Published Thursday, 01 December 2011
After eight weeks out through injury, McBride has been skating all week and has one final medical examination to pass before lining out on Saturday.
"Brock looks great in practice," Giants head coach Doug Christiansen said.
"I think the fans should have tempered enthusiasm if he does return - he hasn't played in two months. But he has made significant progress over the last two weeks."
Defenceman James Hutchinson also looks likely to be back to full strength, after not finishing the game against the Braehead Clan last weekend.
"Hutchinson has practised all week and I would expect him to play on Saturday," Christiansen said.
Hull are a dangerous team – they’re desperate for points and they’ve played us tough the two games in Hull.
Doug Christiansen, Belfast Giants
With Benoit Doucet looking likely to have suffered a season-ending knee injury in that clash with the Clan, the Giants need all their players to step up their game.
"We have a motto of 'next man in'," Christiansen said.
"It's the notion that, no matter who is out, the player who takes his role must do the job. We have lost a lot of firepower because of Doucet's injury and we need our forwards to step up."
The Giants are currently leading the Elite League - not just on wins, but also in both power play and penalty kill percentage.
Their opponents for Saturday's fixture sit in eighth place, but are led by Jason Silverthorn - the league's seventh most prolific scorer - and also feature one of the top netminders, Christian Boucher, between the pipes.
The Giants have played the Stingrays three times and secured a win each time.
But Christiansen warned that they could still prove a tough challenge.
"They were great against us, pushing us all the way to the buzzer both times in Hull," he added.
"I know Sylvain Cloutier is very detailed in his preparation and he will have his team ready for the game."