Hull Stingrays 3-5 Edinburgh Capitals
The Hull Stingrays are still searching for their second win of the 13/14 season thanks to a game winning 47 save effort from Edinburgh Capitals netminder Tomas Hiadlovsky in a 5-3 loss to the Scottish side at Hull Arena.
For the first time at home this season the Stingrays lined up at full strength with import defenceman Jeff Smith back in the line-up, while the visitors were still without import forward Les Reaney - who is still awaiting his visa.
Though it was the visitors that had the game's first chance with the game only seconds old - as they forced Stingrays netminder Ben Bowns into a comforable glove save - it was the home side that should have been at least one goal up within the first five minutes as both Jereme Tendler and Guillaume Doucet were denied on separate occasions.
Hiadlovsky would again be called into action moments later after good work from Bobby Chamberlain down low in the offensive zone, only to deny the Stingrays again.
With the Slovakian netminder already proving to be a formidable barrier in the Caps net, it was with some relief that on rushing defenceman Omar Pacha was able to squeeze the puck in between the netminder and his short side post for a 1-0 Stingrays lead on 3.46
Fellow new signing Doucet then doubled the lead less than a minute later and it was at this point that the opening of the floodgates seemed imminent. Stealing the puck off defenceman Martin Lucka on his own blueline, Doucet used the extra man on the ensuing 2-on-1 as a decoy before scoring his third of the season.
Had the game continued at this rate there was only ever going to be one winner. However, a minute and 24 seconds later a speculative effort from Tomas Horna somehow found its way past Bowns. Despite being outshot 18-9 in the first period, the Caps were miraculously and completely against the run of play back in the game on a goal the Rays netminder will surely want back.
After controlling more or less the whole of the opening 20 minutes - only to allow the visitors to pull a goal back - the last thing the Stingrays wanted to do 16 seconds into the second period was concede. Unfortunately for Cloutier and his side, that is exactly what they did.
With Jeff Smith sitting a hooking minor penalty, Edinburgh broke into the Rays zone from opening face-off and, after a well worked move between standout forward Horna and defenceman Jan Safar, equalised through Curtis Leinweber.
Just over five minutes later, Leinweber would have his second of the night as he re-directed a powerful Safar point shot on the powerplay to give Richard Hartmann's side a 3-2 lead. Although the Capitals struggled in the opening period, they controlled large parts of the second period and began to frustrate the Stingrays offensive as Hiadlovsky continued to stand tall - stopping 17 second period shots as his side were again heavily outshot 17-6.
Knowing they needed to drastically improve on their second period showing, the home side came out with renewed drive and vigor in the third period and immediately set up in the Capitals offensive zone.
That early third period pressure soon told as they leveled the score at 3-3 on 45.41 with a goal that would surely swing the momentum of the game in their favour.
Big things are expected of latest arrival Carl Lauzon - who arrived in the country a week ago - and the Stingrays third summer from the French top flight tonight began to show glimpses of what he is capable of, none more so than on the Rays third goal.
Showing the type of urgency that they required at 3-2 down with less than 15 minutes to play, Lauzon broke across the Caps blueline and skillfully dropped the puck to Derek Campbell. Campbell then picked out the French-Canadian with a wonderful return pass that forced Hiadlovsky to shift his attention back to the on rushing forward, meaning he was out of position and therefore allowing Lauzon to shoot into the gaping net.
Although there is still clearly lots more to come from the French-Canadian - who is settling down in a new country, culture and league - his split second impact and that lovely drop pass to Campbell as well as pinpoint finish was a flash of brilliance in an otherwise poor night from a Stingrays point of view.
Having worked hard to get back into the game, with Lauzon's goal a potential game-changer, the Stingrays undid all that good work just five minutes later as they pushed for another goal.
That offensive pressure saw defenceman Kyle Mariani fluff an undecided, attempted shot from the blueline, giving away puck possession and allowing Edinburgh to counter-attack. On the resulting counter-attack, the Caps would score what would prove to be the game winning goal through longtime forward Martin Cingel in front of the Stingrays net, following hard work down low from Peter Holecko.
The goal killed the Rays momentum and forced them to regroup and look for another leveler. Though Hiadlovsky was again called into action as the game wore down - stopping another 13 shots as the Stingrays outshot the Caps 14-7 in the third and 50-21 overall - the damage had been done. The Caps shut up shop in the closing moments and clung on to a hard fought win and a vital two points with the Rays were unable to tie the game for a third time.
Edinburgh player-coach Hartmann would add a last second empty net goal to complete the 5-3 defeat - which condemns the Stingrays to their fourth loss in five games and gives his side their first victory of the season.
Although the Stingrays were dominant throughout in terms of possession and shots on goal and, in fairness most statistical categories, the visitors ruled the roost in two key areas: netminding and special teams.
Where Bowns - whose only mistake shouldn't have had any bearing on the result - stopped 16 of 20 shots, Hiadlovsky denied an impressive 47 of 50 as the Stingrays offence came up empty when the game was in the balance.
Likewise, where the Capitals scored two goals on five powerplay opportunities, the Stingrays slumped to no goals on eight powerplay opportunities. It is clear to see that the Rays man advantage is struggling and has so far had problems creating real scoring opportunities. Indeed, they are often left frustrated and unable to get one-time shots on goal from the point - which seems to be their main focus- with shots blocked, mishit or opted out of due to a lack of sight on net.
Equally as worrying is that Cloutier's side have now suffered two irreversible second period collapses in two weeks having led heading into the middle stanza.
They will be hoping to buck that trend and their three game losing skid tomorrow night in a Challenge Cup fixture in Coventry before a home tie against the Belfast Giants next Sunday.
