And then there were four.
Postseason hockey is in full swing on these shores, with plenty of shocks to go around in the quarter-finals.
The Belfast Giants, imperious in the regular-season, came unstuck against the eighth-seeded Glasgow Clan, losing in a drama-filled penalty shootout.
And the same fate awaited the Nottingham Panthers, who couldn’t overcome the Manchester Storm over two legs.
Elsewhere, the favourites prevailed: the Cardiff Devils topped the Coventry Blaze, while the Sheffield Steelers eliminated the Guildford Flames.
With that, let’s dive into our first all-star selections of the Elite League playoffs.
Elite League Team of the Week: Playoff Quarter-Finals
Sami Aittokallio, Glasgow Clan:
Sami Aittokallio, Glasgow Clan (Image: William Cherry)
Belfast huffed and puffed… but they just couldn’t blow Sami Aittokallio’s house down.
The Finn was at his flying best in the last eight, making 65 saves on 67 shots as he led Glasgow t0 a 3-2 aggregate victory over the regular-season champions.
Aittokallio has been a standout performer all year long and walks into the final four with a 2.48 goals-against average and .916 save percentage through 42 appearances in all competitions.
The Steelers won’t be relishing the prospect of facing the 33-year-old in the semi-finals.
Aittokallio is one to watch in Nottingham.
Joe Hazeldine, Glasgow Clan:
Joe Hazeldine put his body on the line in the quarters, making six blocks through 33 minutes of total ice time.
The 25-year-old’s steady play won’t attract headlines, but his quiet persistence warrants a spot in our team of the week.
Dominic Cormier, Sheffield Steelers:
Dominic Cormier, Sheffield Steelers (Image: Dean Woolley)
Aaron Fox needed someone to step up early in the second leg.
Predictably, Dominic Cormier was that guy.
Less than two minutes into the game, with Guildford hemmed in their zone, the Canadian cycled into the crease and redirected Mikko Jussola’s shot beyond Justin Fazio.
Cormier’s early strike set the pace.
The Steelers entered the final period with a four-goal cushion and cruised into Playoff Finals Weekend as a result.
Fox leant on Cormier heavily in the quarters, with the 28-year-old tallying 50 minutes of total ice time — expect more of the same in Nottingham.
Kristoff Kontos, Cardiff Devils:
Kristoff Kontos, Cardiff Devils (Image: Scott Wiggins)
Kristoff Kontos is the Elite League’s form player.
The Canadian torched the Blaze’s playoff hopes, tallying four points (one goal, three assists) in the quarter-finals.
Kontos has registered at least a point in each of his last 13 appearances, tallying 24 points during that span.
He’s also dominant in the face-off circle.
The 32-year-old went 20-8 against Coventry, alleviating pressure in the defensive zone, while adding to the load offensively.
Gary Haden, Manchester Storm:
Gary Haden’s importance to the Storm is unmissable.
He bookmarked the playoff quarter-finals with season-defining interventions — a primary assist on the series’ opening goal and a powerplay conversion in the third period of leg two.
Deployed on Cam Critchlow’s second line alongside Joseph Nardi and J.D. Dudek, Haden’s creative spark will be a key factor for the Storm as they traverse into the final four for the first time.
Sam Tremblay, Sheffield Steelers:
Tremblay scored twice in Sheffield’s second leg with over the Flames.
His first, which carved out a two-goal cushion, was a complete effort, with the Canadian forcing a blueline turnover, before deking his way through the crease and poking the puck under Fazio.
Tremblay had 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 48 regular-season appearances, but he enters Playoff Finals Weekend as a hot hand.
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