NIHL preview | 20-21 April

The Planet Ice NIHL National Division play-off group stages come to an end this weekend – and seven teams still have a chance of reaching the Final Four.

The only side unable to book their place at the league’s showpiece season finale in Coventry are Bees IHC, who have lost all four of their play-off games so far.

Group A is currently topped by regular season champions Leeds Knights, who face the Bees home and away and are all-but-certain to qualify for Finals Weekend, with just one point required to mathematically guarantee qualification.

Peterborough Phantoms and Hull Seahawks will go head-to-head to determine who will likely qualify alongside the Knights for the end-of-season event.

The Phantoms are currently two points ahead of their rivals but know it will be no easy task against a Seahawks side that were beaten in the final of the National Cup last month and will not want to bow out without putting themselves in the mix to win silverware once again.

Everything is still up for grabs in Group B, with the four competing teams separated by just three points.

Current leaders Telford Tigers start their weekend with a trip to second-placed Swindon Wildcats before welcoming them to Shropshire on Sunday evening.

The sides met five times during the regular season, with all five victories going the way of the Wildcats.

The weekend’s other double-header will see Raiders IHC do battle with National Cup winners MK Lightning.

The pair start the weekend at the foot of Group B but know that everything is still up for grabs as they bid to confirm their place in Coventry.

Milton Keynes will host the first of the games, and Lightning will go in with confidence after winning five of their six meetings during the regular season – including all three on home ice.

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 –

Sat 20th Apr 5:30pm Hull Seahawks vs Peterborough Phantoms PO
Sat 20th Apr 6:30pm Leeds Knights vs Bees IHC PO
Sat 20th Apr 7:00pm Milton Keynes Lightning vs Raiders IHC PO
Sat 20th Apr 6:30pm Swindon Wildcats vs Telford Tigers PO
Sun 21st Apr 5:00pm Bees IHC vs Leeds Knights PO
Sun 21st Apr 5:15pm Raiders IHC vs Milton Keynes Lightning PO
Sun 21st Apr 5:30pm Peterborough Phantoms vs Hull Seahawks PO
Sun 21st Apr 6:00pm Telford Tigers vs Swindon Wildcats PO

To send us your latest club news, please click here

About the Author: jdgmedia_user_oih3n4kr