Stingrays make it two-in-two over Nottingham in Hull

Hull Stingrays 4-3 Nottingham Panthers 

The Hull Stingrays tonight made it two wins from two successive games at Hull Arena against the Nottingham Panthers as they defeated the Erhardt Conference side 4-3 after penalty shots.

FBB Three Stars

1. Ben Bowns (35 saves)

2. Guillaume Doucet (1+1)

3. Jereme Tendler (2+0)

Stingrays well beaten by Fife

Hull Stingrays 3-7 Fife Flyers

The Hull Stingrays were tonight well beaten by Gardiner Conference rivals the Fife Flyers losing out by seven goals to three live on Premier Sports.

More soon....

FBB Three Stars

1. Carl Lauzon

2. Martin Ondrej

3. Bobby Chamberlain

Stingrays stop the rot with first victory in three games

Hull Stingrays 4-1 Fife Flyers

The Hull Stingrays tonight battled to their first victory in three games and third win of the season against the Fife Flyers, defeating their Gardiner Conference rivals by four goals to one at the Hull Arena.

Doubles from Guillaume Doucet and Jereme Tendler would seal the victory for the Stingrays in a scrappy and chippy affair all around.

Martin Ondrej set the tone for what would be a penalty strewn first period dishing out a needless facewash to a Flyer just 18 seconds in after his opponent came in towards netminder Ben Bowns after a whistle.

Constant pest Jordan Fulton would then level things up with a slashing penalty on 39 seconds and would take a further slashing penalty three minutes later to ensure he sat four of the opening six minutes. Overall, referee Neil Wilson - who struggled to control the game early on - distributed 20 minutes of minor penalties in the opening period - ensuring practically the whole period was played on special teams.

That, of course, was not necessarily Wilson's fault as there was a clear undercurrent of cheap niggles from both sides. Indeed, on one shift in particular Flyer enforcer Matt Nickerson did appear to turn his attentions to Jeff Smith - whom he fought earlier in the season - however the Stingrays captain didn't appear interested in discussing any potential re-match.

Ultimately, the lengthy first period - thanks to the sheer number of penalty stoppages - passed without a goal, however, despite losing alternate captain Jason Silverthorn to a first period injury, it would the Stingrays just 1.09 of second period to open the scoring.

An interference penalty on Derek Roehl late in the first period carried over allowing the Stingrays to score the only powerplay goal of the game on 14 attempts between the two sides as Doucet reacted quickest to a rebound which fell his way in the slot to beat Kevin Regan in the Flyers net.

Less than five minutes later the Flyers would equalise through a three-on-two, as a cross ice pass from Roehl jumped over the stick of defenceman Ondrej and fell straight to Ned Lukacevic - who beat Bowns at the backpost.

The Stingrays outshot their opponents 15-6 in the second period despite having to kill three penalties to the Flyers none and Carl Lauzon - who put in a great 60 minute shift for the Stingrays - came closest to restoring the Rays lead as he rang a shot off the post following a trademark individual effort.

Less than a minute before the end of the second period the Stingrays would take an important lead as Kyle Mariani charged the puck into the zone - taking a Flyer out with him - before feeding the puck to Doucet - who netted his second goal of the evening and seventh goal in five games against the Flyers this season after going forehand, backhand.

In contrast to the first period, third and final period passed with just four minor penalties as the Flyers offence tried but failed to find the net - as has been their main problem this season condemning them to their third loss in five games against Sylvain Clotuier's side this season.

Jereme Tendler - who was the subject of a transfer bid from the Sheffield Steelers during the week - added two late empty net goals to complete what was far from a perfect Stingrays performance but was certainly the perfect result and perfect tonic for a club that had lost three games in a row - having previously won six on the bounce.

The victory maintains the Stingrays sixth place and their slender one point advantage over the Coventry Blaze in seventh and two point advantage over the Cardiff Devils. Perhaps most encouraging, the win extends the Stingrays lead over Fife - in ninth and the final playoff spot - to an massive 13 points with just two months of the season and 15 games remaining.

The Rays remain atop the Gardiner Conference on 33 points, four points ahead of the Dundee Stars in second - having played four more games - and five points ahead of the Braehead Clan in third - having played two more fixtures.

They face the Cardiff Devils on Sunday night in South Wales before taking on Fife at the Hull Arena for the second time in four days on Wednesday at the revised time of 7pm - live on Premier Sports

FBB Three Stars

1. Carl Lauzon (0+1)

2. Ben Bowns (28 saves)

3. Guillaume Doucet (2+0)

Third period blitz helps Stingrays extend club record unbeaten run to six games

Hull Stingrays 4-2 Dundee Stars

The Hull Stingrays tonight extended their club record unbeaten run in the Elite League to six games, beating Gardiner Conference rivals the Dundee Stars for the first time this season by four goals to two.

In front of one of the largest crowds of the season at the Hull Arena, the Stingrays tested the superstitions imposed thanks to their recent winning streak by changing their lineup to include forward Jereme Tendler - following a spell on the sidelines with a groin injury.

The Canadian - who still didn't appear 100% fit throughout the game - would be involved in the Stingrays first goal of the night but not before second placed Stars took the lead.

With Pavel Gomeniuk sitting a two minute minor penalty for a blatant infringement in the Stars zone during a Rays man advantage, danger man Nikita Kashirsky was given three bites at a rebound in front of Ben Bowns before eventually bundling home the opening on the powerplay after 3.35.

A response was not long in coming though and - despite both sides struggling to maintain puck possession in the offensive zone on the man advantage - the Stingrays equaliser would also come on the powerplay.

For once the home side were able to instill some calm to their build up and puck as both Jerry Pollastrone and Nico Sacchetti sat minor penalties giving them a crucial five-on-three. Gomeniuk made up for his earlier error by feeding the puck to Tendler - who in turn fired a cross crease pass for Elite League leading scorer Guillaume Doucet to one time past netminder Dan Bakala and level the score at 1-1 after just 6.37

Despite what may seem like an entertaining start to the game, both sides had made a relatively flat, scrappy start with Dundee edging the opening period overall and that would continue into the second period.

Jeff Hutchins side - who have been the Elite League's surprise package so far this season - would take a lead into the third period. That would largely be thanks to a moment of misfortune for netminder Bowns - who would face a routine shot from his left face-off circle by Stars forward Sacchetti, only for that shot to handcuff the netminder and slip between his nearside arm and body.

The goal handed the Stars a pivotal advantage heading into the third period, however, to say that that advantage was solely down to Bowns' mistake would be incredibly cruel on a netminder who has performed heroics during the club's winning run.

More to the point, the Stingrays had been far from their best - as had Dundee - and required some improvement to get themselves back into the game.

Knowing that they were still well within a shout of winning such a crucial conference game - not least to further extending their winning streak - the Stingrays came out all guns blazing in the third period.

While it was far from the most free flowing offensive hockey ever seen, it was mighty effective against the Stars and was by far as dominant and purposeful as either side had been in the game.

The Stingrays simply didn't let up and, after the puck slipped off the end of Matty Davies' stick when presented with net to aim at and Tendler rang the cross bar, they finally got their reward.

Once again Doucet was picked out hovering at the back post - this time by linemate Carl Lauzon - only for Bakala to seeming stop the French-Canadian's bullet of a one-timer on this occasion. However, the shot squirmed out of the netminders body and dropped to the ice, allowing player-coach Sylvain Cloutier to prod home the equaliser and send the large but unusually quiet home fans into a frenzy on 51.55.

Cloutier's side weren't done there though and less than two minutes later struck gold on their mission for a sixth successive win as, on a three-on-two, Tendler dropped the puck to defenceman Omar Pacha - who was given what seemed like all the time in the world to pick his spot and rifle it past Bakala for a 3-2 Stingrays lead.

There would be no turning back for the Stingrays and they closed out the remaining minutes with ease as the Stars mustered just five shots to their 21 in the third period offensive blitz.

Gomeniuk - who's penalty earlier had proven so costly - sealed the win and the Stingrays club record sixth win in a row with an empty net goal from his own zone with less than 60 seconds left on the clock.

It has to be said that the Stingrays have at times played far better hockey this season and lost. That they can now play what some might term as below par but then come good when it really matters in the third period is a testament to the team Cloutier has built.

While the Rays will be all too aware that one swallow doesn't make a summer and there are still two and a half months of highs and lows remaining this season, whatever the outcome of the season, they can be mightily proud of setting a record that many Stingrays fans will have never have dreamt was possible.

