Ice Hockey: Jaggy nettles time for play-off hopefuls

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Peter Hetherston coined the best phrase to describe the pressure of the run-in when everything is on the line.
Previewing a big game, the then Raith Rovers' captain said it was "jaggy nettles time."

Right now, four EIHL teams know that feeling all too well as they try to stay just out of reach of being stung in the race to bag one of the remaining play-off spots.

The fact they all play each other across the closing weekends of the regular season simply throws more pressure on to the benches.

Forget 'must win' games - each and every one of them comes with a 'cannot lose' tag.

There's a seven-point gap between Manchester Storm in  seventh and Fife Flyers in tenth, but the race-within-a-race is arguably between the bottom three - and that gap is three points. 

Jaggy nettles time indeed.

Storm  returned to Scotland last night and grabbed what may yet be a game-changing 2-0 win over Glasgow Clan - a team now in worrying freefall.

That opened up a four-point gap between the clubs, and even although Clan have a game in hand, you have to think Storm are now edging their way to safety in seventh spot.

No such safety net exists for Zack Fitzgerald's side who are now on a five-game losing streak and, slowly but surely, are being pulled deep into this play-off dog fight.

The goals have dried up, and being shut out on home ice on the most important night of the season will have done nothing to help confidence levels in the dressing-room.

The fact Clan still pulled in a crowd of  3100 to watch a team toiling badly is remarkable.

Compare that to Fife's attendances which are now down to around 1200 - an indication of how much work Flyers simply must do across the summer to rebuild its fan base.

Clan hit the road for the rest of the weekend, with games at Coventry tonight and then Manchester on Sunday where everything will be on the line.

Those head to heads also include Storm at Dundee tonight - a win for Stars would see them overtake Clan, and if Fife also win in Sheffield, it'd slash the gap between the bottom three to just two points.

There's no doubt Fife remain the outsiders in this race - but they could be the wrecking ball which ruins the season of any one of the four hopefuls.

And this race will almost certainly go to the wire.

Jaggy nettles time indeed.









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