Dates Confirmed For Devils’ Challenge Cup Semi-final Clash With Belfast Giants

Cardiff Devils go for glory in the Elite League Challenge Cup next month.

They take on Belfast Giants in the semi-finals with the first leg at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay on February 1st with the return a week later.

The winners will face Sheffield Steelers or holders Nottingham Panthers in the final, to be hosted by Devils at the IAW.

Head coach Andrew Lord and his players have qualified for the last two cup finals, beating Steelers two years ago before being edged out by Panthers last season.

Belfast will play at home in the second leg because the team from Northern Ireland finished higher than Devils in the group stages.

Cardiff also travel to play Giants away in the League next month, playing at the SSE Arena on Friday, February 18 and again the following evening.

The British players in the Devils team will then head back to Northern Ireland again April when Great Britain host group One B in the World Championships.

Goalies Ben Bowns and Thomas Murdy, Josh Batch, Mark Richardson, Matthew Myers and Chris Jones could all be included in the GB team, while Cardiff-born Jonathan Phillips, who plays for Sheffield, will be captain.

They play Japan, Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia and Croatia in Belfast.

Devils coach Andrew Lord and his team are currently focused on their Elite League home match against Coventry Blaze in Cardiff Bay this Saturday (7pm).

The next evening they play Braehead Clan away in Glasgow.

Challenge Cup semi-final dates:

Wednesday, February 1, first leg at Ice Arena Wales, Cardiff Bay: Devils v Giants (7.30pm).

Wednesday, February 8,, second leg at the SSE Arena, Belfast: Giants v Devils (7pm).

Ticket information for this Saturdays clash with Blaze is available from the official Devils club website or the hotline on 0800 0842 666, while tickets for the cup semi-final home leg will go on sale soon.