LEAGUE leaders Belfast Giants brought in another import defenceman this week with the return of Mike Hoffman to the Odyssey.

That makes it SIX import D-men for the Giants, although coach Doug Christiansen says he will be playing Hoffman up front this time round.

Mind you, with Brit Stephen Murphy in goal, they have the 'luxury' of being able to play the full ten import skaters and that can be key when it comes to the title run-in.

We will see how good the Giants' defence is next weekend when it comes up against Nottingham Panthers – the highest scoring team in the league – for the first true double-header to be played at the National Ice Centre.

After Panthers' fine 3-2 win in the Province two weeks ago, the top-of-the table games really whet the appetite and will provide a great feast of hockey over the weekend.

Second-placed Panthers – who face Dundee at the NIC tonight (7pm) – will be hoping their current winning run goes on to close the five-point gap and maintain their challenge for the title, with Sheffield next up.

And they will also be looking to goaltender Craig Kowalski to keep up his rich vein of form that has seen his goals-against average again fall below the two-per-game mark, a league best.

'Killer' will be the first to admit that he can't do it all on his own and in that respect, I find the continual criticism of Panthers' defence quite puzzling.

A supporter stopped me on the way to the rink the other day, wondering why coach Corey Neilson hadn't signed a fourth import blueliner to "strengthen the defence".

Neilson, in fact, picked up experienced winger Rhett Gordon before transfer deadline day and the former Ayr and Sheffield man certainly showed his worth during the twin hammering of Coventry last weekend.

But apart from having the best crop of two-way players in the league, who do so much defensively; the league's highest scorers, with no less than nine players hitting a point a game; the best goalie; and the most impressive crop of Brits, too, why haven't we got another defenceman?

Now let's think: Of the imports, Panthers have got the best offensive defenceman in the league (Neilson), alongside a solid stay-at-home D-man (Brock Wilson); plus a big, no-nonsense tough guy (Guy Lepine).

On top of that, you have currently the best GB defenceman (Danny Meyers) and another confident Brit (Steve Lee) who frightens the opposition with his open-ice hits.

And, of course, behind them is goalie Kowalski.

I think Panthers' record says it all . . .

Belfast and Cardiff face each other in the second leg of the Challenge Cup at the Odyssey tonight, with Devils trying to hang on to their 2-1 advantage.

The aggregate winners will face Panthers in the two-legged final.

And tomorrow, all eyes will be on the Sheffield v Belfast league clash in South Yorkshire.

Fixtures:

Tonight – league, Coventry v Fife; Panthers v Dundee (7pm); Sheffield v Hull. Cup/league, Belfast v Cardiff.

Tomorrow – league, Cardiff v Braehead; Dundee v Fife; Edinburgh v Panthers (6pm); Sheffield v Belfast Giants.