Hull Stingrays 5 - 3 Cardiff Devils
A determined fightback from the Hull Stingrays saw them claim a valuable two points from an in-form Cardiff Devils side.
Having conceded three goals inside the first 10 minutes of the game, the Stingrays demonstrated their offensive prowess, posting five unanswered goals to complete an unlikely comeback.
The Stingrays - missing injured forward Jason Silverthorn and utility player Kyle Mariani - fell behind in just the first minute of the game, with Devils' sharpshooter Mac Faulkner converting on a penalty shot opportunity, firing low past Ben Bowns.
In a period dominated by Cardiff, the Devils laid siege on the Stingrays net with 18 shots, and it was no more than they deserved when Finnish forward Markus Rama doubled their lead shortly after the five minute mark with his first goal of the season.
The Stingrays' misery was further compounded by a Matt Myers strike following a turnover in Hull's defensive zone, leaving the home side with a huge ask to claw the game back against a team who had won seven of their last eight league outings.
A powerplay strike from Jereme Tendler - firing home in trademark fashion from an acute angle - offered the home team a glimmer of hope shortly before the end of the first period.
The away side began the second period again the stronger of the two sides, but this time netminder Ben Bowns and his defence were able to keep the Devils out. A vital strike from Guillaume Doucet saw the Stingrays pull to within just one goal of the Devils heading into the third period, with the Stingrays picking up momentum as the game progressed.
The clash became a feisty affair, with Devils defenceman Brad Plumton and Stingrays player/coach Sylvain Cloutier picking up roughing penalties after a scramble following the goal. Stingrays forward Matty Davies also picked up a penalty shortly afterwards on a charging call.
The niggly theme to the second stanza was to continue in the third, with referee Mike Hicks handing out 24 minutes worth of minor penalties. A two-goal blitz inside 69 seconds from the Stingrays swung the momentum their way, first with defenceman Omar Pacha firing past Devils netminder Kamil Kosowski after skating in from the point, followed by Matty Davies with a close-range finish on the powerplay.
A melee at the 14-minute mark resulted in a total of six players - Sylvain Cloutier, Pavel Gomeniuk, Martin Ondrej, Max Birbraer, Matt Myers and Brad Plumton - all sitting for minor roughing penalties.
Cardiff continued to apply pressure on Ben Bowns, but a resolute display from the Great Britain netminder kept his team's one-goal advantage leading into the final stages. A precise finish from Guillaume Doucet extended the Stingrays' lead with less than three minutes to go, firing a sharp wrist shot high past Kosowski.
The Devils - who remained camped in their offensive zone for the final minutes of the game - were unable to add to their three goals, despite a 6-on-4 advantage having pulled their netminder for the extra outskater.
The result sees the Stingrays increase their league tally to 44 points, remaining in sixth place.
Hull face their Gardiner Conference rivals, the Fife Flyers, in Kirkcaldy tomorrow night.
A determined fightback from the Hull Stingrays saw them claim a valuable two points from an in-form Cardiff Devils side.
Having conceded three goals inside the first 10 minutes of the game, the Stingrays demonstrated their offensive prowess, posting five unanswered goals to complete an unlikely comeback.
The Stingrays - missing injured forward Jason Silverthorn and utility player Kyle Mariani - fell behind in just the first minute of the game, with Devils' sharpshooter Mac Faulkner converting on a penalty shot opportunity, firing low past Ben Bowns.
In a period dominated by Cardiff, the Devils laid siege on the Stingrays net with 18 shots, and it was no more than they deserved when Finnish forward Markus Rama doubled their lead shortly after the five minute mark with his first goal of the season.
The Stingrays' misery was further compounded by a Matt Myers strike following a turnover in Hull's defensive zone, leaving the home side with a huge ask to claw the game back against a team who had won seven of their last eight league outings.
A powerplay strike from Jereme Tendler - firing home in trademark fashion from an acute angle - offered the home team a glimmer of hope shortly before the end of the first period.
The away side began the second period again the stronger of the two sides, but this time netminder Ben Bowns and his defence were able to keep the Devils out. A vital strike from Guillaume Doucet saw the Stingrays pull to within just one goal of the Devils heading into the third period, with the Stingrays picking up momentum as the game progressed.
The clash became a feisty affair, with Devils defenceman Brad Plumton and Stingrays player/coach Sylvain Cloutier picking up roughing penalties after a scramble following the goal. Stingrays forward Matty Davies also picked up a penalty shortly afterwards on a charging call.
The niggly theme to the second stanza was to continue in the third, with referee Mike Hicks handing out 24 minutes worth of minor penalties. A two-goal blitz inside 69 seconds from the Stingrays swung the momentum their way, first with defenceman Omar Pacha firing past Devils netminder Kamil Kosowski after skating in from the point, followed by Matty Davies with a close-range finish on the powerplay.
A melee at the 14-minute mark resulted in a total of six players - Sylvain Cloutier, Pavel Gomeniuk, Martin Ondrej, Max Birbraer, Matt Myers and Brad Plumton - all sitting for minor roughing penalties.
Cardiff continued to apply pressure on Ben Bowns, but a resolute display from the Great Britain netminder kept his team's one-goal advantage leading into the final stages. A precise finish from Guillaume Doucet extended the Stingrays' lead with less than three minutes to go, firing a sharp wrist shot high past Kosowski.
The Devils - who remained camped in their offensive zone for the final minutes of the game - were unable to add to their three goals, despite a 6-on-4 advantage having pulled their netminder for the extra outskater.
The result sees the Stingrays increase their league tally to 44 points, remaining in sixth place.
Hull face their Gardiner Conference rivals, the Fife Flyers, in Kirkcaldy tomorrow night.
FBB Three Stars
1. Omar Pacha (1+3)
2. Guillaume Doucet (2+0)
3. Ben Bowns (40 saves)
