The long summer wait is finally over. On Saturday 13 September, the Elite League’s ten teams step onto the ice in competitive action for the first time this season, with a full slate of Challenge Cup fixtures. After a month of pre-season preparation, new signings making their debuts, and fans filling rinks for the first taste of hockey, the real business begins.
Here’s what’s coming up today:
Defending League and Cup Champions Belfast Giants return to domestic action to face Dundee Stars. The Giants have spent the past two weeks in the Champions Hockey League, picking up a point from four games but coming close to much more. They split a series with Stavanger Oilers as part of pre-season. Dundee were overtime and then shootout winners over Fife Flyers in exhibition fixtures this season, winning both games 3-2.
This is the 18th Challenge Cup game between the Giants and Stars at the SSE Arena, with the Giants holding 13 wins.
Also in Group B, Glasgow Clan face Fife Flyers in a Scottish derby. Clan only picked up one win in six pre-season starts over the past three weeks, while the Flyers came out with overtime and shootout losses against Dundee. It’s the first competitive game for the Flyers under both new management and Head Coach Jamie Russell.
Clan have won 10 of 11 home Cup games against the Flyers.
Defending Playoff Champions Nottingham Panthers meet Cardiff Devils at the Motorpoint Arena, the team they faced in the final game of last season. The teams met for pre-season in Cardiff just over a week ago, which saw the Devils come out 3-0 winners, although the Panthers won all of their other pre-season games. It is Paul Thompson’s first competitive game behind the Devils bench and first in the EIHL since 2018.
The teams have met 14 times in the Cup at the Motorpoint Arena, with the Panthers winning 10.
In Manchester, it’s a first Elite League game as Head Coach for Cameron Critchlow on Storm’s bench. A decent pre-season saw Storm only lose by the odd goal or two to EIHL opposition with multiple new names on the roster. Coventry won all of their pre-season games bar one, and go into season two under Kevin Moore.
The teams have met three times in the Cup at the Storm Shelter with two Storm wins – Coventry’s victory coming in overtime.
Finally, in Sheffield, the Steelers open their Cup campaign in the same way they did last season – with the visit of Guildford Flames. Sheffield went unbeaten through pre-season, while the Flames lost all three of their games – scoring only four goals over that time.
Guildford have never won a Cup fixture at the Utilita Arena in three visits.