Cardiff Fire Face Big Test Against Warriors In Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Fire are chasing an ice hockey league and play-offs double.

Coach Mark Cuddihy and his team are out for revenge this Sunday when they are at home against Chelmsford Warriors in the National League play-off semi-finals.

Warriors ended Fire hopes of a double last season, beating the Welsh team in the final.

“That hurt at the time and it’s going to be another tough match on Sunday,” said Cuddihy.

NIHL Division Two West champions Fire will be without suspended goaltender Joe Myers and their netminders will be Luke Takel and James Whiting at Ice Arena Wales (6pm).

Cuddihy’s team are fired up for their play-off clash after their winning run ended in the Challenge Cup finals weekend in Cardiff Bay last weekend.

Fire achieved an outstanding win against Swindon Wildcats, who strengthened their NIHL squad by adding nine from the cub’s English Premier League team.

Wildcats were confident, but Fire led 5-1 after the first period and emerged winners overall 9-5, recording a 20th successive victory this season.

They played Peterborough Islanders, champions of Division Two East, in the final and produced their worst team display of the season in a shock 5-0 defeat.

There are no strong eligibility rules for the cup competitions and Peterborough were also able to strengthen, but Cuddihy admits: “We took too many penalties, we didn’t shoot enough and played badly as a team. The feeling was that we put so much into winning against Swindon and blew ourselves out.

“If we don’t play better than that against Chelmsford this Sunday we will lose again.”

Fire have analysed the match videos and highlighted exactly where they struggled to ensure they are fully prepared for the challenge from Chelmsford.

The Fire v Warriors semi-final is being decided in a one-off match because the Chelmsford rink is not available for their home leg.

Peterborough Islanders and Bristol Pitbulls clash over two legs in the other last four match.

Tickets for Cardiff Fire’s match v Chelmsford at Ice Arena Wales (6pm) are priced at: £6 adults; £3 concessions (including u-18); £1 for all children under 12-years-old.

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