The Tigers will face “four exceptional imports” when they take on Manchester Phoenix in the Red Hockey Cup this weekend.
Saturday sees the two teams meet at Telford Ice Rink (6pm), before the return game at Manchester’s temporary Deeside home on Sunday.
The games will bring Tom Watkins’s pre-season programme to an end, after he initially gathered his squad together for a training camp three weeks ago.
And with Manchester having beaten highly-rated Swindon Wildcats 6-2 last weekend, Watkins is expecting a tough set of games. 
He said: “I’m not surprised at all by Manchester beating Swindon last weekend. It just shows that on their night, any team can beat another at this level.
“Manchester have got one of the best defensive cores in the league and one of the better netminders. They have also got four exceptional imports, so it will be a difficult weekend.”
All four of Manchester’s imports – Robin Kovar, Michael Satek, Nico Aaltonen and Stanislav Gron – netted in that victory over Swindon.
The games will give Watkins a further chance to change the look of his squad, as he prepares to defend Telford’s EPL and British Challenge Cup titles.
He added: “You are always looking for small improvements in the team, with little pairings you like to have. It is an opportunity to find a balance in certain areas.
“We will change the line-up again this weekend. It’s a case of trying to evaluate every game and seeing where the guys fit in for the best for the team.”
Watkins will also use the experience of Wednesday night’s encounter with Coventry Blaze, in a bid to find the right balance across his squad.
“We need to execute a little bit better, certainly against teams in our league,” he said.
“That is key for every team on every night. We have a way we want to play, and we have to look to play that way every night.
“I’m asking guys to step up into roles, because of other players missing. The expectation has to be higher than perhaps it was previously, to make sure they get the job done in all areas.”
Saturday night’s game, at Telford Ice Rink, starts at 6pm, while on Sunday in Deeside, face-off is at 6.30pm.
NIHL
Tigers NIHL boss Jason Parry won’t decide on his final line-up for the league season during this weekend’s games against Deeside Dragons and Solihull Barons.
Telford travel to Deeside on Saturday – and to Solihull on Sunday – for their final warm-up encounters, before the start of the Moralee Conference season.
Parry will use both games to make further adjustments to his line-up, following last Saturday’s 8-5 victory over Deeside at Telford Ice Rink.
But he will keep his cards close to his chest as he prepares for the first game of the league season – a trip to reigning champions Blackburn Hawks in a week’s time.
He said: “I think there is always room for improvement. We’ll have a better idea of where we want to be, when we face off against Blackburn.
“We won’t have tried every combination that we can during these games, so there could still be changes before the first league match.
“Hopefully we will have a few guys that were missing last weekend, so there’ll be some changes. There’s lots we have to work on.”
Saturday’s trip to Flintshire will see Telford face a Deeside side that has undergone a number of changes, after the introduction of new owners Red Hockey.
Parry added: “It should be a good atmosphere up there. They will have a few fans in, with the changes that have happened with Red Hockey.
“They have a big ice pad, and hopefully that will suit us well. I have worked on a few match-ups and line changes during training this week. You have to see how they work in a game situation.”
On Sunday, The Tigers NIHL face a mouth-watering encounter with Solihull, who pipped them to the Laidler Conference play-off title last season.
Parry is looking for a different result to that heart-breaking defeat in April – but more importantly, he wants the best preparation for the new season.
“The guys will definitely be up for this one, especially after the disappointment of the play-off final,” he said.
“We’ll have a different side, as will they, so both teams will be motivated. They have previously gone two years unbeaten, so it would be great to beat them and put the play-off game to bed.
“In some ways, though, the result isn’t really important. At this stage of this season, it is all about making sure the team is properly prepared.”
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