The wait goes on for the Steelers as the Devils shut out the Steelers on the road with damage done via two goals in both the second and third period.

The Steelers will now have a chance of lifting the Elite League trophy on home ice on Sunday night as we take on the Guildford Flames after a visit to Nottingham on Saturday.

First Period [0-0]

An electric atmosphere from puckdrop as fans in the sold out crowd went back and forth in great spirit, just as the players did in on the ice.

Fifteen shots on target between the two teams but neither able to break the deadlock despite the Cardiff Devils having the puck in the back of the Steelers goal at (1.49) only to be waved of on a coach’s review. The opportunity coming on an early powerplay for the Devils as Steelers defenceman, Colton Saucerman was sent to the box for interference behind his own net with a hit deemed to be behind the play. Some crisp passing seemed to open up the goal for Donaghey to smash home the opener, but on review it showed a Devils player cutting across Greenfield and taking out the Steelers netminder as the scoreboard was reset to nil-nil.

The home team starting the brightest, but the visiting Steelers working their way into the game at the five-minute mark as Sam Jones looked destined to give the Steelers the lead as a huge rebound from Ben Bowns’ pads fell nicely with Jones who could only ring it off the outside of the post from a tight angle with the Cardiff netminder nowhere to be seen.

Matthew Greenfield again coming in clutch for the Steelers with a great pad save at the other end as the Devils’ man looked to cut across the blue paint and backhand the puck in at the far post. That was just before the Steelers saw their first powerplay action when River Rymsha sent a puck straight out of play in his own zone, but the Steelers were unable to capitalise despite a couple of good set up plays for both Marco Vallerand and Mitchell Balmas. The teams then heading into the second period all square.

Second Period [2-0]

Advantage Cardiff Devils after forty minutes with the home side having much the better of the second period and making the pressure tell with a two-goal lead heading into the third period. The Devils’ Cody Donaghey also with another goal wiped off after a scramble around the goal of Greenfield and bringing the puck out from underneath the pad of the Steelers netminder.

A powerplay goal at (27.30) to get the Devils ahead in the game with Cole Shudra in the box for roughing as Trevor Cox picked up the puck around the Steelers blue line down the left wing and snuck one in over the shoulder of Greenfield with the puck just having enough to drop over the line. Assists awarded to Arniel and Wilde.

In what seemed like a period in which could explode at any point, it was a period full of infringements for both teams, often even calls for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct giving neither team much advantage in terms of extra skaters.

However, it was a five on five goal for the Devils later in the period at (38.40) grabbing the two goal advantage for the Devils as the Steelers were caught on a long shift as the Devils third line went tic-tac-toe to open up the goal and find Brandon Alderson at the back post to give him space and time to lift the puck over and up into the top of Greenfield’s goal.

Third Period [4-0]

Two goals and two fights in the final period. Unfortunately for the Steelers, both goals going in favour of the Devils as the home team came out victorious for four and shutting out the Steelers.

Both Sam Jones and Marco Vallerand dropping the gloves with Riley Brandt and River Rymsha respectively in what was always bubbling throughout the contest.

Third goal for the Devils coming at (48.46) via Jamie Arniel, finishing off a great backhanded pass back across the crease from Ryan Barrow.

Fourth and final goal then coming at (55.05) from Devils Joey Martin who had been buzzing around the zone and finished off a loose puck.

Cardiff Devils came from a goal down to beat Nottingham Panthers by four at a sold-out Vindico Arena, with Joey Martin hitting a hat trick.

Retro night at the Vindico Arena saw an explosive opening period which had four goals over the 20 minutes.

Otto Nieminen put the Panthers ahead with 3:12 played when he got on his own rebound to beat Ben Bowns and open the scoring. The hosts were level two minutes later off a Cody Donaghey one-timer that snuck past Rok Stojanovič’s near post, before two goals in under as many minutes put the home side in control. Josh Batch waltzed into the slot uncovered to shoot home at 10:48, followed by Joey Martin took a puck in front and dangled before beating Stojanovič at 12:31. The Panthers restarted the game with a man-advantage after a Trevor Cox slash after the goal caused a scrum.

The Devils continued to press home their superiority in the middle frame. Jamie Arniel topped Bode Wild’s shot home 2:23 into the period, while just over five minutes later Joey Martin got the final deflection on a Cox shot to brings the hosts up to five. Marcus Crawford and Jordan Kelsall dropped the gloves before the period was over.

Mathieu Lemay excellently finished a Roy pass to one-time home a powerplay goal 2:13 into period three as the Panthers got back to within three. Martin completed his hat trick with 9:36 left to play to put the Devils into a more comfortable lead that they held until the final buzzer, with some more fighting majors handed out before the game was over.

Photo: James Assinder

The Nottingham Panthers were beaten 4-2 by Cardiff Devils in an exciting game at the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night.

Panthers were without Ollie Betteridge, Westin Michaud and Tyler Welsh as all three missed the game because of injury.

