Devils take long road to success

The new Superleague champions, Cardiff Devils, will start and finish their quest for a triumphant end to their campaign with away matches.

The league yesterday finalised the play-off fixtures for the remaining three weeks of the season, with Cardiff drawn in Group A alongside Ayr Scottish Eagles, Newcastle Cobras and Manchester Storm.

Cardiff start the six-game programme with a Group A trip to Newcastle on Saturday and end with a trip to Manchester's Nynex Arena on Thursday 13 March. On Sunday the Nynex attracted a record crowd for a British match - 17,245 - as the hosts, Manchester Storm, defeated last year's Grand Slam winners, Sheffield Steelers. It will stage the semi-finals and finals - replacing the traditional venue, Wembley Arena.

SUPERLEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Group A: Sat 1 March: Newcastle Cobras v Cardiff Devils. Sun 2 March: Cardiff Devils v Ayr Scottish Eagles. Tue 4 March: Newcastle Cobras v Manchester Storm. Sat 8 March: Cardiff Devils v Manchester Storm, Newcastle Cobras v Ayr Scottish Eagles. Sun 9 Mar: Ayr Scottish Eagles v Cardiff Devils, Manchester Storm v Newcastle Cobras. Wed 12 March: Cardiff Devils v Newcastle Cobras, Ayr Scottish Eagles v Manchester Storm. Thur 13 March: Manchester Storm v Cardiff Devils. Sat 15 March: Ayr Scottish Eagles v Newcastle Cobras. Sun 16 Mar: Manchester Storm v Ayr Scottish Eagles. Group B. Sat 1 March: Sheffield Steelers v Bracknell Bees, Basingstoke Bison v Nottingham Panthers. Sun 12 March: Nottingham Panthers v Bracknell Bees. Tue 4 March: Basingstoke Bison v Sheffield Steelers. Thur 6 March: Bracknell Bees v Basingstoke Bison. Sat 8 March: Nottingham Panthers v Sheffield Steelers, Basingstoke Bison v Bracknell Bees. Sun 9 March: Bracknell Bees v Sheffield Steelers. Tue 11 March: Nottingham Panthers v Basingstoke Bison. Wed 12 March: Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers. Sat 15 March: Sheffield Steelers v Basingstoke Bison, Bracknell Bees v Nottingham Panthers. Sat 22 March: Semi-finals. Sat 29 March: Final.