Cardiff Devils Open European Campaign With Swiss And Czech Trips

Cardiff Devils will travel to Switzerland and the Czech Republic for their first two Champions Hockey League matches.

They take on HC Davos away on Thursday, August 24 and then travel to take on Czech team Bili Tygri Liberec two days later.

The first home match for Devils in CHL Group E is against Liberec on Thursday, August 31. Davos travel to South Wales on Sunday, September 3, while Swedish team Vaxjo Lakers are at Ice Arena Wales on Tuesday, October 3.

Devils complete their group matches when they travel for the return in Sweden eight days later.

The top two teams in the group progress to the next round of the CHL.

Cardiff Devils group fixtures

August

Thursday 24: HC Davos v Cardiff Devils (7.45pm CEST)

Saturday 26: Bili Tygri Liberec v Cardiff Devils (3.30pm CEST)

Thursday 31: Cardiff Devils v Bili Tygri Liberec (7pm UK time, 8pm CEST)

September

Sunday 3: Cardiff Devils v HC Davos (6pm UK time, 7pm CEST)

October

Tuesday 3: Cardiff Devils v Vaxjo Lakers (7pm UK time, 8pm CEST)

Wednesday 11: Vaxjo Lakers v Cardiff Devils (7pm CEST)

The 2017-18 CHL season kicks off with nine games on August 24 when reigning champions Frölunda Gothenburg welcome former champs ZSC Lions Zurich in a ‘clash of the titans.

It will be the first time that two CHL champions have faced each other. Zurich won the only title in the previous edition of the Champions Hockey League back in 2008-2009.

In all, 96 games will be played between August 24 and October 11 as teams battle for their spots in the play-off phase.

The 32 teams have been divided into eight groups of four and each one will play eight group fixtures with the winners and runners-up going forward from each section.

Click here for the schedule on www.championhockeyleague.com. / Click here to see the groups.