The Wightlink Raiders will play reigning play off champions Bracknell Hornets in this season’s quarter finals after the Berkshire team clinched their place last night by beating Oxford.
It will be a great chance for the Island team to exact revenge on a Bracknell team who beat them on aggregate in last season’s final.
Since then the Hornets have failed to beat the Raiders and the league champions will start as hot favourites to make it through to the semi-finals.
First play off this Saturday at home
The home leg will take place this Saturday at Ryde Arena with face off at 6pm.
This is an all pay game and prices are being held at the regular season prices. The second leg will be in Berkshire on Sunday.
The winners will then meet the victors from the Invicta v Streatham quarter final in the last four over the weekend of 16/17 April.
While the Raiders have already clinched the league title in ice hockey it’s the play-offs which the team will most want to win. It’s a clean slate for the league’s top 8 teams and every one of them will fancy their chances of lifting the play off trophy over the Easter weekend.
More intense
Play off ice hockey is usually far more intense than regular season hockey and small slip ups can make the difference between winning or losing.
Last season the Island team finished the league season in 6th place but fought their way to the play off final where they were narrowly beaten by Bracknell.
As league champions Jeremy Cornish’s team will go into the play offs as favourites to win them but will be pleased the Essex duo of Chelmsford and Romford will be avoided until at least the final.
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Nicky Craft