The Stingrays - who sit four points clear at the top of the Gardiner Conference and sixth in the Elite League, just four points from second - now take their six match unbeaten run back up to Scotland to take on the Braehead Clan for the third time in eight days hoping to make it seven.

FBB Three Stars

1. Omar Pacha (1+0)

2. Ben Bowns (23 saves)

3. Sylvain Cloutier (1+1)

Silverthorn double helps Stingrays set new club record for consecutive wins

Hull Stingrays 3-1 Braehead Clan

The Hull Stingrays tonight set a club record for consecutive victories in the Elite League as they notched up their fifth win in a row with a 3-1 victory over Gardiner Conference rivals the Braehead Clan.

Without Jereme Tendler for the third successive game, the Stingrays struggled to settle the puck in a scrappy but somewhat frentic opening five minutes.

Ryan Finnerty's side had clearly come to East Yorkshire with the intention of halting a run that has seen the Clan lose all five of their fixtures against the Stingrays this season and that worked well early on as the won all of the key battles across the ice.

Nevertheless, after both sides failed to impress on their opening powerplays of the game, Stingrays forward Jason Silverthorn popped up on the games third man advantage, worked his way towards the Clan net and, somehow, roofed the puck past Clan netminder Kyle Jones from close in when, not for one second did it appear possible.

Two and a half minutes after Silverthorn's 9th minute opener though the Clan were level. Hard work down low from now veteran forward-turned-defenceman Kevin Bergin leading to a wraparound that would produce an inviting rebound for standout forward Ed McGrane to bury past Ben Bowns.

In truth, the goal was no more than the Clan deserved for their efforts in disturbing the Stingrays offence in the opening period and that would be a theme throughout the first and second periods.

Despite Michael Hicks distributing a fair number of powerplays in the middle stanza - neither side would be able to convert during a scrappy, disjointed period from both sides.

That was equally the case in the third and final period and, in fact, it would be a Clan powerplay that would eventually produce the pivotal moment in the game in favour of the Stingrays.

Five minutes into the third period the Clan found themselves on the powerplay thanks to a Jeff Smith cross-checking penalty. On the ensuing powerplay Braehead gave opening goalscorer Silverthorn - who innocuously skated in almost on his own - time and space before the 33 year old tightly turned in towards their net and, once again, somehow found a space between Jones' pads and the post to notch his second of the night.

In a matter of minutes the Clan had gone from having very little threat on their goal whatsoever and a powerplay opportunity to conceding what has to be classed as a brilliant, improbable finish from a Stingrays point of view but a completely avoidable and costly one from a Clan point of view, leaving Finnerty none too pleased.

Ultimately the goal would cost the Clan - who had fought so hard to disrupt the Stingrays style of play with a defensive pressure - dear as they handed the initiative and momentum to the Stingrays - who had generally struggled to generate many real scoring chances.

The Clan were now forced to chase the game with time ticking down and that played perfectly into the Stingrays hands. As the Clan opened up offensively so did the game as Nikolai Ladygin was put in the unfamiliar but perfect position to receive a breakaway pass, only for Jones to stop the break.

Eventually though the more open game would lead to the Stingrays third and final goal as some quite brilliant playmaking and a blind pass from Carl Lauzon - who used his strength and then vision to pull a Clan defenceman and Clan netminder Jones out of position - set up leading scorer Guillaume Doucet for a simple tap in to secure the two points and the club record on 54.54.

For the third successive game netminder Bowns put in a solid performance between the pipes. The British keepers recent performances are fast presenting a case for the Great Britain starting job. In front of him, tonight's standout overally was defenceman Omar Pacha - who put in a determined, driven, committed outstanding overall performance both defensively and offensively. Meanwhile without Silverthorn's pinpoint goals there's a very good chance the Stingrays might not have found a way past Jones this evening given the way the Clan were playing defensively.

On top of setting a new club Elite League record for consecutive wins, the victory is also the Stingrays fifth over the Clan in five games - at the very least securing a winning record for Cloutier's side over the Clan this season.

Of course, the Stingrays will be hoping to continue their great run of form over the Clan on Sunday as they face Braehead for the third time in eight days hoping to make it six wins from six this season.

Prior to that on Saturday night the Stingrays take on a Dundee side whom they battling with for the Gardiner Conference title. The Rays are currently top of the conference following tonight's win with Dundee trailing by two points having played four fewer fixtures, they will be hoping to put further daylight between them and the Stars with a sixth consecutive win on Saturday night at Hull Arena

As well as ensuring their push for the Gardiner Conference continues, tonight's win maintains the Rays sixth position in the Elite League, now five points ahead of the Coventry Blaze in seventh and just two points behind the Clan in fifth.

The Stingrays are now also playing 500. hockey in the Elite League having win 16 of their 32 fixtures, an impressive achievement for Cloutier and the club.

FBB Three Stars

1. Jason Silverthorn (2+0)

2. Omar Pacha (0+0)

3. Carl Lauzon (0+1)

Four point weekend sees Stingrays match club record four straight wins

Edinburgh Capitals 3-4 Hull Stingrays (SO)

The Hull Stingrays tonight completed their second four point weekend in two weeks and third of the season as they followed up Saturday nights shootout win over Braehead with another 4-3 shootout win, this time over the Edinburgh Capitals. The victory also means the Stingrays have matched the club record for consecutive wins in the Elite League with four - which was set between 15th October 2006 and 29th October 2006.

Once again without Tom Squires and Jereme Tendler, the Stingrays got off to a good start in the Scottish capital, opening the scoring in the first ten minutes through Matty Davies' seventh goal of the year after the puck was won down low and fed to the club's leading British pointscorer in front to finish low past Tomas Hiadlovsky.

The Stingrays would take just one minor penalty in the first period and it told, as they outshot and outplayed Edinburgh in their best period of the game.

In front of a large crowd at Murrayfield - boosted by GroupOn offer - Edinburgh youngster Jay King - who received plenty of ice-time and did not look out of place on the night - equalised for the Capitals as they countered with his shot from the hash marks beating Ben Bowns in the Stingrays net somewhat softly.

Moments after the face-off following the Caps goal, Stingrays forward Kyle Mariani while chasing for the puck collided with netminder Hiadlovsky - who was way out of his net. The Slovakian stopper went down for a period of time as he has done previously in Hull but would return with no sign of ill-health, although he would later step in to Sam Towner when playing the puck behind the net much to his displeasure.

A great forecheck, counter and then net crash from the Stingrays third line would eventually lead to Michael Dobron taking the Caps first penalty of the night and the visitors would make the most of their first opportunity.

Guillaume Doucet and Sylvain Cloutier would first be stopped by two great saves from Hiadlovsky on separate occasions before a great Pavel Gomeniuk pass from the point to Jason Silverthorn in front would see the Canadian - who is regularly booed on his return to Edinburgh - spin and open up a deserved 2-1 lead on 12.28.

The Stingrays had chances to extend their lead towards the end of the first but, first, Doucet was denied by Hiadlovsky following a great set up from Matty Davies between a Caps defenceman's legs before the Caps netminder got a piece of Mariani's shot - deflecting it just over the crossbar.

With just one penalty taken in the first period, and that with just 36 seconds remaining, the Stingrays descended into penalty trouble for the final two periods taking eight minors - four in each period.

Those penalties broke up the game in the Caps favour, handing them all of the momentum and resulted in the Stingrays being outshot 11-6 and 8-3.

Remarkably though the Stingrays penalty kill dug in time and again, until Edinburgh finally leveled 9.57 into the third period through player-coach Richard Hartmann - who broke between the Rays D and beat Bowns on a breakaway as Haywood had 24 hours earlier.

Following unrelenting Caps pressure - which the Stingrays mostly brought on themselves through penalty trouble - the goal had been coming and was just rewards for their play.

Nevertheless, Cloutier's side persevered and on their only powerplay of the third period - in which they had just three shots - again took the lead as a Doucet wrist shot just beat Hiadlovsky and trickled across the line for a Stingrays 3-2 lead.

Spearheaded by Canadian forward Jade Portwood, Edinburgh came straight back at the Stingrays and, having called a time-out and pulled Hiadlovsky, piled the pressure on allowing Peter Holecko to score with just 1.19 left on the clock, sending the game into overtime.

The Stingrays fared somewhat better in overtime, comfortably killing an Edinburgh powerplay following Gomeniuk's fourth minor penatly of the evening, but could not find the all important opening.

The ensuing penalty shots lasted somewhat longer than the night prior as Omar Pacha and Carl Lauzon tallies were leveled up by goals from Portwood  - who took a puck to the face in overtime but would return to take part in the penalty shootout - and Dobron.

