Devils and Panthers looking in different directions

Photo: David Williams

Cardiff Devils host Nottingham Panthers at Ice Arena Wales with both sides inside the top four but very much looking in different directions.

A final seven-minute comeback on Wednesday night kept the Devils in second place overall, and they stayed there after Belfast could only manage a point on Friday. Two points behind Sheffield having played four games more, as has been said many times over already, the Devils just need to keep winning games if they're to have any chance of being in the title race down the stretch. Jarrod Skalde's team have won seven of their last eight games.

Nottingham fell to a 4-2 defeat in Manchester on Friday night and now find themselves looking over their shoulder at fifth and further below. The Panthers are three points clear of Guildford but have played substantially more games than Coventry and Glasgow who are only five points behind. The defeat to Storm means it's now three straight losses for interim Head Coach Mark Matheson, who's seen his team win just one of their past nine games.

The sides have split their two meetings in Wales so far this season - the Panthers won 3-0 in October, with the Devils taking a 5-1 victory last month.