Cardiff Goalie Ben Voted Elite Player Of The Week

Cardiff Devils goalie Ben Bowns, a Yorkshireman in his fifth season with the Welsh club, is Elite League Player of Week.

British netminder Bowns gave reigning champions and leaders Devils a massive boost posted keeping back-to-back shutouts and saving 97.59 per cent of the shots he faced over three fixtures.

Devils won all three matches, beating Glasgow, Coventry and Sheffield. They scored 13 goals and concede two. 

“It was a massive weekend for us,” said the 28-year-old Great Britain netminder. “Defeats in Belfast were disappointing, but you have twists and turns in a season when there are 60 fixtures to play. 

“It was never going to be plain sailing. It’s times like that when you pull together as a team. 

Cardiff Devils’ Ben Bowns.

“Any time you win and get a shutout it’s a little bit sweeter for a goalie. But it’s never down to the goalie entirely – the guys in front of me were unreal, blocking shots like they did and clearing rebounds. 

“If it wasn’t for those guys I wouldn’t have got the shutouts. They made my job much easier.

“You start feeling pressure a bit more in those low-scoring games and maybe nerves can be a little more intense, but I stick with the process and know that whatever happens will happen. 

“I can only try to give my team the best chance to win.”

Devils are two points clear at the top of Elite League with a game in hand. That rearranged fixture at Fife Flyers in Scotland is played on Thursday and then Devils return for a home clash with Guildford Flames at the Viola Arena in Cardiff Bay on Friday (7.30pm).

Cardiff Devils coach Andrew Lord.

Elite League fixtures

Thursday, March 7: Fife Flyers v Cardiff Devils (7.30pm)

Friday, March 8: Belfast Giants v Glasgow Clan (7pm), Cardiff Devils v Guildford Flames (7.30pm).

Saturday, March 9: Milton Keynes Lightning v Coventry Blaze (7pm), Nottingham Panthers v Dundee Stars (7pm), Sheffield Steelers v Fife Flyers (7pm).

Sunday, March 10: Dundee Stars v Manchester Storm (5pm), Coventry Blaze v Milton Keynes Lightning (5.15pm), Fife Flyers v Sheffield Steelers (6.30pm).

Sunday, March 10: Challenge Cup final, Belfast Giants v Guildford Flames at the Viola Arena, Cardiff Bay (4pm).

Tickets for the Challenge Cup Final are still available here.

Cardiff Devils 

remaining 9 Elite League fixtures

Four home, five away

March

Thursday 7 v Fife Flyers (away, 7.30pm)

Friday 8 v Guildford Flames (home, 7.30pm)

Saturday 16 v Sheffield Steelers (away, 7pm)

Sunday 17 v Glasgow Clan (home, 6pm)

Wednesday 20 v Glasgow Clan (away, 7.30pm)

Saturday 23 v Manchester Storm (home, 7pm)

Sunday 24 v Dundee Stars (away, 5pm)

Saturday 30 v MK Lightning (home, 7pm)

Sunday 31 v Coventry Blaze (away, 5.15pm)

Belfast Giants

8 fixtures left, six home, two away

March 

Friday 8 v Glasgow Clan (home, 7pm)

Friday 15 v Coventry Blaze (home, 7pm)

Friday 15 v Coventry Blaze (home, 7pm)

Friday 22 v Manchester Storm (away, 7pm)

Sunday 24 v Sheffield Steelers (home, 4pm)

Wednesday 27 v Coventry Blaze (away, 7.30pm)

Friday 29 v Fife Flyers (home, 7pm)

Saturday 30 v Dundee Stars (home, 7pm)

ELITE ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE 2018/19

TEAM	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	PCT	GF	GA	PIM	STREAK
Cardiff Devils	51	37	8	6	80	.784	204	130	587	3-0
Belfast Giants	52	38	12	2	78	.750	200	129	647	1-0
Glasgow Clan	53	30	18	5	65	.613	189	161	664	0-1
Nottingham Panthers	54	26	18	10	62	.574	166	170	878	1-0
Guildford Flames	53	27	21	5	59	.557	171	161	638	1-0
Fife Flyers	50	25	19	6	56	.560	163	168	700	0-1
Sheffield Steelers	54	26	25	3	55	.509	160	186	797	0-1
Manchester Storm	53	23	25	5	51	.481	156	183	1094	0-1
Dundee Stars	51	19	20	12	50	.490	144	174	512	1-0
Coventry Blaze	50	21	22	7	49	.490	175	193	661	0-4
Milton Keynes Lightning	51	14	33	4	32	.314	126	199	877	1-0