The shootout continued into sudden death before a majestic finish from Lauzon - who waited and waited before chipping the puck past Hiadlovsky - gave the Stingrays an advantage which Bowns would convert into the win with a save on Dobron.

The save completed a second brilliant match winning performance and second ever shootout win which he's won for his side from Bowns, while without Lauzon's clinical finishing - both in regulation and penalty shots - the result would have also been in doubt. Silverthorn, no doubt encouraged by the constant boos he received from his former fans, was also a driving force in the victory alongside Davies and Mariani.

Once again though, while the indiscipline and silly penalties in the second and third periods could've cost the Stingrays, they dug in defensively as a team - particularly on the penalty kill - and, despite not being at their best, claimed another invaluable Gardiner Conference and league victory.

The win maintains the Stingrays sixth place in the Elite League table, three points above the Coventry Blaze and eight points above the Cardiff Devils in the eighth and final playoff position, meanwhile they also sit second in the Gardiner Conference table - joint top on points with Dundee and five points ahead of Braehead.

The Stingrays are now riding a joint club record four game win streak and they can set a new record with a victory in Wednesday's home game with Braehead.

FBB Three Stars

1. Ben Bowns (26 saves)

2. Carl Lauzon (0+1, 2 shootout goals)

3. Jason Silverthorn (1+1)

Stingrays make it four from four against Braehead

Braehead Clan 3-4 Hull Stingrays (SO)

The Hull Stingrays tonight made it four wins from four over Gardiner Conference favourites the Braehead Clan tonight in Glasgow with a hard fought 4-3 shootout victory.

Without Tom Squires again and surprise absentee Jereme Tendler - who didn't travel to Scotland in order to rest an apparent groin strain - the Stingrays lined up with Guillaume Doucet, Carl Lauzon and Sylvain Cloutier as the clear first line, with Kyle Mariani filling in alongside Jason Silverthorn and Matty Davies on the second and Jeff Smith alongside Bobby Chamberlain and Sam Towner on the third.

It would be the club's top scorer Doucet that would get things started as the French-Canadian would again use his speed to pull a textbook move around the outside of the opposing D before beating Kyle Jones backhanded for a 1-0 lead after 6.08.

Sylvain Cloutier's side were performing well and arguably had the better chances with Jones coming up big against Ondrej and then Doucet - following an expert set up from Lauzon.

However, with the Stingrays playing some nice stuff and creating chances - particularly through Lauzon and Doucet - Clan defenceman Chris Frank took it upon himself to disrupt the Stingrays.

Having earlier face-washed Cloutier following a whistle, Frank first took a four minute penalty for roughing and cross checking Davies before he set Doucet in his targets. The Clan defenceman took it upon himself to rough up the Stingrays sniper way behind play and way after the whistle in what can only be assumed was a cheap tactic to eliminate Doucet from the game.

Frank wasn't penalised for the play but he and Jeff Smith would receive a delay of game minor at the end of the first as he skated towards Doucet again only this time to be intercepted by Stingrays captain as both square off.

After a poor start to the game, the Clan came out firing in the second and would go on to outshoot the Stingrays 20 to 7. However, despite their massive advantage in shots on goal, it would be the visitors that would lead thanks to a combination of match winning netminding and hard work defensively from the Stingrays.

It took the Clan 14.52 of the second period to finally level the scores through Neil Trimm - who beat Bowns on a rebound following a counter attack after the Rays third line lost the puck in the offensive zone.

The netminder would be forced to produce a number of good stops in the second as the Clan pushed forward particularly late in the second period with the Stingrays clearly on the ropes. It certainly appeared to be a case of when then Clan would take the lead before the end of the second rather than if.

However, to the Rays credit they stuck at it and, lo-and-behold, completely against the run of play and with a hint of luck, a counter attack from Omar Pacha and Davies led to a huge rebound for third line forward Chamberlain - who just about managed to fire home past an out of position Jones in the Clan net on 37.44.

The goal clearly gave the Stingrays confidence heading into the third period, however, the long awaited fight between irritant to the Stingrays Frank and Smith immediately from third period opening face-off - which was largely a nothing fight - appeared to give the Clan the momentum.

Immediately following the ensuing centre-ice face-off, the Clan's Sam Zajac picked a hole between the Rays D big enough for two double decker buses allowing Matt Haywood to race in on his former Sheffield Steeldogs teammate Bowns unopposed and bury the equaliser.

Chances fell to both sides in an even, end to end final period with Lauzon firing wide with Jones out of position and Davies opting to one-time pass instead of shoot when presented with a good opening for the Stingrays.

But with 4.03 remaining in the game Pavel Gomeniuk would take a costly tripping penalty allowing the Clan to take the lead for the first time through defenceman Kenton Smith with less than three minutes remaining.

It appeared to be game over for the Stingrays - who had fought so hard to hold off the Clan - however, there would be one final twist.

Having called a time-out with 1.13 remaining, Doucet would work the puck down low with his combination of skill and strength before setting up a one-timer from Lauzon near the opposite face-off circle that would beat Jones and level the score with just 63 seconds remaining.

Player-coach Cloutier and his squad will have undoubtedly been delighted with a point from their trip to Braehead, however, following a scoreless and mostly uneventful overtime period, the extra point would come down to penalty shots.

After notching the all important game-tying goal and producing a number of huge saves respectively, it would be Lauzon and Bowns that would again prove to be match winners for the Stingrays.

Lauzon notched the only penalty shot with a beautiful drag move and Bowns would stop all three Clan shooters to seal the Stingrays fourth win from four games against Braehead.

While Lauzon, Bowns and Doucet all stood out for their game changing performances at key moments, it was the hard work across the team that proved the difference. The Rays third line also deserves some credit for their performance with Sam Towner having one of his best, most notable games stepping in to the line-up.

The two sides will meet up for the second time in five days on Wednesday night as the Clan travel to Hull for their fifth meeting of the season.

FBB Three Stars

1. Ben Bowns (44 saves, 1 assist)

2. Carl Lauzon (1+0)

3. Guillaume Doucet (1+1)

Stingrays stem the tide to clinch crucial four point weekend

Hull Stingrays 5-4 Fife Flyers

The Hull Stingrays tonight held on for a crucial 5-4 victory over Gardiner Conference rivals the Fife Flyers to complete a massive four point weekend following last night's 2-1 overtime victory over the Coventry Blaze.

Prior to tonight the teams had already met three times this season in Fife with the Stingrays possessing a 1-1-1 record, however, the fixture would be the sides first meeting at Hull Arena this season.

A chippy and niggly opening minute eventually saw Omar Pacha and Justin DaCosta drop the gloves after just 1.18 with the Flyers defenceman getting the better of his Stingrays counterpart in an open fight.

The flight calmed the game somewhat but it would be the Stingrays that would take advantage of a goaltender inference penalty on Jamie Wilson as Kyle Mariani was given time on the blueline to fire a shot which eventually found its way home via Guillaume Doucet after 2.34.

Despite disadvantaged for large parts of the opening stages the Flyers controlled the game at even strength and, although they would end the period with five minor penalties and one major to the Stingrays  four majors, they would deservedly equalise with less than 30 seconds to go in the period through Bobby Chaumont.

Unfortunately for the Flyers and head coach Todd Duitaume, the Stingrays used the late leveler to catapult themselves back up the ice and doggedly pursue a late first period go-ahead go. Amazingly the pressure paid off as Matty Davies fired home his second goal in two games since returning from injury to give the Stingrays a 2-1 lead heading into the second.

Sylvain Cloutier's side again got off to a perfect start in the second as stand in forward Jeff Smith picked up a blocked Jamie Chilcott shot after 21.32 and beat netminder Kevin Regan for a 3-1 lead.

Six minutes later Regan would be called into action to stop a Doucet penalty shot - after the Canadian was brought down on the breakaway - before the Flyers again got themselves back into the game through Chaumont - who picked up a loose puck and sniped it past the ever impressive Ben Bowns.

Fife continued to control large swaths of play at even strength, however, it would be the Stingrays that would again score somewhat against the run of play as Carl Lauzon fed Doucet directly in front of the Fife net to one-time home for a 4-2 lead after 33.14.

Regardless, the Flyers stuck to the task and, after some sustained offensive pressure, they would finally get the piece of luck they needed as the puck jumped over the stick of an advancing Pacha - leading to a two on one which Derek Roehl would eventually score at the second time of asking.

The goal came with less than five minutes to go in an offence happy second period which saw 35 shots rain in on the two netminders and the visitors would carry that momentum through the second intermission.

