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Post by davetheblaze on Mar 6, 2006 19:14:10 GMT 1
Is there anything other than bragging rights for coming third, I imagine sponsorship is easier to get the higher you finish. Is there prize money or anything like that depending on league position.
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Post by Rich on Mar 9, 2006 14:45:51 GMT 1
Well finnishing 3rd in the league would mean us being in a playoff group with 2nd, 6th, 7th whereas finnishing 4th would see us in a playoff group with 1st, 5th, 8th. Given that since the Elite League was formed the league champions have always gone on to win the playoffs Belfast will be a team that I will want to avoid although if they were to knock us out the BIHC tonight I suppose Belfast will have an extra two games that could take their toll so maybe we could take advantage of that. Still I don't want us to be knocked out of the BIHC, I want us to get as far as we can in both of the competitions that we still have a chance of winning. Cardiff who I think have now guaranteed themselves 5th place will also be tough opponants who have hit form in the later stages of their league campaign, plus they have done something Blaze havn't done this season and won some silverware. As things stand Basingstoke are in 8th place but still have a very good chance of overtaking Edinburgh. If I'm honset out of the two I'd rather have Basingstoke as even though we have had the beating of the Capitals at home this season they have proved tough opponants at Murrayfield. Its much further to travel than Basingtoke plus I remember Blaze doing very well in the playoffs against Bison back in the BNL days which probably means nothing but any oman could be a good oman. I'd be quite confident of us beating Newcastle because although they have finnished above us in the league we did finnally end our winless run against them this season a few weeks ago at the Sky Dome. I see them as being a team that we can frustrate if we can get off to a good start against them. As for Sheffield well while no side should be under estimated its fair to say that they aint the force they once were.
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Post by Claret & Blue Army on Mar 10, 2006 18:46:58 GMT 1
Perfect summing up there Rich.
Unlike last season where it wouldn't have mattered whom we got in the play offs (And ended up with a good 4 series game against London which was a clean sweep but not without controversy) as we were streets ahead of everyone, this year I feel there is a much tighter ability bracket.
To back up Rich's post you would have to say only the Steelers look likely to finish bottom of their group whereas the others are unpredictable.
In none of the years has the top 4 in the league qualified for the final 4.
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