Cardiff Devils surely learned a valuable ice hockey lesson against Guildford Flames at the Viola.

Head coach Andrew Lord and his team needed a win in regulation time to ensure they were top seeds going into the quarter-finals, but for two periods they were way off the pace.

Flames were full of energy and commitment, whose Devils loomed as though they were going through the motions.

Okay, they had already qualified for the last eight, but they needed a victory and blew it.

Belfast Giants are now top seeds in the cup and have first selection of who they play next. Devils have to wait until Giants have made their pick.

The defeat against Flames is far from devastating, but Devils now know they have to give everything in the cause every time they go onto the ice.

It will be interesting to see if they have the mindset to play at their best against Coventry Blaze on Sunday evening when the result means nothing at all.

Blaze are bottom of the group, cannot qualify and their results will be taken away from the final group table. Devils can lose by a landslide and will still go through.

Do they have the commitment and sheer determination to turn on a winning display.

This could be a defining moment of the season. Devils have the potential to be a powerhouse in Elite League, but they have to give everything they have night in, night out.

Lord’s men were without injured Justin Faryna and Sam Duggan, their new signing who watched from the gantry. He did not play because he had not skated for two weeks, but it’s possible he could be involved at Coventry this evening.

Canadian Ian Watters scored a hat-trick for Flames, who skated to a 5-3 win over the home team Devils in front of a shocked near 3,000 attendance.

http://https://youtu.be/qrVSSFg3Q5E

Devils had their chances and killed a 5v3 penalty, but Flames had the energy and sheer willingness to give everything they had.

Kevin King drew first blood with a powerplay strike at six minutes 41 seconds for the lone goal of the opening period and they doubled their lead at 24-08.

Watters scored Flames second powerplay goal and he put his team 3-0 ahead before Joey Haddad netted for the home team (2735).

With just over two minutes to play in the middle period, Watters completed his hat-trick and put the Flames 4-1 ahead after two periods.

Gleason Fournier pulled a goal back for the Devils at 52-37 and the Devils had a golden opportunity to pull within a goal when the Flames were called for too many men on the ice, but their penalty killers were up to task and kept the Devils at bay.

With Ben Bowns pulled for the extra attacker, Devils scored to make it 4-3 when Matt Pope fired through a crowd of skaters with one minute nine seconds left.

But at 19-21 John Dunbar scored into the empty net to secure a 5-3 win for Flames. 

The next test for Devils is at Coventry tomorrow and they have to show their commitment to a game that really doesn’t matter in the long term. Don they have had e that killer instinct?

Match stats: 

Devils: Joey Haddad 1+1, Gleason Fournier 1+0, Matt Pope 1+0, Ben Blood 0+1, Jake Morissette 0+1, Layne Ulmer 0+2, 

Flames: Ian Watters 3+1, Kevin King 1+0, TJ Foster 1+1, John Dunbar 1+0, Kruise Reddick 0+3, John Dunbar 0+1, Jesse Craige 0+1, Calle Ackered 0+1.

Period scores (Devils first) 0-1; 1-3 (1-4); 2-1 (3-5).

Shots on goal: Devils (on Bowns) 8+12+11=31; Flames (on Carozzi) 12+8+9=29.

Penalties in minutes: Devils 4+6+0=10; Flames 4+2+2=8.

Special teams: Devils PK 2/5, PP 0/4; Flames PK 4/4. PP 2/5.

Stars of the game: Devils, Joey Haddad; Flames, Ian Watters.

Referees: Tom Darnell and Matt Thompson.

Attendance: 2,978.

Saturday results: Manchester Storm 3, Belfast Giants 4; Glasgow Clan 6, Milton Keynes Lightning 4; Sheffield Steelers 2, Nottingham Panthers 1; Fife Flyers 2, Coventry Blaze 3; Cardiff Devils 3, Guildford Flames 5.

Remaining Challenge Cup group fixtures:

Sunday October 28: Coventry Blaze v Cardiff Devils (5.15pm)

Friday, November 2: Nottingham Panthers v Manchester Storm (7.30pm)

Sunday, November 4: Guildford Flames v Milton Keynes Lightning(6pm)