Though the Stingrays controlled more of the game in the third period than they had in the opening two periods it would be Fife that would complete their comeback from two goals down as Kyle Haines tied the game up at 4-4 having gone unnoticed when rushing from the point.

With the game on a knife edge the Stingrays - who hadn't been at their best but lead for the vast majority of the game - found themselves challenged by a Fife team that, contrary to the scoreline, had performed relatively well.

Although the Stingrays would fail to hit seven goals for the fourth consecutive home game they would clinch two vital points with their fifth goal of the evening as yet another piece of brilliant skill from Doucet drew an interference penalty from Danny Stewart that would ultimately decide the game

On the ensuing powerplay the puck was fired around the boards to Carl Lauzon - who picked out the slightest of gaps at the Regan's front post to notch what would be the game winning goal to go with his three assists with 6.40 left on the clock.

A tense three minutes ensued before another interference penalty - this time for a dangerous looking hit on Jereme Tendler by Matt Reber - drew the ire of the Flyers, inparticular Chaumont - who was given a ten minute abuse of official penalty - and effectively killed the game off.

The gritty victory, combined with Coventry's shootout loss in Edinburgh, lifts the Stingrays onto equal points with Coventry in sixth in the Elite League and maintains their challenge to Dundee - who tonight came back from 3-1 down to beat Braehead - at the top of the Gardiner Conference.

Following two important victories this weekend, the Stingrays face two crucial Gardiner Conference games next week as they travel to Scotland to face the Braehead Clan on Saturday and the Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday before a return fixture against the Clan in Hull the following Wednesday.

FBB Three Stars

1. Guillaume Doucet (2+1)

2. Matty Davies (1+1)

3. Carl Lauzon  (1+3)

Stingrays hit seventh heaven to complete remarkable Gardiner Conference run during challenging two-week spell

Hull Stingrays 7-1 Edinburgh Capitals

The Hull Stingrays tonight completed a testing two-week, five-game stretch against Gardiner Conference sides with a relieving and comprehensive 7-1 home win over the Edinburgh Capitals.

During that time player-coach Sylvain Cloutier has had to endure captain Matt Suderman quitting the club, Hull Arena flooding, three road trips to Scotland and injuries to three of his British players while another is away on international duty with Great Britain Under-20's.

Despite such a tough run of fixtures and indeed a tough run of luck, tonight's victory ensured that the Stingrays claimed at least a point in all five of their fixtures against conference rivals and a massive eight points from ten points available. That is an outstanding return for any side, let alone a side that has had to deal with all of the above.

On the night, the Stingrays - who traveled to Dundee with just nine outskaters on Thursday and returned against all odds with a point from a narrow overtime loss - found themselves up against a similarly understrength Edinburgh side.

Both sides iced just 13 players - mainly sticking to two lines - but quickly it became evident the Stingrays were up against a Capitals side apparently bereft of any form or confidence, particularly defensively.

In all it took the Stingrays just 72 seconds to beat Edinburgh netminder Tomas Hiadlovsky for the first time as Jason Silverthorn was given time and space to fire a point shot invitingly towards Jereme Tendler - who redirected the puck home for a 1-0 lead.

The home side really took it to their opponents in the first period - outshooting them 14-8 - and Tendler doubled his and the Stingrays goal tally on 12.33 as he intercepted some poor play by the Caps in their own zone before beating Hiadlovsky for the second time.

43 seconds later a speculative long-pass from his own zone by Omar Pacha was high sticked down by an Edinburgh player straight to Stingrays player-coach Cloutier - who added a third with a nice finish on the breakaway.

Richard Hartmann's side immediately hit back through Marc Fowley only for the Stingrays to regain their three goal advantage.

The Stingrays fourth of the period came on a powerplay which looked all the better for the point threat of returning defenceman Pavel Gomeniuk. The Ukrainian came out of retirement to help the Stingrays last weekend but has now joined until the end of the season and he notched an assist on Jason Silverthorn's 16th minute goal.

Surprisingly Hartmann refused to call a time-out in the first period Stingrays offensive blitz but his troops appeared rejuvenated in early in the second period.

Overall, the lack of depth on the bench probably hurt the Caps more than the Stingrays as Guillaume Doucet and Carl Lauzon both regularly took advantage of a tiring Edinburgh line with their trademark burst of pace.

It was that burst of pace that led to the Rays fifth goal as, following a prolonged period of Edinburgh pressure in the Rays zone, the puck broke to Lauzon - who suddenly found himself with the space to break at pace down the ice - before Doucet squeezed the puck home on the ensuing two-on-one.

Probably most obvious Caps deficiency on the night was their defensive frailty and even netminder Hiadlovsky appeared to have given in the third period up for that reason following the Rays sixth of the night.

A second poor giveaway in their own end eventually saw home debutant Gomeniuk - who, it has to be said, had a great return to action at Hull Arena - pinch from the point and score the Stingrays sixth. The goal saw the clearly distressed Slovakian netminder pull himself from the game and return to the Capitals bench, only for Hartmann to order him back to the goal.

He returned and would then stop a Lauzon penalty shot - outwaiting the French-Canadian on the shot - having initially given away the penalty for throwing his stick on a breakaway.

However, the Stingrays continued to dominate the game and, for once, didn't let up on their opponent as they have been guilty of in the past, going on to outshoot their visitors 18-6 in the third period.

Tendler wrapped up the scoring with just under ten minutes remaining, notching his first hat-trick of the season after robbing the puck from Jan Safar by way of a nifty stick-lift right in front of the net before instantly firing the puck home.

The win will be a massive relief for Cloutier and his side after a really tough couple of weeks and should allow him and his side to rest easy on their well deserved day off on Sunday.

In claiming eight of ten points from their last five games the Stingrays have solidified their challenge for the Gardiner Conference and they currently sit top on 19 points from 15 games.

They should now slowly but surely return to full strength with Bobby Chamberlain expected back from GB U20 duty, a replacement for Matt Suderman anticipated soon and potentially at least Tom Squires and Sam Towner back for next weekend's fixtures at home to Nottingham and in Fife.

FBB Three Stars

1. Carl Lauzon (0+2)

2. Jereme Tendler (3+1)

3. Pavel Gomeniuk (1+1)

Short-benched Blaze beat Stingrays thanks to three goals in seven minutes

Hull Stingrays 2-5 Coventry Blaze

The Hull Stingrays were tonight defeated 5-2 by a short-benched Coventry Blaze side lead by returning forward Shea Guthrie.

Remarkably all of the last three Stingrays-Blaze fixtures have finished 5-2 and it would be the Stingrays that would again finish on the wrong end of the scoreline this time.

Both sides had hit the post before Mattias Soderstrom's side raced into a 1-0 lead thanks to a typically speedy and clinical counter-attack from that man Guthrie - who notched his first goal of the season in his second game after returning from Sweden on Friday.

In an end-to-end first period, the Stingrays struggled to craft that all important scoring chance but were, on the whole, controlling the game against a short-staffed Coventry side with just 13 outskaters.

That all changed in the middle stanza though as the Blaze dominated the Stingrays and opened up a pivotal four goal lead.

Ryan Ginand would net Coventry's second goal just 43 seconds into the second period, beating the Stingrays D and Ben Bowns to his own rebound before somehow steering it round the Rays netminder mid-dive.

The Elite League's leading scorer then collided heavily with Bowns in the ensuing dive, causing some worrying moments for the Stingrays and, in particular, their inexperienced rookie backup Mike Bolton while the GB international got back to his feet.

Bowns did resume the game, however, the Blaze were well on top and Kevin Harvey tipped home their third goal on the powerplay on 23.55 before Ross Venus fired home a killer fourth to complete a devastating opening seven second period minutes.

As the game entered the third period and then began to draw to a close it appeared that the Stingrays may be shut out for the second time in two home games - following last weekend's 2-0 loss to the Belfast Giants.

However, they would mount a mini-revival with less than nine minutes remaining on the clock as Carl Lauzon picked up a huge rebound from a weak Jeff Smith point shot and fired home into the gaping net to finally give the home crowd something to cheer about and to ruin Coventry's and Zacharias' shutout hopes.

The two goal weekend gives the French-Canadian - who was one of the Rays top performers on the night, albeit in a relatively average team performance - eight goals in 19 games this season including five in his last six as he finally looks to have settled in the UK and in the Elite League.

The goal stirred the Rays and for, really, the first time in the match they began to trouble the Blaze going forward.

Guillaume Doucet would then add a second goal for the Stingrays on the powerplay but, with less than three minutes to go, it would prove to be too little, too late in their bid to make it a four point weekend.

