Friday: Giants and Steelers with eyes on the prize
Photo: James Assinder
The race for the league title in 2024/25 could yet take more turns, and Friday night might just be one of them with leaders Belfast Giants and third-placed Sheffield Steelers both in action.
League leaders Belfast Giants head to Cardiff having beaten the Devils in all six of the meetings between the teams this season. Aside from winning the Challenge Cup against the Devils, Belfast have won 4-3 in overtime and 4-1 in Cardiff this season with their last defeat at the Vindico Arena coming on 31 March 2024. The Devils were in action on Wednesday night and slumped a 5-1 defeat in Nottingham. With six games to go, they are now unlikely to catch Sheffield seven points ahead, but shouldn't slip to fifth with Coventry six points behind.
Both teams have 12 points from their last 10 games. The Devils, however, were on a five-game win streak in the league before defeats to Sheffield and Nottingham. The Giants arrive in Cardiff with only two league wins in their last six.
Click here to watch Devils vs. Giants
Waiting to see if the leaders slip up are Sheffield Steelers, who visit Glasgow Clan on Friday night. The Steelers actually go into the weekend third after Nottingham's midweek win, but trail the Giants by only two points. A win would put the top if the Giants lose.
Winning in Glasgow, however, is no easy thing as the rest of the top four have found out this season. Clan have beaten Belfast, Cardiff and Nottingham on their own ice, only missing a victory over Sheffield in Braehead to complete the set. They have beaten the Steelers once at the Utilita Arena. No teams in the EIHL has collected more points over the last 15 games than the Clan, who have picked up 24 of the last 30 points on offer.
