Tonight: 2 Key Challenge Cup matches

Groups B & C hanging on this week's action

Wednesday night's Challenge Cup action could go a long way to deciding this season's groups.

1930 Cardiff Devils vs. Coventry Blaze

Cardiff and Coventry are fighting it out for the last automatic place in the Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals from Group B.

A point ahead but having played a game more, a regulation win for the Devils will guarantee their place in the next round. Similarly, a regulation win for the Blaze will put them through to the next stage automatically with a game to spare. Either side picking up a point in an overtime or shootout loss will complicate the tie-break a little further.

Coventry have two home wins over the Devils in this season’s Challenge Cup campaign, results that have kept them alive up until this point. Cardiff on the other hand won the teams’ meeting at the Viola Arena relatively comfortably.

1930 Sheffield Steelers vs. Manchester Storm

Group C of the Challenge Cup was thrown wide open by Manchester’s pair of wins against Sheffield and Nottingham two weeks ago. The Storm head to Sheffield just a win behind the Steelers but do have a game in hand.

This is Sheffield’s last game of the group, and a win will almost guarantee them topping the group unless Manchester win both of their remaining games. The Steelers have been good at home this season, Saturday’s loss to Coventry was their first since 29 September.

Manchester had two road wins in five days two weeks ago, but a disappointing weekend just gone means that Ryan Finnerty’s team are winless in two and have lost three of their last four. They still have three cup games to play and tonight, combined two games against the Panthers this weekend, will ultimately decide their fate. Recent results have however put it all in the Storm’s hands.