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It's funny when you win everything
Canadian pair Hilton Ruggles and Steve Cadieux arrived in Cardiff in 1992 and instantly boosted the Devils offence. Although, the key to the Devils’ coming success was as much between the pipes as it was in the opposition’s zone. Third-year Devil Jason Wood was improving after sharing goaltending duties and became the team’s number one netminder in 1992.
With Wood protected by Shannon Hope and Paul Heavey, and young Welshmen Nicky Chinn and Jason Stone flourishing alongside the star imports, the Devils powered back to the top of the league. Without the Cooper brothers the Durham Wasps struggled and despite the addition of hard man Mike Ware, the Racers could only manage second place behind the Devils.
A second league title was in the bag and the Devils added to their trophy cabinet again with the 1992/93 play-off title. The Devils had completed another historic double and were standing alone at the top of the British game.
Although 100-plus point man Cadieux moved on in the summer of 1993, his replacement was even better. In early nineties British hockey, there were many imports who stood head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. The Devils had their own superstars in theCoopers, Ruggles, McEwen and Hope, but the new arrival took the team to another level.
119 goals, 154 assists, 273 points. Not a bad season, is it? Rick Brebant only played one year with the Devils, but what a year it was.
Ruggles chipped in with 243 points of his own and the unstoppable Devils repeated their league and playoff double of 1992/93 with another equally impressive season.
There were new kids on the block, however, and Lawless and co. found themselves trailing the Sheffield Steelers, who surged to the top of the league just like the Devils did. Times were changing. With new teams and new arenas British ice hockey was quickly developing, which led to the formation of a new league, a super league in fact.

















































