Saturday: Six teams starting Quarter-Finals
Photo: Scott Wiggins
Six teams enter Viaplay Playoffs action this Saturday night with the first legs of their Quarter-Final matchups.
Top seeds and current league and cup champions Belfast Giants are home for the first leg of their home and away series with Glasgow Clan. The hosts secured the league title last weekend, their third in succession, as they aim to erase the memory of two straight Playoff Final defeats. Glasgow had to wait until the final day of league action to secure their place in the post-season, with Guildford's win over Fife eliminating the Flyers and putt the Clan through. Belfast won all six meetings between the teams this season, with Clan only managing one point in a home overtime loss and being shut out twice in Belfast. Glasgow have not won at the SSE Arena since March 2018.
Click here to watch Giants vs. Clan!
Second-seed Guildford Flames travel to seventh-placed Nottingham Panthers for the opening game of their Quarter-Final. The Flames pushed for the league title until the final weekend before losing in Belfast, but did round off the organisation's best-ever season in the EIHL with a shutout win against Fife in their final home game. Nottingham threw away a 3-1 lead against Manchester which would have seen them finish the season sixth, as they eventually lost in overtime to record the team's lowest-ever Elite League regular season position. Guildford edged the six league meetings between the teams with a 4&2 record over this season, but four of the games were decided beyond 60 minutes. Those that weren't only had a maximum two-goal differential
Click here to watch Panthers vs. Flames!
In Coventry, the fifth-seeded Blaze welcome fourth-placed Cardiff Devils to the Skydome for the first leg of their series. The Blaze came away 4-2 winners a week ago in a game that ended the Devils' hopes of finishing any higher in the standings, and have had a good record against the Devils this season - Danny Stewart's team have four wins from six in league play this season, including the last three straight. Coventry are looking to make their first appearance at the finals weekend since reaching the final in 2016, while the Devils are bidding for a fourth-successive playoff title.
Click here to watch Blaze vs. Devils!
Be at the Playoff Finals Weekend!
Make sure you secure your ticket to be there for the final games of the season at the 2023 Viaplay Playoff Finals Weekend in Nottingham. Tickets are on sale here as both weekend passes and individual day tickets!
