Belfast Giants' head coach Keefe is relishing the Storm

It is the start of away games which will last for the rest of November, the Giants will only return to home ice at the SSE Arena on December 3.

Speaking on the A View From The Bridge podcast on Tuesday he said he will be speaking to the player, especially the new squad members, of the importance of keeping on top of the Storm.

He explained: “We always do an abundance of prep before Manchester, but it always seems not to matter to be honest.

“The new guys on the team need to get there and experience it. We will certainly prep them on the size of the arena and to be aware that things can happen very fast there.

“I will be telling them of the need to play very direct and get the puck to the net and also to stay above you man, because things can happen very quickly at their rink and if you are sleeping and allow them to get in behind you it will be odd man situations all game.

“That's a very dangerous way to play and it's not the way that we play, so that will be our main focus going into Manchester.”

He added: “But the reality is that you need to manage the puck well and manage your game well too.

“At the same time we need to impose our game on them. They are going to want to do the same to us and to use their building to their advantage. We need to be aware of that.”

Addressing why the Altrincham arena can be a difficult placed to go into Keefe said: “I think there is a little to do with momentum.

“I find that it also happens in Fife and Manchester in the third period. It doesn't matter what sort of lead you have, if you go into a period like that not on your toes it can happen quickly that one, two, three goals are scored and that lead is ate away at.

“When that happens you find yourself really in a hockey game. You need to be aware of those situations, you need to get the puck into the other team's zone and play on offense.

“That's how you negate some of the momentum.

“But sometimes in small buildings like that things can happen so fast, if you aren't ready or aren't prepared to play at the start of the period in the same way you have at the start of the game, then you will find that a game gets quickly out of hand.”

The Belfast Giants face the Manchester Storm tonight with faceoff at 7.30pm. For those unable to make it across to the Manchester, the match is being streamed live online, links can be found at Manchester Storm TV.