DURHAM, UK – This weekend will see hordes of hockey fans from throughout the UK descend on Nottingham for the annual Elite League play off weekend. The 2nd semi final sees a match up between this year’s Challenge Cup winners the Nottingham Panthers and the surprise package of the play offs so far the Hull Stingrays.
As you would expect Nottingham go into the game as odds on favourites with the bookies and with the talent there is in Corey Neilson’s roster it is hard to see them losing out to Hull if they put in a solid performance this coming Saturday.
Offensively Panthers scored more goals in the Elite League this season than any other side (98 more than Stingrays) and Hull will have their hands full trying to deal with a roster than is crammed full of offensive talent including the likes of Jordan Fox, Matt Myers, Robert Lachowicz, David Clarke and Brandon Benedict.
British forward Robert Lachowicz
Nottingham’s top scorer this season was import forward David Beauregard who lit the lamp 41 times in 63 outings. Beauregard finished 2nd behind Edinburgh’s Reme Jarolin in the leagues overall goals charts which shows just what a dangerous sniper the Panthers forward can be. It is also worth noting that Beauregard has plenty of play off pedigree as he struck the game winning goal as Panthers claimed last year’s Play offs.
In the 7 games between Panthers and Stingrays this term Nottingham have tasted victory on every occasion and the side from the lace city have shut out Hull as well posting some tasty victories such as 6-1. 6-2 and 5-0 successes.
Matt Myers in action
All the statistics point to a Panthers triumph in the 2nd semi final however Hull upset the odds last weekend when they knocked the Sheffield Steelers out at the quarter final stage of the competition and they will be going all out to claim their 2nd major scalp of the play off programme.
Stingrays finished 7th in this seasons Elite League a whopping 44 points behind Panthers which illustrates just what a tough task Hull have this weekend in facing Corey Neilson’s men.
However Hull do have a number of quality forwards in their line up who can change any game in the blink of an eye. Jereme Tendler may have had his problems this season spending some time away from the ice through suspension however he still managed to finish the campaign in the top ten scorers for the entire division and he will no doubt be looking to end his season on a high by progressing as far as possible in the play offs.
Also on the Hull rosster are 2 Elite League veterans in Jason Silverthorn and Derek Campbell who have bags of experience in British hockey to call upon. Campbell has tasted success with the Sheffield Steelers in the past and his in your face style of game could well get under the skins of Panthers d men. Silverthorn finished the campaign as Hull’s top points scorer by some distance picking up 74 points from the 59 games he iced in and he is another player who could hurt Nottingham this weekend if he is allowed time on the puck.
In defence Hull conceded almost 4 goals per game on average in the league season (Panthers averaged just under 2 goals per game) and there is no doubt that Nottingham will be keen to get their offensive game going to test the Stingrays blue liners and their starting netminder Christian Boucher.
Stingrays Jason Silverthorn
Boucher has enjoyed a solid campaign on an individual basis despite his team struggling at the wrong end of the table for the majority of the term. He picked up the Stingrays player of the season award recently and if Hull are to have a genuine chance of progressing past Nottingham into Sundays play off final he will need to be at his very best when the puck drops at 5pm Saturday tea time.
I feel Nottingham will just have too much quality for Hull and think Panthers could run out victors by 2 or 3 goals in what I hope will be an entertaining and open contest.
Photos courtesy of Ian Buchan
Contact the author – chris.mackenzie@prohockeynews.com
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