Looking for a third goal, the Rays pulled Bowns in a last gasp roll of the dice only for Ginand to add his second of the night into the empty net from distance with 37 seconds remaining.

Despite this evenings defeat and somewhat disappointing performance, Sylvain Cloutier will be happy and proud of his side's weekend having picked up two valuable Gardiner Conference points against Braehead on Saturday.

Next weekend they will face the Cardiff Devils at home on Saturday night before travelling to Scotland for the second time in two weeks to take on the Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday.

FBB Three Stars

1. Carl Lauzon (1+0)

2. Matty Davies (0+1)

3. Omar Pacha (0+1

Bowns stops 60 shots as Stingrays shut out at home by Belfast

Hull Stingrays 0-2 Belfast Giants

A superb 60 save effort from netminder Ben Bowns was tonight not enough to prevent the Hull Stingrays from losing by two goals to nil at home to the Belfast Giants.

The fixture pit the Great Britain national team number one netminder Stephen Murphy in the Giants net against his understudy Bowns and the contrast between their 60 minutes couldn't have been more stark.

While Bowns was called into action early and often - stopping 21 of 22 shots in just the opening period and 60 of 62 overall - Murphy had just six Stingray shots to deal with in the first and 19 overall.

The only Belfast shot that did beat the Stingrays netminder in the first period came from the stick of Dustin Whitecotton on the powerplay after 6.30.

The veteran Canadian was given time and space close in on Bowns to pick his spot five hole after Rays defenceman Jeff Smith was preoccupied with removing another Giants from in front of the crease

In fairness to the Giants, it was absolutely no more than they deserved even after just six minutes as they asserted their dominance over the Stingrays from the opening face-off and never looked back.

For large periods - in fact, the vast majority of the game - the Stingrays were powerless to prevent wave after wave of Belfast attack and Belfast puck possession. When Sylvain Cloutier's side did finally manage stem the flow they were unable to create any attacking drive of their own and if they did their offensive advances were snuffed out by a solid Belfast defensive core.

The only thing that ever looked like really denying the Giants two well deserved and hard fought points was Bowns. Unfortunately for the Rays following that sixth minute goal, he wasn't able to snipe home the all-important first Stingrays goal that just might've given them the momentum that they so craved.

Referee Michael Hicks was rightly vilified by home fans - and possibly also some of the Giants contingent that have traveled over for their away double header this weekend - for failing to live up to his early billing but in truth he had no impact on the outcome of the game.

Having called pretty much anything and everything in the opening period - totaling 14 minutes and seven minor penalties - Hicks appeared to become somewhat more relaxed towards infractions as the game wore on. Coincidentally or not, this perceived change in attitude towards penalties tied in with a number of missed calls on the Stingrays.

Whether those debatable penalties had been given or not, the home side still simply wouldn't have had enough - skillfully or physically - to defeat an overpowering Giants side.

Excellent on the penalty kill, stopping eight of nine opportunities including a rousing five and a half minute kill late in the second, the Stingrays powerplay - while offering a welcome break from the constant Belfast offensive pressure and puck possession - struggled and was unable to generate any true scoring chances.

Carl Lauzon probably came the closest to opening the scoring for the Stingrays late on in the second period as his shot on the powerplay rang off the cross bar and up over the plexi-glass.

The home side were trailing 2-0 by this point - having again been heavily out shot 23-6 in the second period - after Calvin Efring sold Martin Ondrej an exaggerated shot fake before beating Bowns with a wicked shot moments later.

It was a complete performance from the Giants and 2-0 up heading into the third they gave the Stingrays no respite firing a further 17 shots on the Stingrays net with Bowns equal to all of them.

Though the Giants had done more than enough to beat a Stingrays side that whose offence they smothered, it is worth pondering whether they would have run out winners had they been facing an Erhardt Conference side.

Worryingly for the Stingrays, had it not been for the performance of their netminder, they could have found themselves on the end of a morale sapping thrashing.

Bowns' outstanding man of the match performance - or not as it were, as the match sponsors mystifyingly gave it to Omar Pacha - kept the Stingrays within reaching distance of snatching a point against all odds. That's not to say the Stingrays as a team didn't work hard in their attempts to keep the visitors at bay, simply that on this occasion they were beaten by a better team.

Cloutier and his side will do well to learn from the Giants performance but equally, although they relied on Bowns more than they would've liked, they will take heart from the fact they kept Belfast largely at bay and within striking distance minus an all important import.

They will travel to South Wales on Sunday to re-visit the scene of their thrilling 6-5 shootout loss to the Cardiff Devils less than two weeks ago.

The Devils will be boosted by the signing of former NHLer Tomas Kurka - who will make his debut - and they will face a Stingrays side that have yet to defeat an Erhardt Conference side in league play this season.

FBB Three Stars

1. Ben Bowns (60 saves)

2. Omar Pacha (0+0)

3. Matt Suderman (0+0)

Stingrays leave it late to progress against all odds from Challenge Cup Group B

Hull Stingrays 5-2 Coventry Blaze

Winless in six Challenge Cup Group B fixtures this season, the Hull Stingrays tonight made it seventh time lucky beating the Coventry Blaze by five goals to two and in the process qualified for the Quarter Finals for the second time in two seasons at the expense of the Blaze.

In a incredibly scrappy first period in front of a very sparse crowd, the Stingrays fell behind after 11.14 against the run of play - despite having outshot their visitors 21-12.

Blaze dangerman and Elite League leading goalscorer Ryan Ginand whizzing across the face of Ben Bowns' goal before beating the GB international on the powerplay for his 20th of the season following an inch perfect pass from Adam Henrich.

Sylvain Cloutier's side responded five minutes later though, showing real patience on a well constructed 5-on-3 powerplay. Having waited for their opportunity and increased the tempo on the man advantage, Matty Davies fired into a largely unguarded net as a rebound from an outstanding low backpost save by Blaze netminder Mike Zacharias on Guillaume Doucet fell straight to the British centre in the slot.

Nine minutes into a second period it was the Stingrays turn to lead against the run of play. With Gerome Giudice complaining to referee Mike Hicks about a delayed penalty he had given on the Canadian-Italian in the corner, the puck fell to Jereme Tendler picked up the puck in front and clinically fired home his 15th of the season for a 2-1 lead.

However, Ginand scored again for Coventry two minutes later to again tie the scores, notching a goal remarkably similar to the one Tendler had scored at the other end minutes earlier with Henrich and Ashley Tait again getting the assists on the Blaze goal.

While Ginand's efficiency in front of goal was effectively proving to be the difference for the Blaze, former Stingray Cale Tanaka was proving to be the biggest handful. As was his strength in the first half of last season when fit and healthy in Hull, Tanaka's speed and drive proved to be problematic for the Rays, particularly defensively, and the Canadian drew a number of penalties playing on the Blaze third line.

Though late in the game he was rocked by one of the biggest hits of the season from former teammate and friend Jeff Smith, Tanaka was at the heart of Coventry's revival as they dominated the Stingrays after their second goal.

What had started as a low-key, scrappy affair soon turned in to a niggly, somewhat end-to-end affair and it was the Stingrays that seemed to benefit most from this change in tempo during the third period having been outplayed at the tail end of the second period.

Penalties were always likely to prove the difference and it was the Stingrays that were given the opportunity to pounce first as an early penalty on Coventry enforcer Kevin Harvey after four minutes gave them a crucial man advantage.

On the ensuing powerplay, Matty Davies set up Kyle Mariani - who knocked home his first Stingrays goal on a one-timer at the backpost - to give his side what would prove to be a decisive lead 3-2 with Davies recording his 100th Elite League assist on the goal.

Mariani has undoubtedly had an indifferent start to his career in the UK, however, his versatility to revert between defence and forward has been invaluable. On the night he put in perhaps a man of the match worthy performance and certainly his best performance in a Stingrays jersey, having settled on the third line alongside Tom Squires and Bobby Chamberlain.

The goal gave the home side - who had to win in regulation to qualify for the Quarter Finals - the confidence heading into the rest of the period.

A crucial fourth goal followed seven minutes later as Carl Lauzon got the deftest of tip-ins off a point shot from Omar Pacha before Tendler added his second of the night with a looping shot shorthanded from centre ice into the empty net with 36 seconds left on the clock.

Against all odds, having gone winless in six games, the victory sends the Stingrays to the Quarter Final of the Challenge Cup. That qualification comes in the tougher of the two Challenge Cup groups for the second time in two years, this time at the expense of the Blaze - whom the Rays will top thanks to at least a tie-breaker with one game against the Sheffield Steelers still remaining this month.

