Cardiff celebrate as they prepare to host tough league rivals, the Belfast Giants
CARDIFF Devils will be hoping their cup form can carry into the league on Saturday as they celebrate a dramatic 6-1 comeback win against Dundee Stars in the Challenge Cup on Wednesday.
Head coach Jarrod Skalde is keen to avoid back-to-back defeats to Belfast Giants at the first home match back after a Covid ban on fans was lifted. His side lost 1-0 to the Northern Irish side on January 14.
The Devils had a late Matt Register equaliser ruled out after a lengthy video review when it was decided one of the Devils’ skates had touched the Giants’ goaltender’s stick.
Skalde said: “We’ve moved on. I think a goal was the right call on the ice, but then the review happened. We took some things out of that game, and we’re looking forward to playing them in our building.
“They’re a very good hockey team. They’re a fast team, they play the right way. They play hard for 60 minutes, and we matched that last time, we’re just hoping for a better result this time.”
Skalde’s side sit in second place in the league, one place above Belfast, although the Giants have four games in hand. Their pre-match preparations are going to plan, as the Devils recorded a scintillating 6-1 comeback win midweek against Dundee Stars to advance to the Challenge Cup semi-finals.
The Stars had won the first leg 4-2 but failed to capitalise and lost heavily, thanks to a supreme early attacking performance from the Devils.
Right wing Brodie Reid fired in with just 8:13 on the clock, and 21 seconds later Cole Sandford sent the puck into the top shelf to give the Devils an early 2-0 lead.
They increased their advantage just a second before the 10-minute mark through centre Jake Coughler. Later Josh Walker skated the length of the rink before powering in a low shot that nutmegged Stars goalie Adam Morrison.
The Devils’ attacking approach left them exposed at the back and during a Devils power play, the five-man Stars counter-attacked and scored through Philippe Sanche.
Despite the Devils now only having a one-goal advantage, they finally killed the game off late in the middle period with a stunning solo goal from defenceman Matt Register, who weaved through the Stars’ defence before converting his team’s fifth of the night.
In the third period, the Devils overcame a late resurgence from Dundee with their third power play goal of the game, as Reid fed centre Stephen Dixon to score the last goal of the night, and effectively secure their place in the Challenge Cup semi-final.
Although the Sanche goal ruled out a shutout, Devils goalie Mac Carruth produced an outstanding performance for the rest of the match, as he saved 31 attempts by the increasingly desperate Stars.
The Devils will hope to replicate that professional performance against Belfast, their biggest match in the next few weeks.
After Belfast, Cardiff face bottom-placed side Fife Flyers on January 28 followed by fourth-placed Nottingham Panthers on the 29.
