By Terry Phillips
Title-chasing Cardiff Devils are ready for a crunch run of three successive Elite League home matches – and two of those fixtures are against second-placed Sheffield Steelers.
The Devils are 11 points clear at the top, but Steelers have five games in hand and see their two trips to Cardiff Bay as crucial to their hopes.
Sheffield fly to play Belfast Giants on Saturday, while Devils take on Nottingham Panthers at Ice Arena Wales at the same time (7pm).
Steelers then switch to South Wales for this Sunday’s clash with Cardiff (6pm) and return again Saturday, December 17 (7pm).
Paul Thompson, Sheffield’s head coach, says: “It is not the easiest travel schedule this weekend, but we will fly out Saturday afternoon, fly out from Belfast the next morning, get the bus and go to Cardiff.
“It’s a tough double header, but one where we are full of confidence. Even in the loss in Cardiff (November 27) I thought we were outstanding.”
“We were playing the last of three games in five days, outworked Devils and didn’t get the bounces.”
Reigning champions Steelers have twice lost at IAW by a single goal this season.
Both Thompson and Devils’ Andrew Lord will demand discipline from their players.
Steelers lost their composure on their last visit when Zach Fitzgerald took a late penalty for cross-checking Matthew Myers which led to Devils late powerplay winner scored by Gleason Fournier.
Thompson’s reaction on the Steelers bench, throwing sticks towards the away dressing room, underlined their frustration.
But Sheffield are without Andreas Valdix and possibly Fitzgerald this weekend and will aim to avoid taking too many penalties.
Cardiff have a fully fit team and a spare import with Chris Culligan, who has been out injured, available when needed.
Devils, 4-1 winners at Dundee Stars in the Challenge Cup during midweek, are aiming to extend their winning streak to nine games when they take on Panthers at Ice Arena on Saturday night.
Nottingham are without player-assistant coach David Clarke plus defencemen Jeff Dimmen and Geoff Waugh due to injuries.
They earned two early victories against Devils this season, winning 2-0 at home and wining 3-1 at the IAW in October.
Devils hit back when the teams last met when goals from Joey Martin, Guillaume Doucet and Sean Bentivoglio gave Cardiff a 3-1 win.
Panthers have signed former Stanley Cup winners Jason Williams, a 36-year-old winger who won the trophy with Detroit Red Wings in 2002.
Williams, though, doesn’t arrive in Britain until closer to Christmas and will not be in their team this weekend.
Ticket information for Devils home matches is available from the club’s website or via the hotline on 0800 0842 666.