Hull Stingrays 1-2 Dundee Stars
For the second time in two weeks the Hull Stingrays tonight trailed by two goals after 40 minutes and produced comfortably their best hockey in the third period but were unable to overturn the deficit.
Where they successfully fought back from two goals down last week against the Belfast Giants - only to lose out thanks to a late powerplay goal - they were unable to come back and tie the score tonight against the Dundee Stars, eventually losing out to their Gardiner Conference rivals by two goals to one.
On the back of some vocal home support early in the game, Sylvain Cloutier's side started the game against the Elite League leaders with real purpose and intensity, taking the game to the Stars in the opening minutes.
That early momentum was swiftly eradicated however after penalties on Jason Silverthorn and Bobby Chamberlain prior to the ten minute mark gave the Stars puck possession and the opportunity to open the scoring.
Though the Stars couldn't muster a powerplay goal, they would eventually open the scoring through Jerry Polllastrone. With the Stingrays on the offensive 4-on-4 after penalties to Chamberlain and Sam McCluskey, Nikita Kashirsky received the puck and fed a pass down the middle of the ice to an unmarked Pollastrone - who broke in on a breakaway and slipped the puck past Bowns.
Despite their good start, the Stingrays trailed and were struggling to really test Dundee netminder Dan Bakala - who has been a big reason for his side's rise to the top of the standings.
Although they outshot the Stars in the opening period 19-15 and overall, a whopping 57-37, the majority of the Bakala's stops were straightforward with the Rays having very few clear cut chances - particularly in the first period. A big reason for that was the impressive performances of defencemen Tysen Dowzak and Rory Raylyk - the backbone of the Stars side - who defended admirably, generated offence and swept up any of Bakala's rebounds.
On the occasions the home side did craft chances Bakala was on top form to deny them as he notably stopped one-timers from Jereme Tendler and Kyle Mariani with kicksaves low down in the first period.
Undoubtedly their biggest chance of the night and the best save of the night came late in the opening period as Omar Pacha fired a speculative shot towards Guillaume Doucet in front of the Stars net.
Doucet didn't so much re-direct the puck as bat it goal bound from two feet directly in front, only for Bakala to deny him with miraculous glove save to the obvious amazement of Doucet and most of Hull Arena. Part instinct, part luck and part skill, Bakala's save came at a crucial time and ensured the visitors would go into the first intermission one goal to the good.
The importance of the save was proven early in the second period as a poor clearance around the boards from Stingrays captain Matt Suderman gifted the puck to Brock McPherson.
From almost level with the goal line, and thus from the acutest of angles near the boards, McPherson somehow found the smallest gap in Bowns' pads and hit the twine on the inside of the far post to double the Stars lead.
That goal, like the first period penalties, prevented the home side from building any momentum and, although they again outshot the Stars, they looked lacklustre throughout. A brilliant, determined individual performance from Derek Campbell the only real positive in a disappointing first two periods that promised so much prior to the game but again delivered so little.
As they had a week earlier against Belfast, the Stingrays found themselves just two goals down heading into the final period of a game they hadn't yet performed particularly well.
And again, as they did against Belfast, the Stingrays came out of the second intermission almost a different side eventually firing 23 shots on Bakala in the final 20 minutes.
The third period improvement would eventually pay dividends for the Stingrays as Silverthorn set up Tendler on the powerplay for a one-timer that Bakala, nor likely any other netminder in the world would have stopped, with a high finish for a narrow angle to reduce the deficit.
The game would be marred by events with just over five minutes remaining though as Campbell - who had been the Stingrays standout performer on the night - drove the puck into the Stars zone only to feel aggrieved by a hit behind the net from Nico Sacchetti that went uncalled.
The hit would lead to Campbell, Silverthorn and Jeff Smith challenging Sacchetti before Kashirsky and the rest of both sides got involved in a scrum.
Eventually, Silverthorn, Campbell and Sacchetti would be thrown out of the game before a disgraceful off-ice incident would see Campbell and Sacchetti involved near the Stars changing room.
Ugly scenes would ensure as security attempted to break up the fight close to many fans in A Block of the Hull Arena with the Dundee players spilling out of the bench and the penalty box - for which they would be further penalised - to try and help their teammate.
The Elite League have since announced that Campbell has received an automatic one game ban for the excessive match penalty he was handed following the on-ice incident and he will now miss Sunday's return fixture against the Stars in Dundee.
Both the on and off-ice incident will be further reviewed and it seems likely the Stingrays forward will receive a hefty ban for this actions, having seemingly gone to the Stars dressing room after being ejected.
Before and after the incident involving Campbell the home side continued to push hard for an equaliser in a much improved 20 minute spell - with Tendler hitting the post with three minutes remaining. However, for the second time in two weeks it would again ultimately prove to be too little, too late for Cloutier's side.
The Stingrays can have no complaints with the outcome having turned up and performed for just a third of the game against an in-form side and in-form netminder. Now on a six game losing streak, they must drastically improve over 60 minutes if they are to get anything from Sunday's return trip against Dundee in Scotland.
