Cardiff Devils: Home and away pre-season victories over Nottingham Panthers
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Cardiff Devils forward Stephen Dixon scores the first goal of a weekend double header with Nottingham Panthers
Cardiff Devils enjoyed back-to-back weekend victories over Nottingham Panthers as they prepare for the return of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
The Devils won 5-1 inside a packed out Ice Arena Wales on Saturday.
Two goals from Brandon McNally then helped them to a 4-2 win in Nottingham 24 hours later to secure the Diamond Jubilee Cup.
Cardiff have another pre-season double header with Manchester Storm next weekend.
Their opening competitive domestic fixture is at home to Guildford Flames in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, 25 September before they travel the following day for a first league game against Sheffield Steelers.
The Elite League was abandoned in March 2020 because of Covid-19, with Devils top of the table one point ahead of Steelers.
The 2020-21 season was abandoned without a match being played because of the coronavirus pandemic and was replaced by a limited Elite Series in which the Cardiff club did not take part. The five-week, four-team series was won by Nottingham Panthers.
Saturday's opening warm-up game against Panthers saw Bayley Harewood from Barry in the Devils' line-up for the first time. The 18-year-old forward has signed a two-way contract with Devils and Bees IHC who play in the lower National Ice Hockey League.
The game also saw Cardiff-born forward Matthew Myers back in a Panthers shirt after leaving the Devils to return for a fourth spell in Nottingham.
Josh Waller scored his first goal for the club, with Stephen Dixon, Josh Lammon, Cole Sanford and Matt Register also on target.
On Sunday, in addition to McNally's double, there were goals for Brodie Reid and Trevor Cox.
Cardiff have already played four games in the group stages of the Champions Hockey League, losing home and away to German side Adler Mannheim and 2-0 at Lausanne HC. However they beat the Swiss side 4-1 at home in August.
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