PAISLEY PIRATES-PREVIEW

It’s a massive weekend for the Paisley Pirates as they go to Kirkcaldy for the annual end of season SNL Playoffs this Saturday, and they face possibly the hardest possible task when they go head to head against the hosts, Kirkcaldy Kestrels, who qualified for their place after beating Edinburgh Capitals 10-8 on aggregate last weekend. The second semi final sees Aberdeen Lynx take on Dundee Comets, with the winners of the two ties meeting on Sunday to decide the destiny of this year’s playoff title.

Coach Ian Turley commented, “It may have come as a little bit of a surprise to some that the Kestrels made it through their quarter final, because after tying 5-5 with the Caps in the first leg in Fife two weeks ago, most folk would have fancied the Caps to finish the job in their own rink, but that gives us all the warning we need that the Kestrels are bang on form, if they can go to Edinburgh and win 5-3. They’ll be playing in their own rink in front of their own fans, and they’ll really fancy their chances-in their position, so would I!”

“We’ve had two tremendous games against them this year, and we managed to come through both with the points. What people have to remember is that we played exceptionally well in both games, in fact in our home game we had a team of walking wounded battling for us, and what that tells us is that we’ll have to be at our absolute best if we want to get to the final. Add that to the fact that we’re going there as league champions, and they’ve got all the incentive they need to want to turn us over. For our part, we’ve been training as usual the last couple of weeks working on a few things, everybody’s raring to go, and we’ll be heading onto the ice determined to prove that we have what it takes to see us progress.”

He went on, “We know, too, that we’ll have an army of supporters heading through to Fife to cheer us on, and we’re determined to finish the season with a bang rather than a whimper. I know we’re back there in a fortnight’s time for the Scottish Cup Final, but that’ll take care of itself when they time comes, all we’re focused on just now is the Kirkcaldy tie-we lost on penalties at this stage last year, and it’s a gut wrenching experience that we certainly don’t aim on repeating!”

 

Face off is at 4.45pm.