Swindon Wildcats aiming for four-point weekend against The Bees and MK Lightning

Following a single-game weekend seven days ago, the Wildcats return to their usual two-game stint this time around – only there is no home game. Both fixtures are away from the Link Centre.

With Swindon having made a strong start to their National Ice Hockey League campaign, Nell’s men could strengthen their early title aspirations with two wins against teams currently lower than them in the table.

But Nell believes both teams’ current position is something of a false one, and has backed the Bees and Lightning to prove a far more difficult task.

Nell said: “Every game away from home is very difficult now.

“The Bees have won three in a row, and although Milton Keynes had a tough weekend last weekend they’ll want to bounce back, I’m sure.

“Every game is really tough, so it’s about picking up as many away points as we can and doing it early.

“It will be a very difficult weekend, so if we got four points away against these two teams, it would be an unbelievable result.”

Swindon enter this weekend’s double-header fresh off the back of a 7-4 comeback victory against the Lightning last Saturday – a method of success in which the Wildcats have dabbled in plenty of times already this term.

And while Nell admits coming from behind to win can thrill the fans, the head coach would like to see his squad dominate from the puck-drop in a bid to make their own lives easier.

He said: “It was great to get that first home league win. We didn’t start well, and that’s one of the next things we need to focus on.

“Especially at home, we need to start games well – we need to start them how we’re finishing them.

“It was really good to get that win, and the boys reacted really well to going three goals down.

“I’m not sure why we’re not starting well, it’s something I’ve been thinking about all week.

“We’ve got to be ready to go at the start of every game, and it’s something we’re constantly working on.”