Sheffield Steelers 6-3 Excel Hull Stingrays
The Sheffield Steelers inflicted the Excel Hull Stingrays second defeat of the year as they clinically snatched both Challenge Cup points on offer at Ice Sheffield tonight in a 6-3 win.
In a scrappy first period that largely summed up the game, the Stingrays took the lead after seven minutes. Rookie Andrew Coburn netted his second powerplay goal of the year after a big rebound from Steelers netminder Ervins Mustukovs gave him a chance he could not miss.
The Steelers, who were outworked by the visitors at times, then levelled through Neil Clark with the tough guy's pinpoint shot flying past a presumably unsighted Christian Boucher in the Rays net.
They then took a killer lead just 14 seconds before the end of the first on a typically quick Steelers counter attack that saw Brit Jason Hewitt capitalise. During the move the Steelers outworked the Rays behind the net just seconds after the away side had hit the post at the other end and Hewitt capitalised in front of Boucher to net his sides second.
Into the second and with the Steelers beginning to find their A game the Rays began struggle somewhat noticeably making more mistakes in their own zone, which was generally a concern throughout the game. Nevertheless, Jereme Tendler scored past Mustukovs from a very acute angle to surprisingly tie the score at two on 32 minutes.
But Sheffield would once again quickly come back to take the lead this time through Jeff Legue, who made no mistake with his finish after a catastrophic mishit clearance from defenceman Kris Grundmanis fell to one of the Elite League's most clinical forwards right in front of the Stingrays net.
Legue then extended his sides lead to 4-2 95 seconds after the start of the third before the Rays responded, again on the powerplay and again after a big rebound from Mustukovs, this time through Jason Silverthorn, who typified the Rays hard work at both ends of the ice.
At this stage the Stingrays were chasing a game that by all accounts they deserved to be level in but the Steelers continued to make the most of their chances, Joey Talbot getting his regular goal against the Stingrays before Christian Boucher, who was again pretty solid, failed to glove an Ashley Tait shot 15 seconds before the end to give the scoreline an unfair 6-3 slant in favour of the Steelers.
Once again this season the Stingrays out shot their opposition but this time came away with nothing to show for it. Lead from the back by Kurtis Dulle, the Stingrays matched the Steelers in most areas and, although Mustukovs may not have been required to make many spectacular saves to deny the Rays, the visitors deserved something from the game with mistakes and incredibly clinical Steelers finishing making up for a healthy chuck of the six goals against.
Sylvain Cloutier's side now move on to an away league fixture against Newcastle on Saturday before returning home to take on the Nottingham Panthers, again in league play.
Rays rating: 7
Stingray scorers: Coburn, Tendler, Silverthorn
Sheffield scorers: Clark, Hewitt, Legue (2), Tait, Talbot
SOG: 28-35
PIM: 22-0
FBB MOM: Kurtis Dulle (0+1)
