Flames Face Flying Challenge

Published on: 12 Nov, 2026
Updated on: 12 Nov, 2026

Flames captain Matt Alvaro facing off during Guildford’s most recent game against Fife. Jillian MacFarlane

By Don Starr

Guildford Flames face a daunting uphill task if they are to reach the final of the Challenge Cup.

The group stages of the Cup concluded on November 8, 2026. As the tables show, Sheffield Steelers, Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants qualified automatically for the two semi-finals. Fife Flyers and Guildford Flames must contest a winner-take-all game in Fife on Wednesday, December 9 2026 to fill the fourth semi-final place.

Cup Group Stage Table

If they can defeat the Flyers, to whom they lost 10-2 in a recent league game, they then face Belfast Giants, currently second in the league table with a game in hand, in a home and away semi-final in the New Year. But bear in mind last weekend’s away
double-header defeat to the tune of a 5-9 aggregate score.

See: Flames Lose Again to Giants

The dates for the other semi-final between the Steelers and the Devils are Wednesday, February 3 in Cardiff with the return leg on Wednesday, February 17 in Sheffield.

Here are the full statistics for Guildford Flames players in the Cup:

Attendances

Overall The league stage of the cup produced 318 goals (5.89 goals per game) and the 54 games were watched by 211,333 fans.

Guildford Flames were watched by 9,655 fans with a very respectable average of 1,931 per game (compare this with an average of under 150 for Guildford City FC games).

Belfast Giants topped the attendance chart with 40,117 (six games – average attendance 6,686) followed by Sheffield Steelers on 38,355 (five games) and Nottingham Panthers
32,862 (again five games).

Player statistics – skaters

Interestingly, but perhaps not unsurprisingly, four Belfast Giants skaters occupy the top four positions for top points scorers. In third position is a defenceman, Mike Lee.

The only other defenceman in the top 30 is the Flames’ own Jordan Power at 22 with nine points. The Flames’ Mattieu Gosselin is eighth with 12 points and Cole Sanford is eleventh with 11 points. No player scored more than eight goals.

Not a statistic to be dwelt on perhaps but Powell Connor, the Dundee Stars defenceman, should probably sit on the naughty step having racked up the most PIMs – 45 in 12 games or 3.75 PIMs (penalty infraction minutes) per game.

Ice hockey acronyms:

TOI – Time on ice – average per game;

PTS – One point is awarded for each goal and assist, then added together;

PIM – Penalty Infraction Minutes;

PPG – Power Play Goals scored;

SHG – Short Handed Goals Scored (ie when the team is minus at least one skater);

SOG – Shots On Goal

SVS – Saves (save percentage).

Goalie statistics

Here are all the goalie statistics:

No goalie picked up any PIMs. It is also worth noting that sides carry two goalies who can be swapped during the course of a game. So Belfast did not play 13 games as the statistics suggest (see Whistle and ex-Flame Kupsky).