The fixtures for the 2014-15 Rapid Solicitors Elite League season have been released.

Belfast Giants, Cardiff Devils, Coventry Blaze, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers will once again compete for the Erhardt Conference, with Braehead Clan, Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals, Fife Flyers and Hull Stingrays playing in the Gardiner Conference.

Teams will face other sides in their own conference four times at home and four times away, while meeting sides in the other conference twice at home and twice away for a 52-game season.

The Challenge Cup will remain as two groups of five, followed by two-legged quarter-finals and semi-finals, with a stand-alone final taking place at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield on Sunday 8th March 2015.

Challenge Cup Group A consists of Belfast, Braehead, Dundee, Edinburgh and Fife.

Group B is made up of Cardiff, Coventry, Hull, Nottingham and Sheffield.

The final games of the regular season will take place between Friday 20th and Sunday 22nd March 2015, with the playoffs commencing the following week.

Playoff finals weekend will take place at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th April 2015.

Elite League champions Belfast Giants begin the defence of their title in Dundee on Friday 5th September 2014.

On Saturday 6th September, Braehead host Belfast (cup), Cardiff play Hull (league), Fife entertain Coventry (league) and Sheffield are at home to Dundee (league).

Meanwhile on Sunday 7th September, Cardiff play Sheffield (cup), Coventry host Fife (league), Edinburgh entertain Belfast (cup) and it's Hull versus Braehead (league).

Nottingham Panthers are in Champions League action on the opening weekend of the regular season. Their first domestic match of the season takes place on Saturday 13th September, when they host Cardiff Devils.

Visit www.eliteleague.co.uk for a full fixture list.