While Challenge Cup Group B is all but complete with two games remaining, Group A is far from sewn up.

Although the Belfast Giants will be favourites to top the group and take on the Stingrays in the Quarter Finals for the second time in two years with five wins from six and two games remaining, Dundee are unbeaten in four just two points behind with four games remaining meanwhile Fife have three wins from four.

Belfast and Dundee meet on 1st December in Scotland in a massive game with the victor most likely to progress as group winners and face the Rays.

Last season the Stingrays were narrowly edged out 3-1 at home before pushing the Giants all the way in Northern Ireland only to lose out 5-4 (8-5 on aggregate).

Perhaps most crucially, the victory will give the club an extra home gate which will undoubtedly assist financially.

FBB Three Stars

1. Kyle Mariani (1+1)

2. Jeff Smith (0+0)

3. Sylvain Cloutier (0+1)

Stingrays Capitalise to complete four point weekend

Hull Stingrays 5-2 Edinburgh Capitals

The Hull Stingrays completed a four point weekend over Gardiner Conference rivals the Edinburgh Capitals tonight, following up last night's 4-3 triumph in Edinburgh with a 5-2 victory at the Hull Arena thanks to doubles from Jason Silverthorn and Guillaume Doucet.

Similarly to Saturday night at Murrayfield, it was Edinburgh that came out stronger in the opening period but it would be the Stingrays that would open the scoring against the run of play.

After a quiet, scrappy start to the game, the Stingrays - who netted four powerplay goals on eight opportunities last night - were given their first opportunity of the game thanks to a Martin Cingel hooking penalty.

The Rays powerplay continued where it left off on the 24 hours earlier in Scotlant as Sylvain Cloutier broke into the offensive zone and fed Jason Silverthorn. The Canadian - who netted twice at Murrayfield - then brilliantly worked the puck between two Edinburgh defencemen on the backhand and outwaited netminder Tomas Hiadlovsky before switching to the forehand to open the scoring on 8.39.

Edinburgh once again had much better control on the puck than the Stingrays, particularly in the first period, and were playing a sound road game despite trailing, snuffing out the home sides offence while playing confidently going forward.

Having controlled large parts and outshot the Rays 17-7 in the first period, Edinburgh leveled on 11.13 as Jan Safar reacted quickest to a Martin Ondrej blocked shot which dropped at the Slovakian's feet before squeaking his shot through Bowns and across the line.

The Capitals then took the lead on 6.22 into the second period as a Michal Dobron blast from the point took a wicked deflection off Carl Lauzon's stray stick and found its way in off Bowns' far post. Though it was an awful piece of misfortune from a Stingrays perspective, in truth it was no more than Edinburgh deserved following their first period performance.

Regrettably for the visitors though, they didn't take advantage of their early performance and equally their performance in the final 30 minutes did not match that of their performance in opening 30 minutes.

The turning point of the game followed minutes after the Capitals second goal as the Stingrays were penalised for too many men on the ice on 27.08 before Jeff Smith took a roughing penalty having caught Cingel with a high glove on a big hit along the boards on 28.15.

After converting only one of ten powerplay opportunities on Saturday night, the Capitals were again unable to find that crucial goal on the ensuing five-on-three powerplay as the Stingrays came up with a huge penalty kill to restrict Edinburgh's lead to one goal.

That huge penalty kill gave the Stingrays real momentum and just 15 seconds after Smith's penalty expired the puck fell to Jereme Tendler in prime position in front of Hiadlovsky to level the score at 2-2.

The momentum continued and Guillaume Doucet then appeared to have given the Stingrays the lead as the goal light flickered on, only for the linesman to signal the puck had not crossed the line. Following the next stoppage in play the linesman and referee Tom Darnell confirmed the puck had not crossed the line after some mild protestation from Doucet.

Nevertheless, two minutes later Doucet made sure, giving the home side a 3-2 lead on a huge rebound from a low, bobbling Omar Pacha slapshot that took an age to reach the Caps net and which Hiadlovsky struggled to deal. What was the eventual game winning goal came moments after a hooking penalty on Les Reaney ended with the Rays still enjoying the benefits of the expired powerplay.

The Stingrays went from strength to strength late in the second period following the quickfire double and importantly they opened up a two goal cushion heading into the third period. Jason Silverthorn utilised traffic in front of the Edinburgh net to fire home from the top of the left circle, recording his fourth powerplay goal in just two games, ninth goal of the season and 101st in Stingrays colours late in the second period.

Two goals down, the expected Edinburgh offensive blitz in the third period never truly materialised and the Stingrays would end up winding down the third period in complete and comfortable control.

There would still be time for Doucet to add the Stingrays fifth of the night with a lovely late individual goal on 55.09 having picked the puck up in neutral ice following a poor Capitals outlet pass. The French-Canadian first used a burst of speed to beat the final defenceman before reverting to backhand, angling across Hiadlovsky and then backhanding his shot high over the shoulder of the Slovakian netminder to round off a good performance and what turned out to be a comprehensive win.

The victory completed a far from straightforward first four point weekend of the season for the Stingrays against a good Edinburgh outfit that could have easily taken points off the Rays had they been more clinical - notably on the powerplay. However, regardless of how the two victories came about, the Stingrays will be delighted with the outcome and have a good platform to build from after a difficult period of results.

Sylvain Cloutier's side now have points from their last four consecutive games which includes three wins and a shootout loss in the Gardiner Conference. Perhaps importantly, after this weekend they now also have two wins away from home in their conference, which is an area they were keep to improve on in their quest to win the Gardiner Conference.

Individually, in Tendler, Silverthorn, Doucet and Davies, the Stingrays have four players in the Elite League's top 20 pointscorers and an in-form netminder in Bowns. With Lauzon's potential beginning to show offensively as he gels with linemates Silverthorn and Doucet, and a decision on the ban on Derek Campbell's import spot and potential replacement rumoured things are certainly looking up in the Stingrays camp.

FBB Three Stars

1. Jason Silverthorn (2+0)

2. Guillaume Doucet (2+0)

3. Ben Bowns (38 saves)

Special teams the difference as Stingrays record second consecutive road victory

Edinburgh Capitals 3-4 Hull Stingrays

The Hull Stingrays tonight notched four powerplay goals and stopped the Edinburgh Capitals on nine of ten powerplay opportunities on the way to claiming their second consecutive victory away from home this season in a 4-3 win over their Gardiner Conference rivals at Murrayfield.

Having recorded their first road victory of the season in Fife two weeks ago, the Stingrays got the perfect start on their first visit to the Scottish capital. On the visitors first attack of the game Guilllaume Doucet drew a tripping penalty from Edinburgh defenceman Daniel McIntyre following a sublime bit of skill when entering the zone.

On the ensuing powerplay the ever improving Carl Lauzon broke into the zone and rang the post with a rasping shot from the face-off dot before the puck was somehow bundled home on the ricochet after just 1.14

Edinburgh responded quickly though as little more than 30 seconds later Peter Holecko was afforded time and space to expertly pick his spot past Ben Bowns and level the score.

Bowns would again be called into action soon after the tying goal with the GB number two forced to deny the Caps a breakaway goal with a glove save following a poor Stingrays line change.

The Capitals would eventually take the lead for the first and only time on 6.14 though. With Matt Suderman in the box for holding - having lost the chase for a dumped puck - and Jeff Smith out for two minutes thanks to a blatant slash in front of Bowns on the resulting powerplay, a low point drive from Michal Benadik gave the home side a 2-1 advantage.

Further pressure and puck possession followed from Richard Hartmann's side five-on-five but crucially, despite playing some of their best hockey, the Caps were unable to extend their lead.

A relatively harsh holding minor penalty from Martin Cingel on Carl Lauzon and an elbow to Jason Silverthorn from Michal Dobron then gave the Stingrays a big five-on-three opportunity.

Having scored on their first man advantage, the Stingrays powerplay - which has generally struggled to find form or cohesion so far this season - struck again on 15.26 thanks to an Omar Pacha point shot through traffic which may have taken a slight deflection on its way through.

The five-on-three powerplay swung momentum in the Rays favour and they perhaps should have been leading heading into the first intermission as the Caps blueline evaporated on a number of occasions.

Sylvain Cloutier was the first to be put through on a breakaway. The Rays player-coach worked the puck around Hiadlovsky - who challenged him with a poke check - only for the puck to fall behind him and for the onrushing Bobby Chamberlain to fire the puck into Cloutier with the goal gaping.

