BUILD UP TO THE PLAY-OFFS!
Nearly half the tickets for Saturday's big play-off show-down with Cardiff have now been sold.
The first leg at the fabulous National Ice Centre in Nottingham starts at 7pm on Saturday. Regardless of the result on the night there will be no overtime as the two-legged tie will be settled in Cardiff on Sunday, when overtime and penalties will take place if the match is even on aggregate.
Former Panther Brent Pope is manager and player at the Devils and says his side is looking forward to the match up this weekend. Sniper Jason Silverthorne returned from injury last weekend with no ill effects, former Panther Matus Petricko is receiving treatment and could be back this weekend for the Devils also.
GB winger Paul Sample is still out injured and misses the game.
This weekend's quarter-final winners will play in the second semi-final at the season finale, staring at 5pm on the Saturday against the winners of the Sheffield and Manchester tie. So it could be the biggest rivals in the sport, Nottingham and Sheffield going head-to-head for a place in the finals.
Before that though, the GMB Panthers have to get past the Devils and Brent Pope told us today : "Nottingham are the favourites, they've had a pretty solid season so it is going to be a tall order for us but it will come down to the 120 minutes of ice hockey this weekend. Hot goalies will play a part, key guys turning it on will have a say and even the role guys doing their job will have a bearing on the outcome of who goes through.
"We're pumped, we want to win and we still have a taste from last year's finals to get rid of so we're looking forward to it!"
Sunday's second leg in Cardiff starts at 6pm and there is no live coverage other than the hotline end of period reports available so the best place to see what happens is on the bay.....meanwhile see how its set up when the Devils visit Nottingham in the play-offs this Saturday in Nottingham.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE...
...SEE YOU THERE!