The 2024/25 Elite Ice Hockey League playoff quarter-finals have wrapped up, and they delivered everything from tension-filled overtimes to dominant performances by the league’s top teams. Ultimately, the top four seeds—Belfast, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Cardiff—have all secured their places at the much-anticipated Playoff Finals Weekend in Nottingham.
Let’s take a closer look at how each of the quarter-final matchups played out.
Belfast Giants vs Dundee Stars
Aggregate: Belfast Giants 8 – 3 Dundee Stars
On paper, this series looked like a straightforward win for the league-winning Belfast Giants. However, the eighth-seeded Dundee Stars came into the playoffs with a quiet confidence, having taken five of the last six points against Belfast in the regular season. The Stars believed they could cause one of the biggest playoff shocks in recent memory.
The first leg, played at the SSE Arena in front of a vocal Belfast crowd, quickly put that idea to rest. The Giants came out strong, controlling the tempo and neutralising Dundee’s transition game. Despite moments of pushback from the Stars, Belfast skated to a commanding 5-2 victory. Their three-goal cushion gave them breathing room heading into the return leg in Dundee.
The second leg started with early hope for Dundee—if they could score quickly, maybe, just maybe, the momentum would shift. But any potential comeback was crushed within minutes. A sloppy line change from the Stars allowed Belfast captain Mark Cooper to race through and score at 05:36. Less than 90 seconds later, JJ Piccinich capitalised on another defensive error to make it 2-0 on the night and 7-2 on aggregate. By the time the Giants added a third, the tie was effectively over.
Dundee battled hard, but the quality and experience of Belfast proved too much. The Giants move on to Nottingham looking every bit the title favourites.
Sheffield Steelers vs Glasgow Clan
Aggregate: Sheffield Steelers 5 – 4 Glasgow Clan (OT)
This series provided all the drama and intensity playoff hockey is known for. Second-place Sheffield entered the matchup as favourites, but faced a determined and dangerous Glasgow Clan side that, despite their 7th place finish, had flashes of brilliance throughout the season.
The first leg at Braehead Arena was electric. With a packed home crowd creating an intimidating atmosphere, the Clan fed off the energy and pushed the Steelers back. They dominated play, creating breakaway chances and forcing Sheffield netminder Matt Greenfield into a series of remarkable saves. While the final scoreline—3-1 to Glasgow—was a solid lead, it could easily have been much greater without Greenfield’s heroics.
Heading back to Sheffield for the second leg, the Steelers knew they had to respond. They did so in style. Mitchell Balmas opened the scoring with a beautiful breakaway goal, and Brandon Whistle added a second less than a minute later to tie the aggregate score at 3-3. A powerplay goal from Kevin Tansey early in the second gave Sheffield their first lead of the series.
But the Clan weren’t done. Backed by a strong traveling support, they equalised late in the second period to set up a tense third. With neither side able to break the deadlock—including Balmas hitting the post in the dying minutes and a failed 5-on-3 powerplay for Glasgow—overtime was required.
That’s where Daniel Leavens and Patrick Watling combined to produce a slick passing play, with Watling firing past Bow to send the Steelers to the semi-finals. It was heartbreak for Glasgow, but a thrilling victory for Sheffield.
Nottingham Panthers vs Guildford Flames
Aggregate: Nottingham Panthers 8 – 6 Guildford Flames
Nottingham’s season has been one of resurgence. After a tough 2023/24 campaign and the devastating loss of Adam Johnson, expectations were low heading into the year. But under new leadership and with a rebuilt roster, the Panthers have been one of the league’s biggest success stories, finishing third and playing with spirit and cohesion.
Guildford, on the other hand, have had a season marred by injuries. The loss of key players like Kyle Locke and Jake Coughler early on hurt them immensely. Still, they showed grit and resolve to clinch sixth place and carried a winning record against the Panthers into the playoffs—including a 4-1 win just weeks before.
In the first leg, Guildford managed to secure a 3-2 win at home despite being heavily outshot. Nottingham dominated possession and created far more chances, but couldn’t capitalise. That inefficiency in front of goal meant they entered the second leg trailing by one.
The second leg at Motorpoint Arena saw the Panthers explode out of the gate. David Bunz tied the aggregate just 1:43 in, and a powerplay goal by Fossier less than two minutes later gave them the lead. The crowd erupted, and Nottingham fed off that energy.
However, Guildford responded. Two powerplay goals, one from Ethan Strang and another tapped in by Brett Welychka, swung the tie back in their favour at 5-4. The Panthers, undeterred, struck back with three goals in the space of five minutes—one from Hugo Roy, another from Fossier, and then a clutch penalty shot conversion early in the third.
Guildford made it interesting with a late goal from captain Brett Ferguson, but the Panthers sealed it with an empty netter to win 8-6 on aggregate. It was a thrilling tie and another step in Nottingham’s redemption arc.
Cardiff Devils vs Coventry Blaze
Aggregate: Cardiff Devils 8 – 3 Coventry Blaze
This series was billed as a potential classic. There’s no love lost between these two teams, and with Cardiff's fall from top spot late in the season and Coventry’s surprise emergence under rookie coach Kevin Moore, there were plenty of storylines to follow.
Cardiff, disappointed with a fourth-place finish, came into the series with a point to prove. The Devils took a clinical 2-0 win in Coventry in the first leg, showing composure and control. Coventry struggled to find their rhythm, and the Devils took advantage of their defensive lapses.
Back in Cardiff for the second leg, the Blaze started brightly, scoring early to halve the deficit and drawing level on the night midway through the first period. But that’s where their momentum ended. Cardiff’s experience and depth began to show, and the Devils ran riot in the third period with four unanswered goals. The final aggregate score of 8-3 was a fair reflection of their superiority over two legs.
Cardiff now move on to a blockbuster semi-final with Belfast, while Coventry’s exciting season ends with plenty to be proud of.
Playoff Weekend: Semi-Final Matchups
With the dust settled from the quarter-finals, attention now turns to Nottingham and the playoff finals weekend. The semi-finals promise thrilling encounters:
Belfast Giants (1st) vs Cardiff Devils (4th)
A matchup rich in history and playoff pedigree. Belfast, fresh off a dominant showing against Dundee, will look to assert themselves once more. But Cardiff have proven time and again that they know how to win when it matters. Expect fireworks.
Sheffield Steelers (2nd) vs Nottingham Panthers (3rd)
An age-old rivalry is reignited. The Steelers edged past Glasgow in a dramatic overtime win, while Nottingham roared back to dispatch Guildford. These sides have a long and storied playoff history—this one could be a classic.
Final Thoughts
With the top four teams advancing, this year’s playoff finals weekend is stacked with talent, passion, and fierce rivalries. The Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham will be buzzing as fans from across the country descend to see who lifts the playoff trophy.
Will Belfast complete a Grand Slam season? Can Cardiff silence the doubters? Will Sheffield finish the job after falling short in the league? Or will Nottingham’s fairy-tale season have one more magical chapter?
Stay tuned for all the drama as the EIHL season reaches its epic conclusion.
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