The Cardiff Devils significantly cut the Belfast Giants’ Elite League lead, reducing it to just six points after securing a dominant 5-2 win at the SSE Arena on Saturday, March 7th. This crucial victory has reignited the title race. With concurrent wins from the Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers, the top four teams are now separated by a mere seven points. Here’s a summary of the post-game reactions from around the league.
Elite League Round-up: Saturday, March 7th
Guildford Flames 3-4 Fife Flyers
Andrew Hemming, Guildford Flames:
“This was a tough loss for us,” admitted Andrew Hemming. “Despite a poor start and travel issues that saw us return home only this morning, our players delivered a professional effort. We just ran into a red-hot goalie and fell short.”
Mike Courts, Fife Flyers:
Mike Courts of Fife Flyers noted, “Both teams displayed great competitiveness. Guildford is a strong opponent, and they pressured us relentlessly. Our system changes this week encouraged more instinctive play, which paid off tonight.”
Belfast Giants 2-5 Cardiff Devils
Adam Keefe, Belfast Giants:
“It was a good hockey game between two strong teams,” commented Adam Keefe. “We played well, but lacked the directness to create opportunities or net a gritty goal. They capitalized on two ‘ugly’ goals thrown through the crease, plus a breakaway, and converted a powerplay while we didn’t. Despite the effort, a few costly mistakes were the reality. We need to regroup, be more direct, stop giving up breakaways, and improve our powerplay for tomorrow’s challenge.”
Paul Thompson, Cardiff Devils:
Paul Thompson, Cardiff Devils coach, expressed his satisfaction: “This is obviously pleasing. After our worst performance of the season last week in Sheffield, we had productive meetings. Tonight, I saw the Devils team from the first four months of the season. Hopefully, our fans are going home happy.”
Dundee Stars 5-4 Manchester Storm (Shootout)
Marc LeFebvre, Dundee Stars:
Marc LeFebvre of Dundee Stars praised his team: “I’m delighted for the guys; we persevered. We trailed for much of the game, but Emil Kruse made crucial saves for the extra point. After three challenging games post-Coventry, securing this home win was vital. The key was that we never quit.”
Cam Critchlow, Manchester Storm:
“I’m extremely disappointed,” stated Cam Critchlow. “For about 55 minutes, we played well, generating chances and pressuring them. However, we switched off in the final five minutes, a recurring issue this season. Despite a long day with a two-hour highway breakdown, we started strong, but we need to rebound. It’s simply not good enough. We’ve wasted too many chances for extra points. While some individuals performed well, as a team, we ultimately failed.”
Nottingham Panthers 5-4 Glasgow Clan (Overtime)
Danny Stewart, Nottingham Panthers:
Danny Stewart, Nottingham Panthers coach, commented, “We scored one more goal, thankfully securing two points. The game was too open and ‘run and gun’ for my preference. Full credit goes to Bryan Lemos and his line; they won us this game. On nights when the team isn’t at its best, you need players to step up, and Lemos’s line did exactly that.”
Mike Sirant, Glasgow Clan:
Mike Sirant of Glasgow Clan acknowledged, “No one in our locker room is satisfied, which is a positive sign. Trailing 4-1 in the third period and fighting back in this arena demonstrates significant belief. We earned a valuable point tonight. Nottingham is an excellent team, yet we managed to secure a point.”
Sheffield Steelers 4-3 Coventry Blaze (Shootout)
Aaron Fox, Sheffield Steelers:
Aaron Fox of Sheffield Steelers observed, “We didn’t lead until the final penalty shot. I particularly liked our first period, where we moved well, defended actively, and created many offensive chances. Coventry was stronger in the second, taking the lead, but I appreciated our response. We strayed a bit after that, but our third period was good; we probably deserved more. Coventry is a tough team, especially with Mat Robson always performing his best here, giving them a chance every night. They’re playing good hockey. We’re content with the points.”
Kevin Moore, Coventry Blaze:
Kevin Moore, Coventry Blaze coach, described it as “a highly entertaining game.” He added, “Structurally, it was peculiar for both teams. I admired our team’s adaptability, solving problems throughout; the game fluctuated between open play and tight defense. Tactically strange, but I loved our grit in battling for a point on the road. Shootouts are a coin flip, and it didn’t favor us.”
