UK Challenge Cup Quarter Finals

Down in South Wales, the Cardiff Devils welcomed the Fife Flyers to the Cardiff Bay Arena for the first in a two-legged affair, with one team completely dominating despite both having a depleted roster.

Flyers starting goaltender unfortunately was out of action on Wednesday night, flying home after a family bereavement leaving the Flyers to start backup Blair Daly, and borrowed Cardiff Devils prospect Ross Miller in case of any need of a backup goaltender. Also out for the Flyers was tough man Matt Nickerson who was serving the last of his 9 game suspension.

Out of action for the Devils was forward Chris Blight while blueliners Rupert Quiney, Mark Richardson and Joonas Liimatainen were all out due to injury, leaving recent GB Under 18 call up Calum Buglass to take to the ice more often than he's been used to in recent weeks.

The Devils didn't take long to grab the lead, after Bobby Chaumont saw the box for hooking, Tyson Marsh fired from the point through traffic to put Cardiff up 1 - 0 with just over 4 minutes played.

Tomas Kurka grabbed the primary assist on the goal, while captain Mac Faulkner celebrated his 100th point as a Devil with the secondary assist.

Ten minutes later Cardiff were celebrating a second, Tomas Kurka broke in alone, firing a wrist shot to the blocker side of Blair Daly to go up 2 - 0 after 20 minutes of play.

With the Devils up by 2, Fife would be smart to come out and try and grab an early goal to get themselves back in the game, but the exact opposite happened.

Just 15 seconds into the second, a second goal from Tyson Marsh was protested by the Flyers after the net was off its moorings, but referee Mike Hicks called it a good goal as the Devils went up 3 - 0. Another quick response came through Ben Davies who made it a 4 - 0 game less than a minute later with his new linemates Chris Jones and Luke Piggott picked up an assist each on the two early goals.

Cardiff controlled much of the second period, getting shots on Blair Daly who was forced into making some crucial saves to stop his team from falling too far behind, but Fife would break though with the next goal.

After Phil Cook stopped Matt Rebers attempt, the puck bounce off Devils defenseman Josh Batch's skate and into the goal to make it a 4 - 1 game.

Shortly after the Flyers stepped it up physically, Jordan Fulton was sent to the box after a late hit on Mark Smith which set Cardiff up with a powerplay opportunity. Good puck possession and movement led to Tomas Kurka feeding Mac Faulkner in front who stepping in front of the net before placing the puck shortside past Daly to give the Devils a 5 - 1 lead going into the final period of play.

It didn't come as quickly as it did in the second, but just over two minutes in the Devils extended their lead to 6 - 1, Max Birbraer with some great work in the corner to keep control of the puck fed Brad Plumton in the high slot who fired a rocket past Blair Daly to make it a five goal lead once again with a shorthanded goal.

Just minutes later, Birbraer added the Devils seventh after assisting the sixth to give the Devils a 7 - 1 lead.

Two goals in the third from the Flyers, the first coming from Tim Hartung and the second coming from Matt Rebers second of the game gave the Devils a 7 - 3 lead at the final buzzer going into Tuesday night's second leg in Fife.

Fife Man of the Match - Matt Reber (2 Goals)

Devils Man of the Match - Tyson Marsh (2 Goals, 1 Assist)

Braehead Clan 7 - 2 Nottingham Panthers

Elsewhere in the EIHL, the Braehead Clan welcomed the Nottingham Panthers to Scotland for their second leg of the Challenge Cup Quarter Finals.

Nottingham handed Braehead an 8 - 0 thrashing in the first leg back on December 15th, all but securing their place in the Semi Finals.

The second game brought worry to the Panthers who's two goals on the night were enough to stretch them past the Clan and into the Semis.

Braehead's Ash Goldie netted a hat-trick on the night while Matt Towe and Joel Champagne netted one each and assisted on three more for a four point night each as the Clan snapped a two-game losing streak with a 7 - 2 win.

Despite scoring 7 on the night, even if they shutout Nottingham it wouldn't have been enough to advance to the Semis as the Panthers advanced to the Semi Finals.

Braehead Man of the Match - Joel Champagne (1 Goal, 3 Assists)

Panthers Man of the Match - Matt Francis (1 Goal)

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