Ice hockey – Lefebvere faces stiff semi-final challenge

Former Edinburgh Capitals player Marc Lefebvre will have to re-write the form book with underdogs Dundee Stars if he wants to shock Cardiff Devils in Saturday’s Elite League play-off semi-final (1pm).

Cardiff won the league title with 81 points from 52 games while Dundee were seventh having collected 46 points from their regular season.

The newly-crowned champions have beaten the Scots twice on their home rink, both by 4-1 scorelines, and Dundee have lost 4-2 and 5-4 after penalty shots at The Dundee Ice Arena.

Devils have 32 regulation wins to their credit and seven victories by overtime or penalty shots.

They have lost three games by overtime or penalty shots and ten in regulation time.

Dundee have won 16 games in regulation and four after overtime or penalty shots but lost six after overtime and penalty shots and 26 in regulation.

Doug Clarkson, who has played for Devils and Stars in recent seasons refused to pick a winner.

He said: “It’s a one-off game where anything could happen. It’s one of those things where bounces could go either way.”

The winners will meet either Belfast Giants, who were second in the ten-team league, or Sheffield Steelers, who were third, in Sunday’s final also at Nottingham.