Cardiff Devils must be focused and ruthless over their next nine Elite League fixtures. They dare not falter now the title is within reach.
Player-coach Andrew Lord and his team have proved over the last six months they are the best ice hockey team in Britain and now it’s time to show the mental character and spirit to finish the job.
They have left reigning champions Sheffield Steelers and powerful Belfast Giants trailing and the three title contenders all have nine matches left in the regular League season.
This weekend Devils play Coventry Blaze at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay on Saturday and that clash is already a 3,000-plus sell-out. The next evening Lord’s men will be in Edinburgh to take on bottom club Capitals at Murrayfield.
Rivals Sheffield and Belfast have both warned Devils ‘The title chase is far from over yet’, but realistically it’s all down to Cardiff.
They need a minimum of 12 points out of 18 available to be crowned champions.
Both Steelers and Giants still have to face Cardiff twice and Steelers coach Paul Thompson says: “We have not given up on the title and never have done.
“Devils are in the driving seat, 100 per cent in the driving seat, an it would be a catastrophe if they let this go from here, but we keep going.”
Giants finish the regular season with back-to-back matches against Devils at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay and their coach, Derrick Walser, has made it clear he believes the Irish club can still finish top.
Reigning champions Sheffield won 5-2 against bottom club Edinburgh Capitals in midweek and after the game Steelers player Andreas Valdix says he believes Cardiff could yet slip up and lose the title.
Devils are six points ahead of Sheffield and seven clear of Belfast, but centreman Valdix says: “It’s going to be tight, but they have a couple of hard games left and we play against them so I think it is still possible that we can catch them.
“It is always hard (for teams like Cardiff) to be in the lead and see teams behind are coming up. It is going to be tight in the end.”
Steelers, who have won eight of their last nine matches, also face Devils in the Challenge Cup final, which is being played at Ice Arena Wales on Sunday, March 5.
“We are going to have a lot of fans going from Sheffield to Cardiff and it’s going to feel almost like home for us.
“I joined Sheffield to win some trophies and I think we can still do that.”
Cardiff Devils’ Patrick Asselin has been named Elite League Player of the Week.
Asselin scored the game winning goal and registered two assists during a dramatic come back from the Devils at The SSE Arena in Belfast on Friday when the league leaders coming back from 3-0 down at the second intermission to beat the Giants 4-3.
The 29-year-old then added a goal and an assist during a 3-2 win against the Giants 24-hours later, setting up team mate Andrew Hotham to score the winner.
The Peterborough, Ontario native now has 15 goals and 38 points in 41 Elite League games this season, adding a further two goals and eight points in 12 Challenge Cup games.
Ticket information for all Devils home fixtures is available from the club’s official website or via the hotline on 0800 0842 666.
Season tickets for the 2017-18 are now on sale and details are on the official website.
Elite League table – top four only
All teams play 52 fixtures – Cardiff, Sheffield and Belfast each have nine matches left
Pl Pts
1 Cardiff Devils 43 67
2 Sheffield Steelers 43 61
3 Belfast Giants 43 60
4 Nottingham Panthers 41 48
Remaining Elite League fixtures in the title chase
Cardiff Devils – five at home, four away
February
Saturday 25 v Coventry Blaze (home, 7pm)
Sunday 26 v Edinburgh Capitals (away, 6pm)
March
Friday 3 v Manchester Storm (away, 7.30pm)
Saturday 11 v Dundee Stars (home, 7pm)
Sunday 12 v Sheffield Steelers (away, 5pm)
Saturday 18 v Sheffield Steelers (away, 7pm)
Sunday 19 v Fife Flyers (home, 6pm)
Saturday 25 v Belfast Giants (home, 7pm)
Sunday 26 v Belfast Giants (home, 6pm).
Sheffield Steelers – five home, four away
February
Saturday 25 v Nottingham Panthers (home, 7pm)
Sunday 26 v Fife Flyers (away, 6.30pm)
March
Saturday 4 v Coventry Blaze (home, 5pm)
Saturday 11 v Braehead Clan (away, 7pm)
Sunday 12 v Cardiff Devils (home, 5pm)
Friday 17 v Belfast Giants (away, 7pm)
Saturday 18 v Cardiff Devils (home, 7pm)
Friday 24 v Nottingham Panthers (away, 7.30pm)
Sunday 26 v Coventry Blaze (home, 5pm)
Belfast Giants – six home, three away
February
Saturday 25 v Fife Flyers (home, 7pm)
Sunday 26 v Nottingham Panthers (away, 4pm)
March
Saturday 4 v Manchester Storm (home, 7pm)
Friday 10 v Nottingham Panthers (home, 7pm)
Sunday 12 v Nottingham Panthers (home, 4pm)
Friday 17 v Sheffield Steelers (home, 7pm)
Saturday 18 v Coventry Blaze (home, 7pm)
Saturday 25 v Cardiff Devils (away, 7pm)
Sunday 26 v Cardiff Devils (away, 4pm)