Cardiff Devils are relying on their Red Army fans to play a major role in the Welsh club’s bid to win a third successive Elite League title.
Captain Jake Morissette and his Devils are at home against Glasgow Clan in Cardiff Bay this evening, the first fixture in a 12 game run-in (7.30pm).
More than 600 Devils fans gave their team loud and proud support their team in Belfast last weekend and the club tweeted ‘More of the same – #OnTheWingsOfAnArmy’
Devils and Belfast Giants are level on points at the top of EIHL and coach Andrew Lord says: “I expect it to be a great hockey game.
“Glasgow are playing really well at the moment and we don’t have much room for error now if we want to defend our league title.”
There are two Elite games tonight and while Devils entertain Clan at the Viola Arena in Cardiff Bay, Giants are in Kirkcaldy, Scotland for their clash with Fife Flyers.
Cardiff have a game in hand on Belfast, but they have little room for error during the run-in.
Devils will take comfort in that they have not lost at home since mid-December. The negative side to that is it was Clan who inflicted that defeat in the Challenge Cup.
Glasgow suffered two losses on the road in Nottingham and Guildford last weekend, but they are third in the table.
“We have to start well and be ready to play,” said Clan head coach Peter Russell. “Devils and Clan have had close games this season.
“We have to play with the same heart that we did at the end of the game in Guildford on Sunday.”
Clan have Brendan Connolly on a four-game streak for points, while former Devil Guillaume Doucet and Scott Tanski are both on three-game runs.
Devils will need Ben Bowns to be over .900 again. Cardiff’s netminder has saved over 90% of shots faced in only two of the last six games.
Clan’s Joel Rumpel is one of the league’s hotter goalies at the moment, averaging 91,64% in his last five starts.
FreeSports cameras are live tonight in Kirkcaldy, while in the other half of the title race Cardiff are back on home ice.
“We need to keep our thumb down,” says Giants coach Adam Keefe. “This is playoff hockey now. We need to elevate our game and stay there.”
Belfast Giants had a four-point weekend against Devils and now have a tricky match against Fife.
Flyers go into tonight’s game off the back of their own four-point weekend and have won three of their last four games at Fife Ice Arena.
Coach Todd Dutiaume’s side have beaten the Giants in Kirkcaldy this season and run them close in other games.
“We know we can beat Belfast,” said Flyers forward Carl Finucci. “We have achieved that already this season.
“They’ll be riding high after wins over Cardiff, but we’re not worried about that – we’re at home. It’s a big game for us and one where we can throw everything we have at them.
“We’ll look to carry over our confidence from our successful weekend.”
Elite League fixtures this evening
1930 Fife Flyers vs. Belfast Giants (Tickets | FreeSports Live)
1930 Cardiff Devils vs. Glasgow Clan (Tickets | Webcast)
ELITE ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE 2018/19
| TEAM | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | PCT | GF | GA | PIM | STREAK |
| Belfast Giants | 49 | 36 | 11 | 2 | 74 | .755 | 191 | 122 | 623 | 2-0 |
| Cardiff Devils | 48 | 34 | 8 | 6 | 74 | .771 | 191 | 128 | 555 | 0-2 |
| Glasgow Clan | 50 | 29 | 17 | 4 | 62 | .620 | 181 | 151 | 646 | 0-2 |
| Nottingham Panthers | 52 | 25 | 18 | 9 | 59 | .567 | 159 | 163 | 862 | 1-0 |
| Guildford Flames | 51 | 26 | 20 | 5 | 57 | .559 | 166 | 155 | 622 | 5-0 |
| Fife Flyers | 47 | 24 | 18 | 5 | 53 | .564 | 154 | 159 | 676 | 2-0 |
| Sheffield Steelers | 52 | 25 | 24 | 3 | 53 | .510 | 156 | 179 | 752 | 0-1 |
| Manchester Storm | 51 | 22 | 24 | 5 | 49 | .480 | 150 | 176 | 1067 | 1-0 |
| Coventry Blaze | 48 | 21 | 20 | 7 | 49 | .510 | 172 | 187 | 636 | 0-2 |
| Dundee Stars | 49 | 18 | 19 | 12 | 48 | .490 | 138 | 167 | 455 | 0-2 |
| Milton Keynes Lightning | 49 | 13 | 32 | 4 | 30 | .306 | 120 | 191 | 851 | 1-0 |
Cardiff Devils remaining 12 Elite League fixtures
Six home, six away
February
Wednesday 27 v Glasgow Clan (home, 7.30pm)
March
Saturday 2 v Coventry Blaze (away, 7pm)
Sunday 3 v Sheffield Steelers (home, 4pm) – this game does not count on season tickets
Thursday 7 v Fife Flyers (away, 7.30pm)
Friday 8 v Guildford Flames (home, 7.30pm)
Saturday 16 v Sheffield Steelers (away, 7pm)
Sunday 17 v Glasgow Clan (home, 6pm)
Wednesday 20 v Glasgow Clan (away, 7.30pm)
Saturday 23 v Manchester Storm (home, 7pm)
Sunday 24 v Dundee Stars (away, 5pm)
Saturday 30 v MK Lightning (home, 7pm)
Sunday 31 v Coventry Blaze (away, 5.15pm)
Belfast Giants remaining fixtures
11 fixtures left, seven home, four away
February
Wednesday 27 v Fife Flyers (away, 7.30pm)
March
Saturday 2 v Sheffield Steelers (away, 7pm)
Sunday 3 v Manchester Storm (home, 4pm)
Friday 8 v Glasgow Clan (home, 7pm)
Friday 15 v Coventry Blaze (home, 7pm)
Friday 15 v Coventry Blaze (home, 7pm)
Friday 22 v Manchester Storm (away, 7pm)
Sunday 24 v Sheffield Steelers (home, 4pm)
Wednesday 27 v Coventry Blaze (away, 7.30pm)
Friday 29 v Fife Flyers (home, 7pm)
Saturday 30 v Dundee Stars (home, 7pm)