Former Cardiff Devils forward Bari McKenzie welcomes his old club to Glasgow on Friday and he says: “Lord’s men have the look of champions.”
Player-coach Andrew Lord and his team won 5-3 against McKenzie’s Braehead Clan at Ice Arena Wales in their last Elite League fixture, recovering from 3-1 down.
“Devils have such a well balanced team from Bownsy (Ben Bowns) in goal all the way through to the forwards,” says McKenzie.
“They won the League title convincingly last season and had a good run in the Champions League at the start of this campaign.
“They are a balanced team with a bit of everything.
“Patrick Bordeleau was an intimidating player in their line-up in 2016-17 and they have replaced him with three or four bigger guys while keeping skills levels at a high.
“They have a togetherness which serves them well. I don’t know Lord personally, but he’s a hard-working player and it’s clear the Devils guys want to give everything for him.
“Devils kept a strong core from last season’s team who won the title and recruited well when it came to recruiting anybody who moved on.
“Friday’s match is massive, a big test. We have to show ourselves and Clan fans that we are a good team. We know we have quality and have to show that.
“We’ve been at our best in spurts, but have to find the consistency needed.”
Former Belfast, Edinburgh and Dundee player loves playing for Glasgow-based Braehead, saying: “I was born in Dumfries, but I’m a Glasgow boy and joining Clan meant everything to me.”
McKenzie is an experienced Elite League campaigner who won the Gardiner Conference title with Dundee and repeated that feat with Braehead last season.
He has won three English Premier League play-off championships during his career plus two EPL titles.
Stuart MacRae was Cardiff captain when McKenzie played for the club in 2012-13 before Canadian businessman Steve King and his Calgary-based consortium became club owners.
Devils play on Friday and Saturday this weekend, making the long haul to Glasgow for their clash with Clan before returning to Cardiff Bay for a fixture against Dundee Stars on Saturday (7pm).
Cardiff are unbeaten in eight matches, winning seven and drawing 3-3 at Guildford Flames in the Challenge Cup quarter-final first leg in midweek.
Clan have lost 5-0 and 5-3 in two matches against Devils this season and Brendan Brooks, the Scottish club’s assistant coach, says: “We have to find a way to win. It was frustrating to be 3-1 up against one of the best teams in Elite League and losing.
“We have to stay out of the penalty box because Devils have an extremely good powerplay and they exposed us a bit in that.”
Cardiff Devils remaining fixtures during December:
Wednesday 20: v Guildford Flames (away, Challenge Cup first leg, 7pm)
Friday 22 v Braehead Clan (away, 7.30pm)
Saturday 23 v Dundee Stars (home, 7pm)
Tuesday 26 v Coventry Blaze (home, 6pm)
Wednesday 27 v Coventry Blaze (away, 7.30pm)
Saturday 30 v MK Lightning (home, 7pm)
Tickets for Cardiff home fixture against Dundee Stars on Saturday (7pm) are available and ticket information can be obtained via ONLINE HERE
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