Ice Hockey: Cardiff sack Mulvenna after Panthers mauling

Cardiff Devils have sacked their coach, Glenn Mulvenna, following Sunday night's 5-1 defeat against Nottingham Panthers. It was a seventh successive Elite League defeat for Cardiff.

"We have been playing like a team without direction," the club's director of hockey, Shannon Hope, said. "We needed to make a change and the only guy who could go was the coach."

Mulvenna added: "I have to accept responsibility. It's down to the coach. From the club's point of view I can see why they have to do this." Hope will take charge of team matters until a new coach can be appointed as soon as possible.

Nottingham beat Basingstoke Bison 7-4 on Saturday and the victory over Cardiff saw them move to the top of the table. Belfast Giants relinquished their top spot after a 3-2 defeat at Sheffield Steelers. Coventry Blaze rewrote the record books on Sunday night with the biggest win in the league this season, 11-0 over Manchester Phoenix.

London Racers, meanwhile, have parted company with their coach, Peter Ekroth. The 5-0 home defeat by Coventry Blaze on Friday proved to be his last in charge.