Saturday, March 22, 2008 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 3-4 Cardiff Devils
Sunday, March 23, 2008 Elite League: Coventry Blaze 2-4 Newcastle Vipers

VIPERS completed their regular season fixtures on a high with a third victory of the season in the Skydome, rounding off a clean sweep of beating the Elite League champions on their own ice.

The fifth place finish means the Vipers' play-off schedule will see them play Belfast Giants in Dundalk on Saturday in the quarter-finals, with the return leg in Newcastle on Sunday.

Despite a memorable season for sniper Adam Calder, the Blaze forward failed to hit the net in Sunday's game to leave him stuck on 49 regular season goals.

Vipers took the lead at 8.17 as Ben Storey struck the puck past Steve Fone in the home cage and despite plenty of Blaze pressure this turned out to be the only counter of the opening period, Storeys regular season tally finishing at 14.

There was more on the goal count in the middle session with Mark Gouett making it 2-0 to the Vipers after 25.46 before Blaze came skating back hard and Jonathan Weaver pulled one back on the powerplay at 29.55.

Colin Shields then made it 3-1 bagging the first of a brace at 33.48, only for Barrie Moore to again pull Blaze to within a goal at 36.38, again with the man advantage.

Blaze again had more of the play in the final period but Vipers were that bit sharper on the night and the only addition to the scoreboard clinched it for the visitors with Correspondents Cup winner Shields grabbing his second of the game and 35th of the season at 52.56 on the powerplay to close out the scoring.

Saturday night's visit of the Cardiff Devils to the Metro Radio Arena saw both teams go into this game with two wins each from their last three games and hoping to fine tune things before the play offs start. Newcastle had more of an incentive as in the previous five league games against the Welsh team they have been on the losing side four times.

The Devils however were determined to get a win in their last league game and a brace from Max Birbraer helped to give them a fifth win against the Vipers.

The visitors were quickly off the mark as Birbraer put his side in front with 2.51 on the clock. Equality was restored by Shields as he struck home at 9.25. This was how it remained until the final minute of the first period when Birbraer with his second of the game gave the visitors the lead for the second time.

The Devils opened up a two goal lead as Brad Voth increased their lead to 3-1 with a powerplay goal at 23.53. But the Tyneside team were not there to make up the numbers and Jeff Hutchins reduced the deficit to one with a powerplay goal at 35.10.

Mike Garrow got the two goal margin back for the Devils at 37.38. The Vipers weren't giving up in this one though and 50 seconds later Shields with his second of the game got the hosts third goal to again trail by one.

The Devils had the better of the chances in the third period but could not add to their tally whilst the Vipers had fewer chances they also couldn't get a goal to take the game into overtime.