👀 Friday Preview: The Final Showdown
The biggest weekend of the year is here
There are 16 play-off titles between them…by Sunday night one of the four teams will make it 17 to bring the curtain down on quite the Elite League season.
Sheffield Steelers are defending the last of the treble they won 12 months ago and those in the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham will remember the scenes at completing a clean sweep of titles.
Now Belfast Giants, like they did two years ago, stand on the verge of taking back those trophies, having scooped the Challenge Cup and the Elite League title.
But it’s not about those two teams, with Cardiff Devils and Nottingham Panthers standing on the sidelines and ready to swipe the play-off crown from under their noses.
Yes, it’s play-off weekend and right now, it’s a bit like Christmas Eve as you make the final preparations for something that will make you so happy. Well, for the most part anyway.
One of the more unique sporting events in this country and in the world of ice hockey is about to begin to sign off what has been another terrific season in the books.
What other event can you have four teams taking part, where 10 sets of fans from the length and breadth of the country all watch and participate? I’ll wait.
Today, those very fans will start to make the pilgrimage to Nottingham to begin their celebration of the sport and it’s going to be brilliant.
For fans of the four teams involved, it’s one last emotional rollercoaster where one set of supporters will celebrate into Easter Monday. It’s crazy, but we love it.
Now we’ve set the scene, let’s delve into the two semi finals on Saturday.
BELFAST GIANTS vs CARDIFF DEVILS (Saturday, 3pm)
Last year’s finalists come together where only one of them will progress this time around and many would be hard pushed to see past a Giants win to take them a step closer to another Grand Slam.
The Giants are purring nicely coming into this one and after the euphoria of winning the league and getting past Dundee Stars in the quarter finals, it’s game faces on as Adam Keefe’s side look to clinch a second treble in three years.
Aside from that freakish 5-1 home loss to Manchester Storm at the end of March, it’s been seven wins from eight, including victories in their last four. They are the team to beat here.
Both sides are no strangers to each other at the finals weekend - this being their eighth meeting here - but it won’t take away from what’s expected to be quite the spectacle.
Cardiff Devils - Continental Cup aside - have had a disappointing season by their lofty standards and as they look to claw their way back into silverware contention, perhaps facing the Giants isn’t the ideal route to do it.
On the other hand, it could be the perfect fixture for them. Like the others, they just need to win two more games and would be quite the redemption for Pete Russell on what has been a frustrating campaign.
The Devils may have some scar tissue from a very below par performance in the Challenge Cup Final when they were sunk 4-0 by the Giants so this occasion could be just what they need. Belfast may need to be wary of a wounded animal from Cardiff.
👁️ PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Mark Cooper (Belfast Giants) - The Giants captain is one of two men to have scored four goals against the Devils (the other being Pierre-Olivier Morin) and has come with some big goals across the season.
He has three points already in the play-offs and with his eye for goal, could play a big part in what the Giants are aiming to achieve.
Joey Martin (Cardiff Devils) - Cometh the man, cometh the GOAT and Martin is still the man for the big occasion. Two points in the quarter final tie with Coventry and three goals against Belfast, you can certainly never count him out.
Martin, with his production, can certainly trouble the best of defences so you can’t rule out the prospect of another big game for Cardiff’s GOAT.
SHEFFIELD STEELERS vs NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS (7pm)
There’s no love lost between Steelers and Panthers as they come together for the other final spot on Sunday and looking at the games between them this season, this one will be harder to call.
Steelers are out to reclaim the last remnant of their treble, but have to overcome a Panthers side rejuvenated under Danny Stewart and it has the makings of a classic.
Aaron Fox’s side needed to dig deep to defeat Glasgow Clan over two legs in their quarter final last week, with Patrick Watling’s overtime winner their saving grace that led them back to Nottingham.
Getting over the manner of how they came within minutes of successfully defending their title is one hell of a psychological barrier, but success this weekend would go a long way to healing that wound.
Nottingham Panthers are perhaps the team the neutral wants to win this weekend and it comes from a place of well documented tragedy.
It’s fair to say that not something that would have happened in recent years, but their resurgence has been arguably the feelgood story of 2024-25.
Their second leg quarter final win over Guildford Flames ended a four-game losing run so whether that’s enough of a bounce to take them into the weekend is yet to be seen.
This is a tie that could either way, or go the distance, or even both and there’s no such thing as a tepid Steelers-Panthers clash. Look out for it.
👁️ PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Mitchell Balmas (Sheffield Steelers) - A player who has been Mr Dependable for Aaron Fox in the last couple of seasons and someone who can be a difference maker in this semi-final encounter.
Balmas has two goals and three assists against Nottingham this season and is on a run of 14 points (7G 7A) in his last nine games. If Panthers can keep him quiet, then it’s a start.
Sam Herr (Nottingham Panthers) - This weekend serves as a swansong for the Panthers captain, who will bow out from ice hockey afterwards, but will want to help his team to glory first.
His four goals and three assists make him - along with Steelers counterpart Robert Dowd - the top scorers in this fixture this season, but it would be one hell of a way to sign off if he were to take the trophy with him.
📺 FANS UPROAR OVER BROADCAST PLANS
Fans have criticised the Elite League over their plans to broadcast the play-off finals weekend, with some branding the prices as a ‘rip-off.’
Supporters up and down the country took to social media to air their views, with the Elite League accused of ‘greed’ and being ‘out of touch’ ahead of the showpiece event this weekend.
Both semi-finals will only be available to watch via webcast, through Elite League TV where viewers will be asked to pay £16 per game as well as for the third-place play-off on Sunday, between the two losing semi finalists.
The final itself will not only be shown on the webcast for overseas viewers, but will also be broadcast live on Premier Sports TV, with Aaron Murphy leading the broadcast.
📆 PLAY-OFF WEEKEND FIXTURES
SATURDAY (All games to be played at Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
Semi Finals
Belfast Giants vs Cardiff Devils (3pm)
Sheffield Steelers vs Nottingham Panthers (7pm)
SUNDAY
Third Place Play-off (1pm)
Final (5pm)
🏟️ AROUND THE RINKS
To finish off, let’s take a whistle stop journey around the country and pick out other news and posts you may have missed.
📰 JJ Piccinich missed out on a treble three years ago - this could be his year. Story by Adam McKendry - Belfast Telegraph website
🙌 Over 130,000 fans visited Cardiff’s Vinidico Arena in 2024/25 - Cardiff Devils on X
👕 The Elite League have announced their annual play-off auction is now underway - Elite Ice Hockey League on X
🤔 British Ice Hockey’s Luke James picked out his team of the week from last weekend’s play-off quarter finals - British Ice Hockey website
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🚨 GOOD NEWS! We’re back with a bonus edition on Sunday as we look back on what will undoubtedly be a dramatic Saturday of action so look out for it at 8am on Sunday morning (we’ll give you a lie-in)
See you then!
Good round up, and I had somehow missed that Piccinich interview so thanks for sharing 👍🏼