Top German Club Krefeld Penguins Take on Cardiff Devils

Krefeld Penguins, one of the leading ice hockey clubs in Germany, will play Cardiff Devils in a pre-season fixture during August.

Head coach Rick Adduono, a former NHL player, brings the Penguins to South Wales on Sunday, August 20 (6pm).

The fixture will be a crucial part of Devils preparations for their European Champions League campaign.

Krefeld will also play against the Nottingham Panthers the previous evening.

Elite League champions Devils are expecting to announce the rest of their pre-season games, not including Champions Hockey League, sometime next week.

Krefeld play in the top German League, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), and will play the Devils at Ice Arena Wales.

Adduono, a 62-year-old from Thunder Bay in Canada, has been with Penguins since 2009 and was head coach from then until 2015 when he stepped aside for German coach Franz-David Fritzmeier and took up a new senior advisor role.

Adduono, who made one NHL appearance for Boston Bruins and three for Atlanta Flames, replaced Fritzmeier to take over the team again last December.

American forward Mike Collins, who has played American League hockey, had netted 16 goals and added 33 assists in 104 matches for Penguins.

Canadian Marco Rosa, who has played AHL and East Coast hockey, has spent the last four seasons playing DEL hockey. He scored 21 points in 45 matches for Penguins during 2016-17.

Defenceman Nick St Pierre, from Quebec, and centre Mark Moncari, a former Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Portland Pirates winger, finished with 49 points (12+17) during the 2016-17 season.

“Devils would like to thank Neil Black, owner of Nottingham Panthers and Braehead Clan, for organising the games against Krefeld,” said Cardiff managing director Todd Kelman.

“We look forward to hosting the German side and expect our fans will enjoy being able to see another top European team taking on the Devils at Ice Arena Wales.”

Tickets for pre-season games will go on sale soon.

Devils season tickets for 2017-18 are already on sale and full details can be found on the club’s official website.