NIHL preview | 16-18 February

With just seven weeks remaining of regular Planet Ice NIHL National Division action, the stakes continue to get even higher this weekend in the battle to secure a play-off spot.

Current frontrunners Leeds Knights were the first team to secure a spot in the play-offs after their recent four-point weekend, and they will look to further solidify their place at the summit of the table with a double-header clash against Peterborough Phantoms this weekend.

The Phantoms will be buoyed after claiming four points of their own last weekend but will understand the tough prospect that awaits them as they travel to Leeds on Saturday before returning home for the second leg the following day.

MK Lightning will have the opportunity to book their place in the play-off group stages in April as they prepare for back-to-back trips to Dumfries, where they will take on Solway Sharks.

Swindon Wildcats, who secured a 1-0 victory over the Knights last Saturday before falling to a 7-2 defeat against Lightning a day later, will kick off this weekend’s action when they host Sheffield Steeldogs on Friday evening, before welcoming Hull Seahawks less than 24 hours later in a mouth-watering clash between third and fourth.

The Seahawks will then travel to Slough on Sunday as they cross swords with Bees IHC, who will be fresh from Saturday’s trip to Bristol Pitbulls.

Telford Tigers will be hoping to bounce back after a narrow overtime loss against Peterborough Phantoms and a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Leeds Knights last weekend.

They make the journey to Romford to lock horns with Raiders IHC on Saturday before welcoming the Pitbulls to the Telford Ice Rink on Sunday.

Full fixtures for the weekend can be found below. Thanks to our friends at NIHL Stats, you can also check out the latest fixtures from the WNIHL and junior leagues.

NIHL National Division –

Fri 16th Feb 7:30pm Swindon Wildcats vs Sheffield Steeldogs L
Sat 17th Feb 7:00pm Bristol Pitbulls vs Bees IHC L
Sat 17th Feb 6:30pm Leeds Knights vs Peterborough Phantoms L
Sat 17th Feb 5:15pm Raiders IHC vs Telford Tigers L
Sat 17th Feb 7:00pm Solway Sharks vs Milton Keynes Lightning L
Sat 17th Feb 6:30pm Swindon Wildcats vs Hull Seahawks L
Sun 18th Feb 5:00pm Bees IHC vs Hull Seahawks L
Sun 18th Feb 5:30pm Peterborough Phantoms vs Leeds Knights L
Sun 18th Feb 4:30pm Sheffield Steeldogs vs Raiders IHC L
Sun 18th Feb 3:00pm Solway Sharks vs Milton Keynes Lightning L
Sun 18th Feb 6:00pm Telford Tigers vs Bristol Pitbulls L

NIHL North 1 (Moralee) –

Sat 17th Feb 5:30pm Hull Jets vs Solihull Barons L
Sat 17th Feb 4:40pm Sheffield Scimitars vs Deeside Dragons L
Sun 18th Feb 5:15pm Deeside Dragons vs Hull Jets L
Sun 18th Feb 5:30pm Solihull Barons vs Billingham Stars L
Sun 18th Feb 5:00pm Whitley Warriors vs Blackburn Hawks L
Sun 18th Feb 5:30pm Widnes Wild vs Nottingham Lions L

NIHL South 1 (Britton) –

Sat 17th Feb 7:00pm Milton Keynes Thunder vs Chelmsford Chieftains L
Sat 17th Feb 6:30pm Slough Jets vs Streatham Redhawks BC
Sat 17th Feb 5:00pm Solent Devils vs Invicta Dynamos L
Sun 18th Feb 6:00pm Chelmsford Chieftains vs Slough Jets BC
Sun 18th Feb 5:45pm Invicta Dynamos vs Milton Keynes Thunder L
Sun 18th Feb 6:45pm Streatham Redhawks vs Romford Buccaneers L

NIHL North 2 (Laidler) –

Sat 17th Feb 7:30pm Billingham Buccaneers vs Bradford Bulldogs L
Sat 17th Feb Sheffield Titans vs Altrincham Aces L
Sat 17th Feb 7:00pm Telford Tigers NIHL 2 vs Nottingham Lions NIHL 2 L
Sun 18th Feb 5:30pm Bradford Bulldogs vs Kingston Sharks L
Sun 18th Feb 7:00pm Coventry NIHL Blaze vs Sheffield Titans L
Sun 18th Feb 7:20pm Nottingham Lions NIHL 2 vs Billingham Buccaneers L
Sun 18th Feb 1:00pm Sutton Sting vs Telford Tigers NIHL 2 L

NIHL South 2 (Wilkinson) –

Sat 17th Feb 6:45pm Cardiff Fire vs Chelmsford Warriors L
Sat 17th Feb 6:15pm Oxford Rising Stars vs Solent Junior Devils L/C
Sat 17th Feb 6:30pm Peterborough Phantoms NIHL 2 vs Guildford Phoenix L
Sun 18th Feb 6:15pm Oxford Rising Stars vs Haringey Huskies L
Sun 18th Feb 5:00pm Solent Junior Devils vs Invicta Mustangs L

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