Cup clash ahead for Blaze and Panthers

This weekend, the Coventry Blaze and the Nottingham Panthers meet for the second time this season on Sunday in the Challenge Cup.

The much-anticipated clash will be the first time this season that two locked-out NHLers (Coventry’s Matt Beleskey and Nottingham’s Anthony Stewart) will have faced each other.

The first game, last weekend in Nottingham, was somewhat of a let down. The Blaze, suffering from flu and injuries, did not have the energy levels to compete with the skilled and fast Panthers lineup on the large NIC ice pad.

The game in Coventry should prove to be different.

The smaller rink always makes for a more physical encounter and often games between the two sides at the Skydome have given us many talking points.

Remember the bench clearance two seasons ago when Brad Cruikshank went after Craig Kowalski? It is not suggested that it will happen again, but with Gui Lepine back to game fitness following his late arrival and bodies on the bench to supplement Benn Olson’s activities; some fight action is not out of the question.

But what about the NHL players?

Stewart seems to be having an impact in Nottingham but this will be Beleskey’s first game for Coventry. Both are high energy forwards who will go to the boards but at this level should also put plenty of points on the board.

Coventry will be desperate to secure two cup points at home; success in the cup has often been dictated by performances in your own rink. The Skydome is expected to be full and noisy, something that generally only occurs these days for Nottingham games. Certainly on Sunday night, fireworks are expected and the eyes of the UK hockey world will be focused on the Midlands.