As the Cardiff Devils go for European glory this weekend in the Continental Cup, the Belfast Giants are looking to take advantage by replacing their rivals at the top of the Elite League table.
With the Welsh side taking a break from domestic matters for the weekend, Adam Keefe’s side — who are three points behind at present — would hit the summit were they to pick up wins in their two games in hand against the Sheffield Steelers on Saturday night (7.00pm) and Manchester Storm on Sunday (4.00pm), both on home ice.
While there is still plenty of hockey to be played, with the season only just having passed the halfway mark, every team wants to be the one being chased rather than doing the chasing, so this could be a significant weekend in the context of the title race.
“We want to be in a position where we control our own fate. We have those two games in hand this weekend but they don’t mean anything if we don’t win them,” explains defenceman Josh Roach.
“If we keep playing the way we have, we’re going to win more games than we lose and when it comes to the nitty-gritty time of the year, we’re going to be in the mix and hopefully we can close it out.
“The biggest thing is when you’re winning consistently and you’re top of the table, you’re playing with confidence and swagger. If you’re chasing, you’re taking on added stress.
“We’re playing really good hockey right now, we’re happy with our game and if we continue doing that then we don’t have to take on any unnecessary stress or have to take risks to get those points later in the season if we bank them now.”
For Roach in particular this has been an enjoyable season, the 32-year-old Canadian flourishing without having repeated niggles hanging over him.
Having spent a significant portion of the last campaign sidelined through injury, Roach has been an ever-present in the Giants’ line-up since August and has been at his offensive best throughout, putting up two goals and 26 points in 40 games.
“I don’t know if I expected output like this coming off the injury and half-season. The points are awesome but, at the end of the day, if you aren’t winning games, it isn’t fun,” says Roach.
“We’ve got a good group who know their roles and what they bring to the table and when everybody’s on the same page, we’re pretty dangerous.”
That, in turn, should lead to another thrilling instalment in the Giants’ rivalry with the Steelers this season, the pair’s fifth meeting of the campaign having plenty riding on it.
Should Belfast win then it sets up the opportunity to go top on Sunday when the Storm come to town, as well as putting some breathing space between them and the defending Grand Slam champions in third.
However, lose and the Steelers would be the ones to go second — albeit having played a game more — which would also prevent Adam Keefe’s side from having a shot at the Devils’ lead.
Sheffield have edged the season rivalry thus far, winning three of their four meetings including a 5-3 win at the SSE Arena only two weeks ago, but Roach insists they are relishing the pressure of these big games having bounced back to winning ways with back-to-back triumphs over the Nottingham Panthers last weekend.
“As an athlete and competitors, you want to play in the meaningful games,” he insists.
“Sheffield took the joy out of what we did two years ago by doing the same thing last year. They’re the team to beat and they’re in good form, so we expect them to come in and put in a good performance and we have to better that.
“Everybody on the team has it in the back of their mind last weekend where we gave up that lead. If we win our games, we get some separation. If they win, they get closer.
“So far we’ve been able to rise to the challenge and put in some good efforts.”