Tonight: Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals

Photo: Al Goold

It's Gameday in the Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals. Six teams play the first legs of their ties, while for two it's the second leg and final chance to make the Semi-Finals.

1930 Glasgow Clan vs. Dundee Stars (Agg.: 1-1)

There will have to be a winner tonight at intu Braehead, however long it takes. Glasgow and Dundee draw their first leg back in November with a goal each, but tonight they will be separated be it in regulation or overtime.

The Clan had a mixed past week with a come from behind win in Manchester and then home loss to Cardiff. The Clan knocked out Cardiff at this stage last year, and coming back on to their own ice all square will be something Zack Fitzgerald hopes his team finds advantageous.

Dundee have had a horrid few weeks but will need to remember that they went into the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup as top seeds. The Stars have only lost one game in the cup this season at home to Fife, and if they can rediscover their early-season form then it would be a much-needed positive boost for Omar Pacha's team.

1930  Belfast Giants vs. Cardiff Devils (Live on FreeSports!)

With both Belfast and Cardiff unseeded for this round after the Group Stage it was perhaps no surprise that none of the teams able to pick their opponents chose either of these teams. The defending league and cup champions host the team that denied them a treble in the playoff final in what is the Devils' first visit to Kingdom of the Giants this season.

This game will also be the first game back in Belfast for former Giant Blair Riley. This season the sides have only played in Cardiff, a double-header which the Giants won both games of.

Recent form in general however favour the Devils who are on a run of four straight wins while the Giants have won only from their last five.

1930 Nottingham Panthers vs. Guildford Flames

It's a repeat of Sunday afternoon's league action at the Motorpoint Arena and also of last season's Challenge Cup Semi-Finals.

Guildford were the winners on Sunday and knocked the Panthers out of this competition last time around, a record that means they've lost only one of their last five visits to Nottingham outside of the playoffs.

That defeat on Sunday ended the Panthers' short winning streak although Tim Wallace's team have won three of their last five. Guildford have posted back-to-back four-point weekends to climb up to fifth in the league and are one of the form teams. 

1930 Sheffield Steelers vs. Manchester Storm

Sheffield play their first leg at home despite being higher seeds and it might prove to be a wise decision from the Steelers.

Manchester has not been a happy hunting ground for Aaron Fox's team this season but on their own ice they have a pair of wins against their rivals from across the Pennines. 

The Storm haven't won in Sheffield since September 2018 - that night the game went to overtime, and while it can't tonight leaving with a draw would be a good outcome for Ryan Finnerty's men.

Overtime

If overtime is needed in any Challenge Cup Quarter-Final Second Leg it will be played 3-on-3 for five minutes, sudden death, following a 60-second break. 

If no team has scored during overtime, a shootout will follow.