The Belfast Giants are inching closer to the Elite League title after a commanding performance on Sunday, March 23rd. Adam Keefe’s squad defeated the Glasgow Clan 4-1, putting them just two points away from securing their regular-season crown.
Elsewhere in the league, the Guildford Flames achieved a shutout against the Coventry Blaze, while the Sheffield Steelers leveled their home-and-away series with the Nottingham Panthers. In a notable moment, Dundee Stars head coach Marc LeFebvre expressed profound anger following another team collapse, and the Manchester Storm dominated the Fife Flyers, solidifying their hold on fifth place. This summary brings you the highlights and post-game reactions from across the rinks.
Elite League Round-Up: Sunday, March 22, 2026
Glasgow Clan 1-4 Belfast Giants
Mike Sirant, Glasgow Clan: “Both teams were visibly tired tonight. We made a few mistakes that Belfast expertly capitalized on. Despite the loss, we need to draw positives from this weekend; playing tough opponents in back-to-back games is excellent experience as we gear up for the playoffs.”
Adam Keefe, Belfast Giants: “I’m genuinely pleased with our performance tonight. Last night’s game wasn’t to my liking, and upon review, Glasgow played a significant role in our lack of execution, making us earn every inch. Tonight, we played much more like ourselves, controlling the game effectively. I particularly admired the mental fortitude of the group, especially after last night’s result and our current position in the title race. We came into the weekend hoping to clinch the title tonight, which didn’t happen, but the mental strength shown was exceptional. Our focus now is simply to stay concentrated. I take full responsibility for any loss of focus during the week. The reality is, no one will hand us the trophy; we have to go out and win it ourselves. We expect nothing less than a difficult weekend against Nottingham, and that’s precisely how it should be.”
Nottingham Panthers 2-4 Sheffield Steelers
Danny Stewart, Nottingham Panthers: “I cannot fault the effort from the guys. It’s been an incredibly demanding week physically, mentally, and emotionally, yet they went out there and competed hard. We just lacked clinical execution. Sheffield had that extra bounce tonight, which ultimately decided the game. If you were to play that game ten times, you’d likely see a different result each time. We simply couldn’t find that crucial end product.”
Aaron Fox, Sheffield Steelers: “I thought it was a very solid sixty-minute performance. Nottingham started strong, but we pushed back effectively and played a good, disciplined road game. Interestingly, I felt we played better yesterday and created more opportunities, but tonight we got some crucial, timely goals and made some big saves. I’m satisfied we got the job done, as we’re now two points closer to the Panthers with only five games left to play.”
Cardiff Devils 8-1 Dundee Stars
Paul Thompson, Cardiff Devils: “Today, we delivered a much more comprehensive performance. We handled the puck significantly better, resulting in a very pleasing outcome and a strong finish to the week.”
Marc LeFebvre, Dundee Stars: “The final eight minutes were an absolute disgrace; we brought shame upon the game itself. We finally managed to score a goal this weekend, only for selfish play in those last eight minutes to lead to such a humiliating scoreline. We truly embarrassed ourselves. I acknowledge that we’ve had a terrible season, and I take full responsibility for that, but those last eight minutes were simply a disgrace. My heart goes out to our fans who traveled all this way to witness such a pitiful end. There are truly no words to describe it.”
Fife Flyers 0-4 Manchester Storm
Mike Courts, Fife Flyers: “I don’t believe the final score accurately reflects the game. I felt we played the right way for significant portions of the match, and I’m actually quite satisfied with how the majority of it unfolded. However, penalties started to hurt us, and stick penalties will always come back to haunt you. I thought our ‘Kid Line’ made some fantastic contributions, just as they did last night.”
Cam Critchlow, Manchester Storm: “I thought it was a pretty good game, quite similar to last week’s encounter – physical, competitive, and with a few scrums. It was a solid performance overall; we improved as the game progressed. I’m really happy that Evan Weninger got the shutout tonight; it was great to see him get the result he deserved. All in all, I’m pleased with the win; we managed our emotions well, and it was a strong team victory for us.”
Guildford Flames 4-0 Coventry Blaze
Andrew Hemmings, Guildford Flames: “It feels good to secure these two points tonight, especially after our loss in Manchester yesterday. The boys responded incredibly well, and getting a shutout on home ice is always a collective effort. It was a strong game all around for us.”
Kevin Moore, Coventry Blaze: “That was a somewhat strange game. I wasn’t happy with our start, but we did pick things up in the second half. I thought if we could just grab one goal, it might have given us some momentum, but it never materialized. Their goalie played exceptionally well tonight. It’s a peculiar game, and one we’re ready to put behind us.”