Rok Stojanovic started between the pipes with British netminder Luca Sheldon as back-up.

Two goals in 30 seconds gives Devils first-period lead
Stojanovic made pad saves to deny Cole Ully and Cody Donaghey inside the first minute – and also made a superb close-range stop to turn away Cole Sanford’s shot.

Anthony Luciani and Simon Després went close on a Panthers powerplay, but premium chances for both sides were limited until the closing minutes of the period as Devils scored twice in 30 seconds.

Bode Wilde fired top-shelf through traffic on the powerplay (17:21) and River Rymsha drove to net to bury a second goal for Cardiff (17:51).

No goals in second session
In a tight second period, Hugo Roy had three chances on the same shift as he was twice denied by Ben Bowns and then shot just wide.

Bowns also stopped Otto Nieminen from the right-circle and also turned away his follow-up effort.

Panthers score twice in 46 seconds but Devils take the points
Panthers made a strong start to the third period with Felix Paré hitting the pipes and Alexander Lunsjö shooting just side, before Nottingham scored twice in 46 seconds to tie the game.

Jake Ryczek produced a superb bit of skill in the offensive zone and his shot from right-point trickled in after Bowns got a piece of it (44:22), while Didrik Henbrant cut inside from the right to equalise (45:08).

Jamie Arniel put Devils ahead again with a fine solo goal (50:27) as he waltzed through the offensive zone.

Nottingham lifted Stojanovic for the extra outskater with just over two minutes remaining, but Joey Martin secured the points for the visitors with an empty-net goal (59:35).

Guildford away tomorrow and at home on Wednesday

The Panthers take to the road tomorrow to face Guildford at The Spectrum (6pm) and host the Flames at the Motorpoint Arena on Wednesday (7:30pm).

Over 5,000 are already in the building with all seats priced at just £9 including fees. Tickets are selling fast so secure your seats asap!

Photo: Panthers Images

Cardiff Devils came back from two goals down, conceded late, but ultimately got it done in a shootout to stay 10 points behind league leaders Sheffield Steelers after a dramatic game in Guildford against the Flames.

Ryan Tait put the Flames, who came into this game on a run of six straight losses, ahead after just over six minutes. Ryan Tait skated from his own zone with his trademark pace before beating Bowns high into the far corner.

Things got better for the hosts five minutes into period two with Peter Crinella backhanding a rebound high over Ben Bowns after he’d sopped Ben O’Connor’s initial shot.

The two goals through 40 minutes did little to preview what was to come in period three. Joey Martin got Cardiff back into things with 9:35 to play s as he put the puck home in front off Marcus Crawford’s pass from behind the net. 1:55 later, the visitors were level as Martin got on a rebound at the top of Eamon McAdam’s crease to tie things up on the powerplay. The turnaround was complete at 55:14 through Evan Mosey, as the Flames surrendered yet another lead.

Credit to the home side, however, who rallied and tied the game with 2:58 to play when Bradley Lalonde’s shot from the wing beat Bowns five-hole.

The Devils survived a minor on Crawford in overtime to force things to a shootout, where Cole Ully scored the only goal through four rounds. Needing to score, Steven McParland tied it for the Flames with the shot in the ‘Best of 5’. In sudden death, Ferguson missed for the second time in the shootout, while Ully scored again to get the Devils the extra point.

Photo: John Uwins

Cardiff Devils had to beat Sheffield on Saturday night if they are to have any chance of cutting the Steelers’ lead down at the top of the table, and they did so in front of a sold-out Vindico Arena.

Sheffield had the better of the opening chances in and around Ben Bowns, but went ahead on the rush. Evan Mosey pinched in and didn’t get the puck ,allowing the Steelers to break down the ice. While the attack didn’t immediately lead to a goal, the puck was worked eventually to Dominic Cormier to slap past Bowns at 9:27. Exactly four minutes later, the Devils did well to keep the puck in the attacking zone, and then Cole Ully’s shot was stopped by Matt Greenfield straight into the path of Jamie Arniel to level things at 13:27.

7:25 into period two, Ryan Barrow tipped a Cody Donaghey slapshot past Greenfield to put the Devils ahead, with the play coming directly off Arniel’s faceoff win. That lead was one the Devils held into the break but only thanks to an excellent point-blank save from Bowns with four minutes left in the period, denying Daniel Ciampini at the top of the crease.

Bowns pulled off another excellent save to deny the Steelers tying the game with 9:53 to go in period three as he stuck his glove out to prevent a Robert Dowd tip from finding the back of his net – not dissimilar to the excellent save Greenfield made in Guildford last weekend. Aaron Fox called his timeout with 2:07 to play and pulled Greenfield for the extra skater, but the gamble backfired 28 seconds later when Trevor Cox found the empty net after chasing the puck into the Steelers’ zone. Cole Ully added another empty netter at 58:48 to wrap up a 4-1/win for the Devils, although the Steelers remain 12 points clear at the top.

Photo: James Assinder