Andrew Lord Demands Character Performance From Cardiff Devils

Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants are ready for a Challenge Cup ‘ice hockey war’.

Their semi-final will be decided at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Wednesday when Devils are aiming to hit back from a one-goal deficit (7pm).

Player-coach Andrew Lord and his Devils were the better team in the first leg and swept into a 4-2 lead, but conceded three third period goals as Giants took control of the tie.

“We are right in this and maybe fortunate to have a chance to rectify what we did in the third period at home,” said Lord. “It’s going to be absolute war.

“Giants are extremely good at home, they are well coached and are a deep team, We will need our biggest character performance of the season on Wednesday.”

Colin Shields, Brandon Benedict and Jim Vandermeer stunned Devils at Ice Arena Wales with those three third period goals at Ice Arena Wales to earn Belfast a 5-4 win, but Lord’s men are fired up and ready.

They earned back-to-back Elite League wins against Nottingham and Manchester last weekend to stay top of the table, one point ahead of Belfast with a game in hand.

Lord’s line, alongside Joey Martin and Sean Bentivoglio, will play a vital role and Devils will be giving their most offensive players, including Layne Ulmer, Patrick Asselin and Guillaume Doucet, plenty of ice time.

Patrick Bordeleau, the 6ft 6ins Canadian whose big body hits intimidate opposing players and Welsh forward Matthew Myers are other Devils who will try to know Giants out of their stride.

The winners will qualify for the Challenge Cup final to be played at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay next month. Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers clash in the other semi-final.

Steelers lead 2-1 after the first game with the return in Sheffield on Tuesday, February 14.

Devils face fly to Northern Ireland on Wednesday morning and return the next day to prepare for another tough League weekend with fixtures against Coventry Blaze (away, 7pm) on Saturday and Nottingham at home the following evening (6pm).

That clash with Panthers on Sunday will end a gruelling run of fixtures which mean Devils play eight matches in 16 days.

Ticket information for the home clash with Nottingham is available from the club’s official website or the hotline on 0800 0842 666.