For the second time in two weeks the Hull Stingrays tonight trailed by two goals after 40 minutes and produced comfortably their best hockey in the third period but were unable to overturn the deficit.
Where they successfully fought back from two goals down last week against the Belfast Giants - only to lose out thanks to a late powerplay goal - they were unable to come back and tie the score tonight against the Dundee Stars, eventually losing out to their Gardiner Conference rivals by two goals to one.
On the back of some vocal home support early in the game, Sylvain Cloutier's side started the game against the Elite League leaders with real purpose and intensity, taking the game to the Stars in the opening minutes.
That early momentum was swiftly eradicated however after penalties on Jason Silverthorn and Bobby Chamberlain prior to the ten minute mark gave the Stars puck possession and the opportunity to open the scoring.
Though the Stars couldn't muster a powerplay goal, they would eventually open the scoring through Jerry Polllastrone. With the Stingrays on the offensive 4-on-4 after penalties to Chamberlain and Sam McCluskey, Nikita Kashirsky received the puck and fed a pass down the middle of the ice to an unmarked Pollastrone - who broke in on a breakaway and slipped the puck past Bowns.
Despite their good start, the Stingrays trailed and were struggling to really test Dundee netminder Dan Bakala - who has been a big reason for his side's rise to the top of the standings.
Although they outshot the Stars in the opening period 19-15 and overall, a whopping 57-37, the majority of the Bakala's stops were straightforward with the Rays having very few clear cut chances - particularly in the first period. A big reason for that was the impressive performances of defencemen Tysen Dowzak and Rory Raylyk - the backbone of the Stars side - who defended admirably, generated offence and swept up any of Bakala's rebounds.
On the occasions the home side did craft chances Bakala was on top form to deny them as he notably stopped one-timers from Jereme Tendler and Kyle Mariani with kicksaves low down in the first period.
Undoubtedly their biggest chance of the night and the best save of the night came late in the opening period as Omar Pacha fired a speculative shot towards Guillaume Doucet in front of the Stars net.
Doucet didn't so much re-direct the puck as bat it goal bound from two feet directly in front, only for Bakala to deny him with miraculous glove save to the obvious amazement of Doucet and most of Hull Arena. Part instinct, part luck and part skill, Bakala's save came at a crucial time and ensured the visitors would go into the first intermission one goal to the good.
The importance of the save was proven early in the second period as a poor clearance around the boards from Stingrays captain Matt Suderman gifted the puck to Brock McPherson.
From almost level with the goal line, and thus from the acutest of angles near the boards, McPherson somehow found the smallest gap in Bowns' pads and hit the twine on the inside of the far post to double the Stars lead.
That goal, like the first period penalties, prevented the home side from building any momentum and, although they again outshot the Stars, they looked lacklustre throughout. A brilliant, determined individual performance from Derek Campbell the only real positive in a disappointing first two periods that promised so much prior to the game but again delivered so little.
As they had a week earlier against Belfast, the Stingrays found themselves just two goals down heading into the final period of a game they hadn't yet performed particularly well.
And again, as they did against Belfast, the Stingrays came out of the second intermission almost a different side eventually firing 23 shots on Bakala in the final 20 minutes.
The third period improvement would eventually pay dividends for the Stingrays as Silverthorn set up Tendler on the powerplay for a one-timer that Bakala, nor likely any other netminder in the world would have stopped, with a high finish for a narrow angle to reduce the deficit.
The game would be marred by events with just over five minutes remaining though as Campbell - who had been the Stingrays standout performer on the night - drove the puck into the Stars zone only to feel aggrieved by a hit behind the net from Nico Sacchetti that went uncalled.
The hit would lead to Campbell, Silverthorn and Jeff Smith challenging Sacchetti before Kashirsky and the rest of both sides got involved in a scrum.
Eventually, Silverthorn, Campbell and Sacchetti would be thrown out of the game before a disgraceful off-ice incident would see Campbell and Sacchetti involved near the Stars changing room.
Ugly scenes would ensure as security attempted to break up the fight close to many fans in A Block of the Hull Arena with the Dundee players spilling out of the bench and the penalty box - for which they would be further penalised - to try and help their teammate.
The Elite League have since announced that Campbell has received an automatic one game ban for the excessive match penalty he was handed following the on-ice incident and he will now miss Sunday's return fixture against the Stars in Dundee.
Both the on and off-ice incident will be further reviewed and it seems likely the Stingrays forward will receive a hefty ban for this actions, having seemingly gone to the Stars dressing room after being ejected.
Before and after the incident involving Campbell the home side continued to push hard for an equaliser in a much improved 20 minute spell - with Tendler hitting the post with three minutes remaining. However, for the second time in two weeks it would again ultimately prove to be too little, too late for Cloutier's side.
The Stingrays can have no complaints with the outcome having turned up and performed for just a third of the game against an in-form side and in-form netminder. Now on a six game losing streak, they must drastically improve over 60 minutes if they are to get anything from Sunday's return trip against Dundee in Scotland.
FBB Three Stars
1. Derek Campbell (0+0)
2. Omar Pacha (0+0)
3. Jereme Tendler (1+0)
