Sat 15 Apr 2023 - 06:00AM

IT'S PLAYOFF SEMI-FINAL GAMEDAY

🎟 PLAYOFF FINALS WEEKEND - BUY TICKETS HERE 🎟

It's the biggest weekend of the season and The Nottingham Panthers are part of it as we face Belfast Giants in the playoff semi-final at the Motorpoint Arena this afternoon (3pm).

It's the first of two semi-finals with Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils going head-to-head in the evening at 7pm.

The winners will meet in tomorrow's Grand Final at 5pm, which takes place after the third v fourth-placed game (1pm).

Playoff Finals Weekend is the biggest and most exciting two days of the UK ice hockey season and thousands of fans from all over the country descend on Nottingham.

Pre-match preview
Panthers Head Coach, Corey Neilson, said: "Playoffs is an amazing weekend. The crowd involvement, it's the Crown Jewels of all the games here in the UK.

"The first time I was here I was overwhelmed by the energy in the building and in the crowd. It's pretty special.

"Belfast are league and Challenge Cup champions for a reason. They are very well coached and Keefer (Adam Keefe) has done a heck of a job.

"We've had some high moments at times this season but some obvious lows and it is amazing how the fans have stuck with us.

"We have a great week and we have a good opportunity against an exceptional hockey team.

"We are not going to be favourites, we know that, and we have to go with the mindset of let's go for it."

Interviews
Corey Neilson
Peyton Jones
Matthew Myers
Mike Hammond
David-Alexandre Beauregard

The Lowdown
Panthers have won the playoff title five times, most recently in 2016, while Belfast's only success came in 2010.

Since the Elite League was formed in 2003-04, Panthers and the Giants have met twice in the semi-finals and once in the final...

- 2007 semi-final: Belfast Giants 1-2 Nottingham Panthers (after penalty shots)
- 2010 semi-final: Belfast Giants 2-1 Nottingham Panthers (after penalty shots)
- 2013 final: Nottingham Panthers 3-2 Belfast Giants (after overtime)

Tickets
Weekend tickets and single-game tickets for Saturday and Sunday are still available.

Blocks 18 and 19 have now been made available to Panthers fans. Click here to purchase.

Live on Viaplay
Playoff Finals Weekend is being shown exclusively live on Viaplay with commentary from Aaron Murphy and former Panthers player and coach Paul Adey.

To find out how to subscribe to Viaplay, click here.