That breakaway was quickly followed by another as Matty Davies typically elect to pass the puck to Jereme Tendler - who trailed the centreman by a good ten feet - when put through on goal on for the Canadian to fire wide.

The Stingrays third powerplay goal in four powerplay attempts gave them the lead 7.17 into the second period. With Peter Holecko out for hooking, the Stingrays set up their special teams and eventually worked the puck down low before amusingly pinballing puck through Hiadlovsky's crease with three shot-turned-passes. The puck eventually fell to Jason Silverthorn with the former Capital firing home from in front to give his current side a 3-2 lead - much to the displeasure of his former fans.

A potential turning point followed just after the 30 minute mark as Rays defenceman Matt Suderman received what was by all accounts a very harsh two minute slashing call.

The Stingrays club captain openly and loudly berated referee Rab Cowan for the call and was therefore handed a ten minute misconduct for abuse of official. Inexplicably, having earnt himself a ten minute misconduct, the abuse didn't stop there and Cowan was given no option but to give Suderman a game penalty - sending him to the changing rooms.

The actions cost the Stingrays the services of one of their defenceman and forced them to re-shuffle their lines with Scott Robson rotated into the defensive line-up alongside Kyle Mariani - who switched from forward to defence. Sam Towner was therefore also brought into the line-up, filling Maraini's third line foward spot on a number of shifts.

Not only were the Stingrays firing on all cylinders on the powerplay, their penalty kill was also restricting the Caps offensively, with four penalties - including uncharacteristically Jereme Tendler's first two penalties of the season - killed in the second period.

In part their special teams was assisted by Edinburgh's misfortune on powerplay and the kind of reluctance to shoot on the man advantage that the Rays have suffered at times this season. Nevertheless, the Rays worked hard to keep the Caps at bay and would end the evening allowing just one goal on ten powerplay opportunities.

At times Stingrays netminder Bowns was the difference on the powerplay, however, he really came into his own in the third period as Edinburgh came out strongly.

Most notably Bowns made two brilliant double saves to keep the Stingrays head at 3-2. He first stopped Les Reaney on the breakaway before reacting to the rebound to stretch and somehow deny Martin Cingel with a kicksave on the rebound. A poor touch from Martin Ondrej later gave Reaney another Edinburgh break, only for Bowns to again deny both attempts.

Edinburgh continued to up the tempo in search of the equaliser and only a very well timed and well controlled puck cycle from Davies, Cloutier and Tendler relieved the pressure on the Stingrays net.

That puck cycle gave the Stingrays bench a momentary rest and would help them temporarily re-establish themselves back in the game.

A soft interference penalty from Caps defenceman Benadik on 50.25 would then prove to the difference in the end as the Rays added their fourth powerplay goal in five attempts through Silverthorn - who added to his unpopularity at Murrayfield with a finish past Hiadlovsky from close in for his second goal of the evening.

Despite adding their fourth goal of the evening, the Rays were forced to continue to weather the storm in the remaining minutes. The Caps called a time-out and pulled Hiadlovsky for the extra outskater Edinburgh and they would pulled one back with 33 seconds remaining through Holecko - who this time fired through a lot of traffic in front of Bowns for his second.

The Caps attacked from the ensuing centre-ice face-off and again set up in the offensive zone with the Rays unable to clear the puck.

However, luckily for the Stingrays, the game was effectively ended as a tie with 11 seconds remaining and the puck in the Rays zone as Reaney stupidly reacted to a legal check from Martin Ondrej - who had been enjoying a running battle with the Caps forward and Tomas Horna.

Reaney received a roughing penalty on the play - and later a ten minute misconduct on the buzzer - to relieve the pressure on the Rays, thus allowing them to close out their second road victory of the season in Scotland and avenging Edinburgh's victory in Hull in late September.

Both sides return to action in Hull tomorrow night (6pm face-off) for their third meeting of the 13/14 season.

FBB Three Stars

1. Ben Bowns (?? saves)

2. Omar Pacha (1+1)

3. Jason Silverthorn (2+0)

Shootout woe continues for Stingrays

Hull Stingrays 4-5 Dundee Stars (SO)

The Hull Stingrays tonight led the Dundee Stars 3-2 and 4-3 but were unable to hold on to their lead, eventually falling to their third loss against the Elite League leaders this season following a penalty shootout.

FBB Three Stars

1. Matty Davies (0+2)

2. Omar Pacha (0+0)

3. Jereme Tendler (2+0)

Tendler becomes Stingrays all-time leading goalscorer in narrow Challenge Cup defeat

Hull Stingrays 4-6 Nottingham Panthers (Challenge Cup)

Forward Jereme Tendler tonight notched a goal to become the Hull Stingrays all-time leading goalscorer but was unable to help his side defeat the Nottingham Panthers in the Challenge Cup as they lost out 6-4 in a tight affair.

With Nottingham - the reigning Challenge Cup champions - already qualified for the Quarter Final stage and the Stingrays all but guaranteed an early exit, the game was something of a dead rubber.

Indeed, the Panthers rested starting netminder Craig Kowalski and forward Lynn Loyns ahead of the start of their Continental Cup campaign, while the Stingrays were without Derek Campbell following his release and suspension last week and Jeff Smith - who received an automatic one-game ban for the match penalty he received in Saturday's victory over Fife.

Facing Nottingham back-up netminder Dan Green, the Stingrays immediately set about testing the British stopper with a series of early shots. Having put in a number of shaky performances in Hull in the past, Green's confidence grew early on as the Rays applied that pressure thanks to two early powerplay opportunities.

The Panthers soon after got their own first powerplay chance of the evening thanks to a Kyle Mariani tripping penalty and they duly and clinically converted for a 1-0 lead. David Clarke picking up a loose pass that had been fired across the Stingrays net before instinctively firing the puck goal bound with Rays netminder Ben Bowns stretching but unable to deny his fellow GB international on 8.19.

An immediate response followed from the Stingrays though as an awful giveaway from Panthers British defenceman Tom Norton gifted the puck to Rays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier - who made no mistake levelling the scores less than 30 seconds later with his first of the season.

Guillaume Doucet then gave the Stingrays a somewhat surprise lead on 10.04, rushing into the zone two-on-two before picking his spot perfectly over the shoulder of Green.

Nottingham responded by controlling the play five-on-five for long periods of the first period with Leigh Salters and the always impressive Matt Francis using a combination of speed and strength to keep the pressure on the Rays in their own end.

The home side did eventually break up the pressure and a great shift from Cloutier on rangy Panthers defenceman Brent Henley eventually forced a great chance for Tendler close in front only for Joonas Saari to deny the opportunity with a clever, perfectly timed infraction.

On the ensuing powerplay the Stingrays were again gifted possession thanks to some sloppy Panthers defending. That allowed a two-on-one Stingrays break only for utility player Mariani to fire his one-timer wide when presented with a gaping net and when it seemed easier to score.

Such is the cruelty of sport, while the Stingrays were ruing a miss that would have put them two goals to the good heading into the first intermission, the Panthers broke and leveled the score through defenceman Chris Murray with less than 30 seconds to play in the period.

The thoroughly enjoyable, 'nothing' game opened up somewhat in the second period as the visitors piled on the pressure five-on-five, only for the Stingrays to determinedly counter-attack - albeit much of the time to little or no effect with a lack of numbers evidently hurting their depth.

The biggest chance of what was a penalty strewn secondperiod for the Rays - with Martin Ondrej picking up a ten minute misconduct for abuse of an official when disputing an earlier call - again fell to Cloutier - who shot his one-timer the wrong side of the post when left open shorthanded.

Former Hull Thunder forward Jonathan Weaver would then give the Panthers a deserved second period lead on 31.43, firing home a point shot on a well oiled Nottingham powerplay for a 3-2 lead.

As the period wore down Jason Silverthorn - who registered a two point night and four point weekend - broke through one-on-one on Dan Green only to be denied by the British netminder - who stopped 23 or 27 shots on the night.

Though there had already been noticeable improvements in the opening two periods from the Stingrays on recent weeks, they further stepped their game up in the third period and took the game to the away side.

It took them just 40 seconds of the third period to equalise on a penalty taken by Salters late in the second with a rebound from a Silverthorn pointshot falling to that man Tendler.

Picking the rebound up in an awkward position almost with his back to net, Tendler backhanded the puck goal bound, beating Green for his fifth goal in five consecutive games and, more significantly, his 139th goal in 181 games in Hull Stingrays colours.

That goal put daylight between Tendler and former fan favourite Jeff Glowa - on 138 goals - to make the the Saskatchewan native the Stingrays all-time leading goal scorer.

