Devils take one goal lead to Belfast

Thursday 26th January 2012

Official Elite Ice Hockey League Media Release

Tags Cardiff Devils
Belfast Giants

The predictions were that the Challenge Cup semi-final tie between Devils and Giants would most likely go all the way to the final minutes of the 2^nd leg and after Devils edged the opening leg by the odd goal in three it’s clear that this one is going to plan.

It was a strike by Devils player/coach Gerad Adams in the 46^th minute - only his 3^rd of the season – that saw Devils take the slenderest of advantages into the Odyssey Arena on February 4^thand it’s therefore still all to play for.

It had been Devils who had the better of the play in the opening period and they went ahead at 8.06 on the powerplay with Phil Hill firing in his 19^th goal of the season. Chances at either end after that but that counted as the only light on the scoreboard after the first session ended.

Giants reversed the trend in the 2^nd period and outshot their hosts by 15 to 9 but could find no way through a solid home defence marshalled well by GB goaltender Stevie Lyle.

When Adams scored at 45.02 to see Devils 2-0 ahead it was looking good for the Welsh side but resilient Giants did not panic and at 49.04 pulled themselves right back into the tie when Robert Dowd scored on the powerplay for his 19^th of the season.

Giants were finishing the stronger but there was to be no addition to the score, leaving the tie perfectly poised for the return in Belfast.

Period Scores: 1-0, 0-0, 1-1
Penalty Mins: Car 12 – Bel 10
Powerplay: Car 1/5 – Bel 1/6
Shots On: Stevie Lyle 43 – Stephen Murphy 32
Referee: Michael Hicks

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Braehead	v	Sheffield
24th February 2012 19:30
Edinburgh	v	Braehead
25th February 2012 18:00
Hull	v	Belfast
25th February 2012 18:00
Nottingham	v	Cardiff
25th February 2012 19:00
Fife	v	Sheffield
25th February 2012 19:15
Sheffield	v	Edinburgh
26th February 2012 17:00

Sheffield	5-1	Fife
21st February 2012 19:30
Coventry	4-6	Braehead
19th February 2012 18:00
Hull	3-5	Cardiff
19th February 2012 18:00
Edinburgh	0-9	Nottingham
19th February 2012 18:00
Belfast	7-1	Fife
18th February 2012 19:00
Braehead	4-3	Coventry
18th February 2012 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts
1	Belfast Giants	45	37	8	3	187	90	77
2	Sheffield Steelers	41	35	6	0	156	94	70
3	Nottingham Panthers	45	32	13	3	203	99	67
4	Cardiff Devils	43	24	19	10	142	121	58
5	Braehead Clan	42	25	17	2	163	136	52
6	Coventry Blaze	44	25	19	1	165	131	51
7	Hull Stingrays	45	13	32	4	118	181	30
8	Edinburgh Capitals	42	11	31	3	96	194	25
9	Dundee Stars	44	8	36	6	110	178	22
10	Fife Flyers	43	7	36	5	85	201	19

Swindon	v	Telford
25th February 2012 17:45
Bracknell	v	Manchester
25th February 2012 18:00
Guildford	v	Sheffield
25th February 2012 18:00
Basingstoke	v	Milton Keynes
25th February 2012 18:30
Milton Keynes	v	Slough
25th February 2012 19:00
Manchester	v	Bracknell
26th February 2012 17:30

Bracknell	2-3	Sheffield
19th February 2012 18:00
Guildford	9-1	Swindon
19th February 2012 18:00
Manchester	5-2	Milton Keynes
19th February 2012 17:30
Peterborough	6-7	Basingstoke
19th February 2012 17:30
Telford	1-5	Slough
19th February 2012 17:30
Milton Keynes	6-3	Swindon
18th February 2012 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts
1	Guildford Flames	43	30	13	4	202	123	64
2	Manchester Phoenix	42	26	16	4	160	128	56
3	Slough Jets	41	26	15	2	182	136	54
4	Sheffield Steeldogs	41	25	16	4	133	106	54
5	Basingstoke Bison	43	24	19	2	153	145	50
6	Milton Keynes Lightning	41	24	17	1	129	112	49
7	Swindon Wildcats	43	17	26	5	142	157	39
8	Bracknell Bees	41	14	27	10	118	156	38
9	Peterborough Phantoms	43	15	28	4	150	191	34
10	Telford Tigers	42	9	33	2	110	225	20