Davies prepares to return for Stingrays

The 21-year-old has missed the last two games – including Thursday night’s 9-3 home defeat to Nottingham – due to an ankle injury but, according to player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, should ice at the National Ice Centre.

The game marks another tough proposition for Stingrays, who played three games in as many nights last week and will again be without captain and defenceman Kurtis Dulle, who is out with a foot infection.

It is hoped fellow defenceman Martin Ondrej – who failed to finish the defeat to Nottingham due to illness – will also return alongside the lively Davies.

Cloutier – who is still looking to bring in another import to replace ousted D-man Josh Mizerek – admits his players will find life difficult in the East Midlands, facing a Panthers side who have won their last five league games – including two morale-boosting wins over bitter rivals Sheffield Steelers.

“They are a very good hockey team,” said Cloutier. “We competed well with them last week, but just run out of gas in the third (period).

“If we can do the same for the first two periods in their building, you never know.

“There’s no pressure on us going into their building. We’re the ones trying to make sure of a play-off place, they are the ones going for a league title.”