Not only has Tendler broken the record but he has done so in a significantly shorter period, hitting the mark in 181 games and three and a quarter seasons as opposed to Glowa's 304 games - still a Stingrays record - and six seasons.

Stingrays All-Time Leading Goalscorers 

1. Jereme Tendler - 139 (181 games)

2. Jeff Glowa - 138 (304 games)

3. Jason Silverthorn - 96 (227 games)

4. Konstantin Kalmikov - 78 (166 games)

5. Slava Koulikov - 66 (227 games)

*Source: Elite Prospects

Ignoring the record, the Panthers struck back less than two minutes later as Brandon Benedict was left unmarked in the slot on the powerplay to polish off another well worked powerplay goal as they went three-for-six on the man advantage on the night.

The Stingrays would hit the post through Guillaume Doucet before finding their third and final equaliser of the night.

Having been caught by a stick mid-ice on what he believed should've been an infraction, Carl Lauzon - who, it has to be said, has so far struggled in his early Stingrays career - determinedly skated through the Panthers with speed but at relative ease and coolly slotted home for a powerplay goal that leveled the score at 4-4.

The goal is just Lauzon's second in nine games for the Stingrays, however, more is expected from a player that has consistently been a top scorer in the French top flight over the last three seasons.

Shortly after tying the score, Lauzon and fellow French-Canadian Doucet broke through two-on-one only to be denied a sure-fire goal thanks to a perfectly timed block from the Panthers last defenceman that prevented the puck finding Lauzon at the back post.

After missing a number of big chances throughout the game, the Stingrays were made to pay by the powerful and clinical Panthers in the last ten minutes - despite outplaying them for periods in the third.

Stingrays captain Matt Suderman initially thwarted a charge at the net by Panthers forward Salters, only for his poke-check to force the puck into the path of experienced centre Bob Wren - who fired home the Panthers fifth of the evening and eventual game winning goal.

The goal broke the Stingrays determined spirit with seven minutes to play and, in a subdued final five minutes, Salters would eventually get his goal with just over two minutes to play.

The victory all-but clinches Challenge Cup Group B for the Panthers and eliminates the Stingrays from quarter final contention with three games yet to play.

Despite that and the end result on the night, there are undoubtedly positives to take from the Stingrays performance both tonight and the 4-1 win over Fife last night.

There has been a noted improvement in performance and desire over the last week - perhaps partially a case of fighting against the adversity caused by last weekend's Derek Campbell incident.

Regardless of why, the Stingrays must maintain that momentum heading into next weekend as the Dundee Stars return to the Hull Arena less than two weeks after the Campbell incident.

FBB Three Stars

1. Omar Pacha (0+1)

2. Martin Ondrej (0+0)

3. Guillaume Doucet (1+0)

Stingrays third period comeback falls short again amid off-ice chaos

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.

FBB Three Stars

1. Derek Campbell (0+0)

2. Omar Pacha (0+0)

3. Jereme Tendler (1+0)

Hiadlovsky condemns Stingrays to fourth defeat

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.

FBB Three Stars

1. Omar Pacha (1+0)

2. Matty Davies (0+1)

3. Jamie Chilcott (0+0)

Stingrays let three goal lead slip in Challenge Cup defeat to Cardiff

Hull Stingrays 3-4 Cardiff Devils

The Hull Stingrays tonight led the Cardiff Devils 3-0 after just 22 minutes, only for the Welsh side to strike back with four consecutive second period goals and to eventually hold on to a 4-3 Challenge Cup Group B win.

On balance, it was a deserved victory for the visitors - who were forced to dress back-up netminder Joe Myers with starting netminder Dan Lacosta injured and loan signing Greg Blais unable to play against his parent club - as they dominated from the opening face-off and for large parts of the opening two periods.

In fact, the Devils came out so strongly that it took the home side 12 minutes to muster their first meaningful possession.

Ben Bowns time and again denied the Devils during their opening siege on the Rays net in a wonderful first period performance. Nevertheless, for all their chances and possession in the opening half of the period, it would be the the Stingrays that would open the scoring after just one shot.

The Rays first real puck possession came courtesy of Derek Campbell, Jason Silverthorn and debutant Carl Lauzon - who cycled the puck between themselves in the Cardiff zone - before Silverthorn drew a penalty from Devils defecenamn Brad Plumton.

On the ensuing powerplay, an Omar Pacha point shot was blocked high up before falling at the feet of former Devil Silverthorn - who one timed the Rays first shot of the game past Myers for a 1-0 lead.

Having waited 13 minutes for a shot, the Stingrays made it near enough two goals in two shots just 71 seconds later as Matty Davies was put in on the breakaway by a long pass from the defensive end by Guillaume Doucet.

Davies miscontrolled the puck as he broke in on the Devils net but, having waited so long for his first shot of the night only to immediately allow a goal, netminder Myers was understandably indecisive about coming for the puck, eventually allowing a diving Davies to bizarrely chip the puck home from close in for a 2-0 lead.

Unbelievably and quite against the run of play, the Stingrays now fortuitously led thanks to some brilliant netminding in their own end and relatively poor netminding at the other.

It truly was a tale of two netminders as GB international Bowns stopped all 14 first period shots thrown at him, while opposite number Myers allowed two goals on just four shots - with at least one of the two saves he made a debatable shot on goal.

Following the first period it was patently clear to the Devils that, in order to win the game, they simply had to protect their netminder better and that would become much more obvious as the game wore on.

Nevertheless, despite again coming out strongly, that wouldn't stop the Stingrays taking a 3-0 lead just 2.49 into the second period. With captain Matt Suderman sitting a roughing penalty, Campbell was put through on a shorthanded breakaway, following a Bowns save and an outlet pass from Martin Ondrej, and outwaited the Cardiff netminder to net the Rays third of the night.

That would be as good as it got for the Rays in both the second period and in the game though as their opponents intense and physical style of play soon paid off.

First, Phil Hill notched a powerplay goal on 35.17 before two goals from standout Cardiff forward Andrew Lord - with what turned out to be the game winning goal in the final minute of the period - and another from Chris Blight as the Devils finally made the Stingrays pay

Bowns was given no chance on any of the Cardiff goals with his defence too often collapsing on top of him, allowing the Devils to set up in the zone and create traffic in front, making it difficult for the netminder to pick up on the puck with at least two of the goals long range efforts from the blueline.

The 4-3 advantage the Devils held heading into the third was no more than they deserved, in fact there is an argument to say that had it not been for the varying quality in netminding at both ends the scoreline would have looked a lot diffierent as the final 20 minutes began.

Regardless, the Stingrays finally came out of their shells somewhat in the third period and started to show some offensive capabilities but came up against a determined Cardiff side that dug in defensively.

Arguably the highlight of the night came on 44 minutes as Martin Ondrej levelled Cardiff enforcer Andrew Conboy - who took up the role of pantomime villain for the evening - in a lovely open ice hit close to the team benches

The game became increasingly chippy as the third period wore on and Sylvain Cloutier's side were given a number of powerplay opportunities - having had just one in the opening 40 minutes - but were unable to level.

Despite coming up against an inexperienced back-up, far too often the Rays elected not to shoot and instead attempt to set up the one timer or a perfect play low down. On the occasions they did shoot, they either fired wide or the committed Cardiff defence put their bodies in the way and blocked the shot.

The home side were again outshot in the third period, giving the Devils a 42-17 shot advantage overall, however, but for the Stingrays resistance to shooting and the shots blocked by the Devils, the outcome of the shots on goal and, indeed, the game may have been different.

As Cardiff looked to close out the game on a 5-on-3 - with Bowns then pulled for a 6-on-3 - Plumton dropped the gloves with Stingrays forward Campbell in a nothing scuffle with both falling to the floor before another Devil got involved. Suderman - who earlier received a ten-minute misconduct penalty was incensed at referee James Ashton as the final buzzer went and there were clearly some calls that the Stingrays bench were unhappy with but few could have complaints about the final result on the night.

One of the few positives for Cloutier may be that this was a Challlenge Cup fixture and, although they were able to qualify for the Quarter Finals last season at the demise of Cardiff, they may prefer to focus on their league and conference campaign.

Regardless, Cloutier will surely have wanted to have seen a better performance from his side - particularly offensively against a back-up netminder - and they will have to improve heading into Wednesday's Challenge Cup fixture in Sheffield against the Steelers - who will be wanting to rebound for a costly defeat to in form Dundee tonight.

FBB Three Stars

1. Ben Bowns (38 saves)

2. Martin Ondrej (0+1)

3. Kyle Mariani (0+0)