Without imports Dominic Osman, Shane Lovdahl, Kurtis Dulle, Jeff Smith and Jereme Tendler on Saturday night, Stingrays coach Sylvain Cloutier handed debuts to Ben Bowns, Warren Guilfoyle, Scott Robson, Tomas Valecko, Ryan Hand, Cale Tanaka, Chris Sykes and Janis Ozolins.
The Stingrays led 7-0 after the first period - in what quickly became a training exercise for both sides - thanks in part to an early double from Brit Andy Ward. The EIHL side went on to only net two further goals in the second stanza as Bowns switched his allegiances to backstop the NIHL side for one period in search of a regular test between the pipes.
He returned to the EIHL sides pipes in the final period as Ozolins and Ward helped themselves to hat-tricks and Hand and Tanaka added first and second goals for the club respectively, with the NIHL club notching a deserved goal of their own through Chris Hogarth.
The following night - buoyed by the return of topscorer Jereme Tendler but still minus four imports - the Rays were downed by a skillful, well-drilled Sheffield Steeldogs side that has title aspirations in the EPL and included former Stingrays Derek Campbell, Dmitri Rodin, Andy Hirst and Pavel Gomenyuk.
Having picked off two of the Steeldogs biggest weapons in the summer in netminder Bowns and scoring forward Ozolins as well as Brit Sykes - the Stingrays, who brought in young defenceman Kieran Strangeway, started well. Predictably Latvian Ozolins - who bagged 55 goals in 52 games last season - opened the scoring before Sykes - who will have a big role to play on this season's Stingrays side - doubled the home sides lead minutes into the second period with his first as a Stingray.
Two goals down, the Stingrays replied with a solitary third period goal from Jason Silverthorn but could not level the scores - giving the Steeldogs a 4-3 lead heading into the second leg at Ice Sheffield tomorrow (7.45pm).
While disappointed, the Stingrays shouldn't be too downhearted with the loss to a very strong and well versed Steeldogs side - particularly on the British front.
Down four imports and having had just one full training session, it's a well established fact that the Stingrays British corps this season may not necessarily individually match-up with their opponents and that the Steeldogs are considerably stonger and deeper in this area. Added to that, is the fact that the Rays were missing four keys imports, plus Jereme Tendler - who played having stepped straight off a flight.
Cloutier said he was "happy" at what he called a "warm-up" for the new season:
"It was a great work-out, which I knew it would be. We skated a lot better than we did on Saturday. We have only been together three days and had one practice with eight guys while the Steeldogs have been together all summer. I was really pleased with the two young kids we had on 'D' - I thought Scott Robson and Kieran Strangeway did a great job."Positives came mainly in through the Stingrays latest additions, with Ozolins showing off his lethal finish and acceleration while recording three points on Sunday, Tanaka showing speed and promise going forward, young Brit Robson performing above expectations and Bowns as solid as expected in net.
The Stingrays will take on the Steeldogs tomorrow night with a revitalised, though not full strength, defence with Jeff Smith set to make his club debut and captain Kurtis Dulle returning for this third season in Stingrays colours - having both arrived in the country today. Cloutier said:
"It will be great to have those two guys in the line-up. They will make our ‘D’ stronger and give us more strength. It will also be good to give Tomas Valecko and Ryan Hand some support. Valecko didn’t even have his own skates this weekend, he borrowed some! That just showed what character he has. Sheffield gave us a good work-out on Sunday and it will be another good test for us at iceSheffield."American's Dominic Osman and Shane Lovdahl continue to await their VISA clearance though Cloutier is confident they will arrive in time for this weekend's Elite League opener against Nottingham.
