The sold out signs are up at Ice Arena Wales again. Cardiff Devils will be roared on by a 3,000-plus capacity attendance when they play Belfast Giants on Sunday, while rink will also be packed for the cup final.
Head coach Adam Keefe and his Giants must win in Cardiff Bay on Sunday (6pm) to maintain fading hopes of winning the Elite League title.
Belfast suffered back-to-back defeats against Edinburgh Capitals and Milton Keynes Lightning last weekend and play Sheffield Steelers on Saturday before coming to Cardiff.
While Devils coach Andrew Lord and his players focus on their match against Sheffield Steelers away on Wednesday, club staff are preparing for two big fixtures on home ice.
Holders Cardiff are in the Challenge Cup final against Giants at Ice Arena Wales on Sunday, March 4 (6pm) and all tickets have been sold.
Mark Louis and coach Andrew Lord were the import players to sit out Sunday’s 10-2 win at Edinburgh and may go with an unchanged line-up to face a Sheffield team who have won 10 of their last 11 home fixtures.
Steelers earned two hard fought wins last weekend, beating Guildford Flames 3-2 and then recovering from three goals down to win 4-3.
Matt Marquardt scored two late goals against his old club to seal a memorable away win.
This is a game in hand for both Steelers and Devils, who would move 10 points ahead of second-placed Manchester Storm with a win.
A Sheffield win, though, would leave Storm eight points off the top with a home fixture against Devils this Saturday.
Storm, who have earned nine successive League wins, also still have to visit the IAW in Cardiff Bay.
ELITE LEAGUE STANDINGS
Regular 2017/18
| Rk | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | WPCT | Pts |
| 1 | Cardiff Devils | 45 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 2 | .789 | 71 |
| 2 | Manchester Storm | 46 | 29 | 12 | 3 | 2 | .685 | 63 |
| 3 | Belfast Giants | 46 | 29 | 15 | 2 | 0 | .652 | 60 |
| 4 | Fife Flyers | 42 | 28 | 12 | 1 | 1 | .690 | 58 |
| 5 | Sheffield Steelers | 44 | 27 | 14 | 2 | 1 | .648 | 57 |
| 6 | Guildford Flames | 45 | 23 | 15 | 4 | 3 | .589 | 53 |
| 7 | Nottingham Panthers | 42 | 24 | 15 | 2 | 1 | .607 | 51 |
| 8 | Braehead Clan | 47 | 19 | 23 | 4 | 1 | .457 | 43 |
| 9 | Coventry Blaze | 46 | 17 | 24 | 4 | 1 | .424 | 39 |
| 10 | Dundee Stars | 44 | 17 | 23 | 3 | 1 | .432 | 38 |
| 11 | Milton Keynes Lightning | 46 | 17 | 28 | 1 | 0 | .380 | 35 |
| 12 | Edinburgh Capitals | 45 | 5 | 39 | 0 | 1 | .122 | 11 |