Elite League play-offs: Cardiff Devils beat Guildford Flames to set up Giants final
- Published
Devils' coach Dupont wants Giants revenge in play-off final
Cardiff Devils secured a tight 3-2 win against Guildford Flames to reach Sunday's Elite League play-off final.
Jake Coughler put the Devils ahead in a first period of few chances, before Cole Sanford's eye-catching finish doubled the lead in the middle period.
Two goals from Turner Ripplinger pulled Flames level but Justin Crandall's late powerplay goal won it for Cardiff.
Earlier, treble-chasing Giants beat Dundee Stars to reach the final, Mark Cooper scoring a Belfast hat-trick.
It has been a topsy-turvy season for the Devils, who are playing in Nottingham under interim coaches Brodie Duport and Neil Francis following Jarrod Skalde's departure a month ago.
The Giants came from two goals down to steal the Challenge Cup from under Cardiff's noses earlier this season, so Sunday's season finale gives the Devils one last chance at revenge.
It would not be the first time the Devils denied Giants an Elite League grand slam, they did the same in the play-off final just three years ago.
But Belfast look a force to be reckoned with, and their 6-0 thrashing of Dundee serves as a warning going into Sunday.
The last two encounters between Cardiff and Guildford went to overtime, Flames winning both, so a closely-fought match was expected to round off Saturday's action.
Flames had the first chance of the match, Devils defenceman Brendan Mikkleson lost control of the puck in his own defensive zone, but Kyle Locke's effort went wide of the target.
Just over half-way through the first period the Devils took the lead, mid-season signing Coughler turning home a rebound from point-blank range after Trevor Cox's initial shot.
Minutes later goal-scorer Coughler's left the ice gingerly, the Devils forward fell to his knees after a heavy collision but returned later in the game.
Neither team managed to carve out another clear-cut chance in the opening 20 minutes, but the second period started at a frantic pace.
Less than a minute in, with the Devils on the penalty kill, Jordan Cownie was a fraction away from drawing Flames level, his shot looked to rebound off both posts before being smothered.
The intensity level continued, Carruth making two more saves before Mark Louis skated clear of the Flames defence only to be denied by Kevin Lindskoug.
Lindskoug was called into action moments later as Justin Crandall played in Brodie Reid, but the Devils forward could not beat the Flames netminder.
Flames were almost level when Ian Watters opted to shoot from range, but he was unlucky to see effort crash off Carruth's bar.
Carruth reacted quickly to stop Watters with an outstretched right leg before denying Ripplinger; Lindskoug keeping a Brandt effort out at the other end.
With less than a minute left in the period, the Devils doubled their lead.
Sanford's backhand effort found its way past Lindskoug, the Devils forwards' finish all the more impressive as he shot mid-knee slide.
Flames reduced the deficit to one when Ripplinger's shot through a crowd of bodies finally got the better of Carruth to make it 2-1 with almost the full final period left to play.
And with 4:32 left in the game the Flames drew level, Carruth parried away an initial attempt but Ripplinger was on hand to tap in the rebound.
Devils fans saw their team lose from an identical position in the Challenge Cup final, but they escaped a similar fate when Crandall scored on the powerplay from Cox's assist.
Cardiff had to survive the final 47 seconds on the penalty kill after Matt Register was called for tripping, but did just that to secure their place in Sunday's final.
Unpleasant scenes followed at full-time as both sets of players were involved in a mass brawl on the ice, Devils netminder Carruth at the centre of it.
Cardiff Devils interim head coach Brodie Dupont said: "There was a lot of back and forth, the type of game that's stressful for a coach.
"We needed some key saves at big moments, he held us in the game and then we scored at key moments.
"We've replied on our powerplay all year and that came through for us at the end again."
Guildford Flames head coach Paul Dixon said: "We wanted to get after the game earlier.
"Our ethos was to get the puck in deep and we did that well all game, but Mac Carruth made key saves and unfortunately we just fell short.
"Every game against Cardiff this year has been like that, they left it all out there, I can't ask any more, I'm proud of the bunch of guys in that room."