The bmibaby Elite League 2006/07 season is fast approaching a thrilling and fantastic climax. Around the country, fans of every club are trying to work out who will play whom in the playoff series while the teams strain every sinew in trying to ensure qualification for the Playoff Finals Weekend - without question the best Ice Hockey Event in the UK.

In just three short weeks time, the top eight teams in the bmibaby Elite League will enter a fascinating battle to determine the four semi-finalists who will grace the Playoff Finals Weekend at the National ice Centre in Nottingham.

This year has been the closest, most competitive league season ever, with teams realising that every game is critical in determining where in the league standings they will finish and therefore, who will be the team they will compete against in order to reach those magical semi-final games.

The playoff series format is straight forward as the team who finishes 1st in the league - the regular season bmibaby Elite League Champions - will playoff against the team that finishes 8th. The other quarterfinal pairings are 2nd versus 7th; 3rd v 6th; and 4th v 5th. All four ties will be two-legged affairs in a one home and one away game format. Based on the results of the season so far, any of the eight teams who contest the playoffs could qualify for the Finals Weekend itself as every club has conceded points throughout the year and such is the competitiveness of the league.

The Playoff Weekend is without doubt the showcase for professional Ice Hockey in the UK and for anyone who has been to a playoff weekend before, they know it's the event of the year not to miss.

The weekend sees both of the semi-finals staged on the Saturday, while, the scene on the Sunday is set by the traditional England vs Scotland International followed by the Grand Final itself - with the all the trappings of the final game of a fantastic season of bmibaby Elite League Ice Hockey.

With only four weeks till the puck is dropped don't wait or delay any longer !!

If you haven't got your tickets for the Easter Weekend Event on 7th and 8th April at the NIC, phone the NIC box office immediately on 0115 853 3000 to avoid being disappointed.

If you really want to support Ice Hockey in the UK, this and in addition the EPL Playoff Weekends are the events you ought to be attending. Every single pound raised helps support the clubs who, year on year, have been delivering you top class professional and semi-professional Ice Hockey entertainment .If you care about the future of Ice Hockey in the UK, come out and support not only your favourites, but both the bmibaby Elite League Playoff and EPL Playoff Weekends.