Cardiff Devils 3, Nottingham Panthers 0

Cardiff Devils completed a magnificent weekend with a three-goal win against Nottingham Panthers at Ice Arena Wales.

Elite League leaders Devils won at Coventry Blaze 6-3 on Saturday and crushed Nottingham Panthers 3-0 at home the following evening.

The delight of Devils fans was enhanced when title rivals Sheffield Steelers lost 5-4 against Nottingham on the evening before heading to South Wales, while Belfast Giants crashed 9-5 at Fife Flyers in an astonishing match.

Fife led 4-1, Giants hit back to go head 5-4 and Flyers then scored five more goals to emerge 9-5 winners. Astonishing.

Devils coach Andrew Lord then came up with even more good news when he confirmed that Cardiff have strengthened their squad.

They have signed American winger Denny Kearney and Lord says: “He will be here before we play Belfast Giants away next Friday.

“Nothing can be guaranteed, but If he isn’t I’ll be having words from with those in the Devils office.”

The Elite League transfer deadline is on February 15, but Kearney is now confirmed and he will be joining Cardiff’s title charge.

Kearney, a 29-year-old forward from New Hampshire, has played American, East Coast, Germany, French and Austrian league hockey.

He is an edgy, highly skilled forward who will agitate opposing players, but perhaps the biggest factor for player-coach Andrew Lord is that he will fit into the group.

Devils have a tight-knit team and are top of Elite League, while they have qualified for the Challenge Cup final where they will play Nottingham or Sheffield Steelers.

Highly talented forward Kearney is moving from from Italian club Bolzano and Lord wants him in before Friday’s clash with Belfast in Northern Ireland.

That will depend on how quickly his visa and work permit are processed and Devils cannot have any control over either factor.

Kearney scored 11 goals with 26 assists (37 points) in 50 games for Bolzano this season.

During 2015-16 Kearney played for Swedish League Tingsryds AIF, scoring 14 goals with 21 assists in 52 fixtures.

He won the French Championship with Briancon in 2013-14, leading his team in goals during the regular season and the playoffs, and scoring a total of 33 goals in 40 games.

He spent the following season (2014-15) in Norway, again leading his team in goals with 29 in 45 games.

Prior to turning pro, Kearney spent four years at Yale University, winning the league title in his second season and finishing in the top four scorers on his team in all four years.

Andrew Lord describes describes Kearney as an: “Agitating player to play against with great hands and excellent finish around the net.

“We are in the process of completing the paperwork to ensure as quickly as possible.”

Joey Haddad was Devils man of the match in a comprehensive win against Panthers.

Match stats:

Devils: Layne Ulmer 1+1, Mark Richardson 1+0, Joey Haddad 1+0, Matthew Myers 0+1, Guillaume Doucet 0+1, Patrick Asselin 0+1, Andrew Hotham 0+1, Joey Martin 0+1.

Period scores (Devils first) 3-0; 0-0 (3-0); 0-0 (3-0).

Penalties in minutes: Devils 0+4+4=8; Panthers 4+0+4=8.

Powerplays: Devils 1/3; Panthers 0/3.

Shots on goal: Devils (on Pacl) 8+7+10=25; Panthers (on Bowns) 6+13+9=28.

Attendance: 3,088.

Referee: Tom Darnell.