be celebrating if they beat the Devils at Sheffield Arena in the teams' third league encounter in the last 10 days. A loss in Nottingham will put the pressure on Adams' men to get the win and then sit back and hope. Cardiff will be two points ahead if they win in the House of Steel and Nottingham have done likewise. Meanwhile Braehead entertain Hull, and they too will need a favour off their "big sister" to keep the purple dreams alive. A home loss to the Stingrays will end their hopes there and then.

So supposing Sheffield finish out with just 2 points from their last two games, there will be many anxious faces in South Yorkshire on Sunday. Devils will be out of the running if they fail to pick up any points Saturday as the regulation win calculator will come into play. A single point haul from the House of Steel might be enough to give them a chance but they need to overcome Nottingham to stand that chance: the positive there being that this game is back in the BBT. Clan on the other hand, have to secure a minimum of a overtime loss if they go into Sunday just a point behind Steelers. They go to Fife, "The Auld Barn", a place they have come unstuck a few times in the past and been beaten convincingly as well. It does add extra spice to proceedings for sure. 

With so many different permutations available, who can say which team be celebrating come probably around 9:00pm Sunday night. The race could be over Saturday but the way this season's title race has unfolded then as a betting man; I'd bet it's highly possible it won't be. Let's get both tomorrow and Friday out of the way and see where we stand then, it's going to be a real test of emotions. Panthers have a massive say in what's going to happen, I bet they wish they had been involved in it. The play-off match ups following the final games should be interesting. As they stand it's:

Sheffield (as league champions) v Hull
Braehead (as Gardiner Conference winners) v Fife
Cardiff v Coventry
Nottingham v Belfast

See what I mean? Anyway that's me done with, I'll have a look at the play-off quarter finals next week when we know who has finished where. As a Steelers supporter, I hope I have reasons to celebrate but then again I am ready to face the mickey taking if we miss out on the Holy Grail for the first time since 2011. I sincerely pray I don't have to go through the latter...Until next week is!

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