The Elite League has confirmed a new weekly highlights show on free-to-air television will be launched on Thursday evening.

‘Facing Off’ will be available in 19 million homes across the UK and Northern Ireland on Freeview, FreeSat, Talk Talk/BT and Sky, on new sports channel Front Runner.

The one-hour show will feature all 10 EIHL teams, with the best of the action from the matches across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The programme will be shown at 6.00pm on Thursdays, 10.00pm on Fridays and 9.00am on Saturdays. If you fancy a wager during the season check out these ice hockey betting sites.

Elite League director Neil Black said: “I think it’s very important because we have been off the screens so far this season and we have been pretty invisible the last few years on free-to-air TV.

“Front Runner are new and enthusiastic and want to progress things themselves. I think it’s good for us to be working with somebody who is very keen on making this a much better product and working very hard on attracting new viewers to their channels.”

Front Runner’s Ryan Scarratt added: “Ice hockey is a new sport for Front Runner and we’re excited to be offering these action-packed games exclusively for free to our viewers.

“We feel that there are sports out there that deserve more television air time, and the Elite Ice Hockey League is among them. These matches are certainly intense and nail-biting, so be sure to tune into Facing Off.”

The programme will be made by respected production company Televideo, which has had a long relationship with ice hockey having previously made shows for Sky Sports.

Paul Scivill, Managing Director of Televideo said: “We are delighted to be working with the Elite League again and with a new channel in Front Runner.

“Ice hockey is a great sport and we are looking forward to making a programme which will appeal to fans, both new and old.”