Cardiff Devils goalie Mac Carruth makes a save during his team's Continental Cup final game against GKS Katowice.
photo: James Assinder
This time last year, goaltender Mac Carruth was stuck on the sidelines as his Herning Blue Fox team won Continental Cup silver in Cardiff. An injury in practice meant the American netminder could only feature as back-up to teenager Valdemar Andersen in the 2024 final.
Now the 32-year-old is back in Cardiff – this time in his second stint as a Devil – and could be one game away from upgrading silver to gold.
After missing out on last year’s final, Carruth also saw his ice-time curtailed by injury during this season’s semifinal tournament in November. So getting on the ice this time means a lot.
“Knock on wood I can stay healthy this weekend,” he smiled. “I think that goes for everyone on our team, that’s what we need right now.
“I’m just looking forward to competing and doing what I love, doing it in front of these fans.”
By a quirk of fate, Grenoble's Brouleurs de Loups, the team that stands between Cardiff and a first ever European title is coached by Per Hanberg. Last season he was behind the bench at Herning, with Carruth on his team.
“Grenoble is a good team and I know the coach will have them dialled in and ready to go on Sunday,” the goalie said. “It doesn’t matter too much that it’s my former coach – as long as I’ve been playing hockey, a coach has never shot a puck on me!
“But he’s a good guy and a good coach, so it’ll be a fun game.”
All three teams in Cardiff are locked into tight battles in their national championships. The Devils currently lead the British Elite League, but with their rivals in action this weekend they could be overtaken while in Continental Cup action. GKS Katowice is chasing local rival GKS Tychy at the top of Poland’s championship, while Brouleurs de Loups leads the way in the French Ligue Magnus.
But even with domestic honours at stake, nobody thinks that the Continental Cup is a mere distraction as all three teams look to lift the trophy for the first time.
“Any chance you have to play the game, you want to win,” Carruth said. “It doesn’t matter what it’s for, Continental Cup, Elite League, whatever. Every game’s an opportunity to compete and get better. Even in practice we’re probably going just as hard against each other.”
And that will to win was a key part of what attracted Carruth back to Cardiff after two years in Denmark. The goalie’s previous tenure in Wales saw him lead the league with 93.7% of shots saved. That kind of form helped the Devils to win the 2022 playoffs, launching a journey that has taken Cardiff to three successive Continental Cup finals.
When the chance came to return, it wasn’t a difficult decision.
“The main factor is that they want to win,” Carruth said. “From the top to the bottom, everybody here wants to win.”
Now the 32-year-old is back in Cardiff – this time in his second stint as a Devil – and could be one game away from upgrading silver to gold.
After missing out on last year’s final, Carruth also saw his ice-time curtailed by injury during this season’s semifinal tournament in November. So getting on the ice this time means a lot.
“Knock on wood I can stay healthy this weekend,” he smiled. “I think that goes for everyone on our team, that’s what we need right now.
“I’m just looking forward to competing and doing what I love, doing it in front of these fans.”
By a quirk of fate, Grenoble's Brouleurs de Loups, the team that stands between Cardiff and a first ever European title is coached by Per Hanberg. Last season he was behind the bench at Herning, with Carruth on his team.
“Grenoble is a good team and I know the coach will have them dialled in and ready to go on Sunday,” the goalie said. “It doesn’t matter too much that it’s my former coach – as long as I’ve been playing hockey, a coach has never shot a puck on me!
“But he’s a good guy and a good coach, so it’ll be a fun game.”
All three teams in Cardiff are locked into tight battles in their national championships. The Devils currently lead the British Elite League, but with their rivals in action this weekend they could be overtaken while in Continental Cup action. GKS Katowice is chasing local rival GKS Tychy at the top of Poland’s championship, while Brouleurs de Loups leads the way in the French Ligue Magnus.
But even with domestic honours at stake, nobody thinks that the Continental Cup is a mere distraction as all three teams look to lift the trophy for the first time.
“Any chance you have to play the game, you want to win,” Carruth said. “It doesn’t matter what it’s for, Continental Cup, Elite League, whatever. Every game’s an opportunity to compete and get better. Even in practice we’re probably going just as hard against each other.”
And that will to win was a key part of what attracted Carruth back to Cardiff after two years in Denmark. The goalie’s previous tenure in Wales saw him lead the league with 93.7% of shots saved. That kind of form helped the Devils to win the 2022 playoffs, launching a journey that has taken Cardiff to three successive Continental Cup finals.
When the chance came to return, it wasn’t a difficult decision.
“The main factor is that they want to win,” Carruth said. “From the top to the bottom, everybody here wants to win.”