If the Cardiff Devils were entering this game with any kind of momentum following their 4-1 victory over Lausanne HC, it would have a short shelf life as they failed to figure out Adler Mannheim and dropped their second contest to the German side. 

Mannheim put the pressure on early thanks to an unforgiving forecheck, and that pressure paid off. Luca Tosto took a lead pass from Korbinian Holzer, did a curl-and-drag past a Cardiff defender and sniped it in short side to open the scoring.  

For most of the first frame, Mannheim governed play in all three zones, leaving Cardiff to chase the puck as they chased the lead. With time winding down, the away team saw an opportunity to equalise when they went on the powerplay with less than ten minutes to go.  

But Cardiff couldn’t catch a break.  

A short-handed chance for the home side resulted in a collision with netminder Mac Carruth. Fortunately, Carruth would be okay, but it wouldn’t take the German side long to make good on another golden opportunity.  

As Cardiff’s man-advantage expired, a misplaced pass set up Ruslan Iskhakov, who fired one through the wickets to give the home team some insurance with six minutes to play in the first. 

A three-goal second period saw Mannheim dig Cardiff into an even deeper hole. 

Andrew Desjardins started things off when he attempted a cross-crease pass which careened off a stick in front of Carruth and eventually found its way in for Mannheim's third marker.  

Thomas Larkin made it 4-0 and gave Nigel Dawes his second assist of the night. Borna Rendulic would match the final score from the teams’ first meeting when he wasted no time in wiring it into the net off the draw for Mannheim’s first powerplay tally. 

Second period scoring would continue, but this time for the away side. A Cole Sanford shot deflected off Mannheim’s captain as the puck flew passed Felix Brückmann, ending Mannheim's 5 period shut-out against Cardiff. 

The Welsh side turned to Taran Kozun who made his CHL debut to start the third period. Cardiff were looking for a change of pace, but that pace would again be dictated by the home side. 

Another turnover gave Mannheim time and space enabling Ruslan Iskhakov to find the twine again at 42:11. But Cardiff would answer with one of their own.

Brandon McNally teamed up with Brendan Mikkelson who put it past Brückmann shortening the lead to 6-2.

Iskhakov would have the last word, though, completing the hattrick on the powerplay and leading the German side to a 7-2 victory and a 2-1 record heading into Saturday's contest.