The Hull Stingrays are still searching for their second win of the 13/14 season thanks to a game winning 47 save effort from Edinburgh Capitals netminder Tomas Hiadlovsky in a 5-3 loss to the Scottish side at Hull Arena.
For the first time at home this season the Stingrays lined up at full strength with import defenceman Jeff Smith back in the line-up, while the visitors were still without import forward Les Reaney - who is still awaiting his visa.
Though it was the visitors that had the game's first chance with the game only seconds old - as they forced Stingrays netminder Ben Bowns into a comforable glove save - it was the home side that should have been at least one goal up within the first five minutes as both Jereme Tendler and Guillaume Doucet were denied on separate occasions.
Hiadlovsky would again be called into action moments later after good work from Bobby Chamberlain down low in the offensive zone, only to deny the Stingrays again.
With the Slovakian netminder already proving to be a formidable barrier in the Caps net, it was with some relief that on rushing defenceman Omar Pacha was able to squeeze the puck in between the netminder and his short side post for a 1-0 Stingrays lead on 3.46
Fellow new signing Doucet then doubled the lead less than a minute later and it was at this point that the opening of the floodgates seemed imminent. Stealing the puck off defenceman Martin Lucka on his own blueline, Doucet used the extra man on the ensuing 2-on-1 as a decoy before scoring his third of the season.
Had the game continued at this rate there was only ever going to be one winner. However, a minute and 24 seconds later a speculative effort from Tomas Horna somehow found its way past Bowns. Despite being outshot 18-9 in the first period, the Caps were miraculously and completely against the run of play back in the game on a goal the Rays netminder will surely want back.
After controlling more or less the whole of the opening 20 minutes - only to allow the visitors to pull a goal back - the last thing the Stingrays wanted to do 16 seconds into the second period was concede. Unfortunately for Cloutier and his side, that is exactly what they did.
With Jeff Smith sitting a hooking minor penalty, Edinburgh broke into the Rays zone from opening face-off and, after a well worked move between standout forward Horna and defenceman Jan Safar, equalised through Curtis Leinweber.
Just over five minutes later, Leinweber would have his second of the night as he re-directed a powerful Safar point shot on the powerplay to give Richard Hartmann's side a 3-2 lead. Although the Capitals struggled in the opening period, they controlled large parts of the second period and began to frustrate the Stingrays offensive as Hiadlovsky continued to stand tall - stopping 17 second period shots as his side were again heavily outshot 17-6.
Knowing they needed to drastically improve on their second period showing, the home side came out with renewed drive and vigor in the third period and immediately set up in the Capitals offensive zone.
That early third period pressure soon told as they leveled the score at 3-3 on 45.41 with a goal that would surely swing the momentum of the game in their favour.
Big things are expected of latest arrival Carl Lauzon - who arrived in the country a week ago - and the Stingrays third summer from the French top flight tonight began to show glimpses of what he is capable of, none more so than on the Rays third goal.
Showing the type of urgency that they required at 3-2 down with less than 15 minutes to play, Lauzon broke across the Caps blueline and skillfully dropped the puck to Derek Campbell. Campbell then picked out the French-Canadian with a wonderful return pass that forced Hiadlovsky to shift his attention back to the on rushing forward, meaning he was out of position and therefore allowing Lauzon to shoot into the gaping net.
Although there is still clearly lots more to come from the French-Canadian - who is settling down in a new country, culture and league - his split second impact and that lovely drop pass to Campbell as well as pinpoint finish was a flash of brilliance in an otherwise poor night from a Stingrays point of view.
Having worked hard to get back into the game, with Lauzon's goal a potential game-changer, the Stingrays undid all that good work just five minutes later as they pushed for another goal.
That offensive pressure saw defenceman Kyle Mariani fluff an undecided, attempted shot from the blueline, giving away puck possession and allowing Edinburgh to counter-attack. On the resulting counter-attack, the Caps would score what would prove to be the game winning goal through longtime forward Martin Cingel in front of the Stingrays net, following hard work down low from Peter Holecko.
The goal killed the Rays momentum and forced them to regroup and look for another leveler. Though Hiadlovsky was again called into action as the game wore down - stopping another 13 shots as the Stingrays outshot the Caps 14-7 in the third and 50-21 overall - the damage had been done. The Caps shut up shop in the closing moments and clung on to a hard fought win and a vital two points with the Rays were unable to tie the game for a third time.
Edinburgh player-coach Hartmann would add a last second empty net goal to complete the 5-3 defeat - which condemns the Stingrays to their fourth loss in five games and gives his side their first victory of the season.
Although the Stingrays were dominant throughout in terms of possession and shots on goal and, in fairness most statistical categories, the visitors ruled the roost in two key areas: netminding and special teams.
Where Bowns - whose only mistake shouldn't have had any bearing on the result - stopped 16 of 20 shots, Hiadlovsky denied an impressive 47 of 50 as the Stingrays offence came up empty when the game was in the balance.
Likewise, where the Capitals scored two goals on five powerplay opportunities, the Stingrays slumped to no goals on eight powerplay opportunities. It is clear to see that the Rays man advantage is struggling and has so far had problems creating real scoring opportunities. Indeed, they are often left frustrated and unable to get one-time shots on goal from the point - which seems to be their main focus- with shots blocked, mishit or opted out of due to a lack of sight on net.
Equally as worrying is that Cloutier's side have now suffered two irreversible second period collapses in two weeks having led heading into the middle stanza.
They will be hoping to buck that trend and their three game losing skid tomorrow night in a Challenge Cup fixture in Coventry before a home tie against the Belfast Giants next Sunday.
FBB Three Stars
1. Omar Pacha (1+0)
2. Matty Davies (0+1)
3. Jamie Chilcott (0+0)
