Cardiff Devils have been dealt another blow with big forward Patrick Bordeleau suspended by the Elite League disciplinary committee.
Player-coach Andrew Lord will now be without Bordeleau and defenceman Andrew Hotham, who completes his two-game ban, when they play Coventry Blaze away on Saturday.
Devils also have captain Jake Morissette injured and they face a daunting task against Blaze at the Skydome (7pm).
Both Bordeleau and Hotham, though will return for Sunday’s home game against Nottingham Panthers and will be refreshed after resting the previous evening.
The clash with Panthers at Ice Arena Wales (6pm) is an eighth fixture in 16 days for Devils, who powered to a 5-1 Challenge Cup semi-final win against Belfast Giants away this week.
Having Bordeleau and Hotham fresh will be a major plus against Nottingham.
Bordeleau was thrown out after only eight minutes in Belfast and the incident was reviewed by the League’s department of player safety.
Their report said: “DOPS has suspended Patrick Bordeleau for one game following an incident which took place during the game between Giants and Cardiff.
Bordeleau was assessed a five minutes plus game penalty for checking to the head.
“Using the referees report and video footage the penalty has been amended to a match penalty, which should have been the call on the night due to the player who was checked to the head being injured, which is an automatic match penalty.”
Elite League leaders Devils are one point ahead of Belfast with a game in hand, while Sheffield Steelers are six points behind on level games.
Devils have 14 games left, including four against Giants plus two at Sheffield.
The pressure on head coach Andrew Lord and his Devils is intense with 14 League fixtures left.
“If anything, it’s motivation, but we don’t focus on it,” says Lord. “We don’t think about it because we are so focused game by game. “There’s just too much to do in preparation and within a game, that there’s no point focusing on League position.
“This group got put together two and a half seasons ago – they’ve won a Challenge Cup, we’ve almost won the league two years in a row and we won the Conference last year, so I’d say that’s a pretty successful group.
“It’s going to be a heck of a finish – a goal or a bounce or one ‘off’ game that’s going to decide the title. I’m confident, but we are going to need to play consistent hockey.”
Elite League fixtures this weekend:
Friday: Belfast Giants v Dundee Stars.
Saturday: Braehead Clan v Edinburgh Capitals, Coventry Blaze v Cardiff Devils, Manchester Storm v Fife Flyers, Nottingham Panthers v Sheffield Steelers.
Sunday: Braehead Clan v Coventry Blaze, Cardiff Devils v Nottingham Panthers, Dundee Stars v Manchester Storm, Edinburgh Capitals v Sheffield Steelers, Fife Flyers v Belfast Giants.