There’s absolutely no doubt about the status of the title race after Round 27 – the Elite League is wide open at the summit.
It was a week to forget for the Belfast Giants, who lost to the Dundee Stars on Saturday [8 March] before bouncing back a day later with a nail-biting win on the road against the Guildford Flames.
The Nottingham Panthers took a point away from the Sheffield Steelers, with Jason Grande the difference-maker in a hard-fought shootout win for Danny Stewart’s side.
But the Panthers had a taste of their own medicine on Sunday [9 March], losing in overtime to the Cardiff Devils (amid what they feel were controversial circumstances).
Sheffield returned to winning ways to close out the weekend – they took down the Glasgow Clan 4-3 on home ice.
With that in mind, let’s dive into our Team of the Week selections for Round 27.
Elite League Team of the Week – Sunday, 9 March
Jarrett Fiske, Dundee Stars – Goaltender
Jarrett Fiske is a slam-dunk inclusion in the Team of the Week, with the 25-year-old backstopping the Stars to three all-important wins in the battle to secure the final playoff position.
Fiske opened his account for the week with a 44-save performance against the Manchester Storm, before taking his exploits one step further by stopping 65 of the 67 shots he faced against the Giants.
The American’s quietest appearance came on Sunday – he stopped 42 shots to lead Dundee to a 4-3 shootout win versus Manchester.
After taking six points from six, the Stars sit eight points clear of Manchester in the fight for eighth – albeit having played two extra games.
Fiske ended the round with a .956 save percentage. Astounding.
Evan Mosey, Cardiff Devils – Defenceman
Evan Mosey recorded four assists in three appearances (all from the blueline) as Cardiff skated away with three wins at the expense of the Fife Flyers, Coventry Blaze, and Nottingham Panthers.
Elite League Team of the Week: Evan Mosey, Cardiff Devils (Image: James Assinder)
The American continues to shoulder a heavy workload – a trend headlined by his 24:19 performance against Nottingham, which saw him lead the team with four blocks and make the assist on the game-winning goal in overtime.
Mosey also assisted Cole Sanford’s overtime clincher against the Blaze and posted a pair of helpers (including the game-winner) versus Fife.
Zsombor Garat, Nottingham Panthers – Defenceman
Zsombor Garat completes our defence.
The Hungarian blueliner produced a stubborn performance as Nottingham and Cardiff required overtime to settle their goalless draw, leading the Panthers in blocks (four) and time on ice (24:56).
Garat, one of the Elite League’s most underrated defenders, has 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 52 appearances on the season.
Cole Sanford, Cardiff Devils – Forward
Cole Sanford scored back-to-back overtime winners (versus Nottingham and Coventry) to propel the Devils to a perfect six-point week.
The Canadian has never been afraid of making big plays in important moments – and he proved that once again with three goals and one assist in Round 27.
Elite League Team of the Week: Cole Sanford, Cardiff Devils (Image: James Assinder)
While there’s never a bad time to become red-hot in front of the net, catching fire just days before the Challenge Cup final is a dreamy scenario for Sanford and the Devils.
Spencer Naas, Dundee Stars – Forward
Spencer Naas reached an important milestone on Sunday, recording the 100th point of his Elite League career in Dundee’s 4-3 win over Manchester.
It was a standout week for the American, who scored back-to-back game-winning goals against the Giants and Storm.
In total, Naas finished Round 27 with three goals and three assists. Sensational.
Alessio Luciani, Coventry Blaze – Forward
If not for the offensive production of Alessio Luciani, the Blaze would have walked away from Round 27 without a point.
The Canadian scored twice on Sunday to lift Coventry to a much-needed 3-2 win over the Flyers – and that’s on top of the goal he scored a day earlier in a losing effort against Cardiff.
Luciani ranks seventh in the Elite League for points (46) and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
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