Sunday 16th November: Five straight goals seals Capitals second consecutive win over Rays.

Edinburgh 7-3 Excel Hull Stingrays

The Excel Hull Stingrays conceed 6+ goals for the second time in three games and more importantly for the second consecutive game against the 8th placed Edinburgh Capitals in Scotland on Sunday night.

The Stingrays started off the stronger team as Jeff Glowa scored his thrid goal in two minutes of regulation play, after his two in the last minute of the Ray game on Saturday night against Cardiff, with a goal after just 33 seconds.

Glowa scored a second, after Stuart Kerr had opened his goal scoring account for the season (although the goal has since been changed to a Jeff Glowa goal, marking a hat trick), taking the score to 3-2 after just 26 minutes of play, however that is as close as the Rays came to victory. Five consecutive goals, including two from Martin Cingel who sealed his hat trick in the closing seconds, handed the Capitals the win and a three point weekend after a shootout loss over Basingstoke on Saturday night.

Further bad news for the Stingrays came in Coventry as Basingstoke recorded a 4-1 victory over the league leading Blaze team with just 12 outskaters. Their four point weekend, as well as Edinburghs three point weekend, leaves the Stingrays rock bottom of the Elite League with just 11 points, three from ninth placed Basingstoke and five points from eigth placed Edinburgh.

The Stingrays next games come in the form of an away double header against Manchester on Saturday night and Nottingham on Sunday night with points a must for the bottom placed Stingrays.

0.33 0-1 Jeff Glowa (13th) (Mitchell, Slonina)
12.49 1-1 Martin Cingel

23.26 2-1 David Nimmo SHG
24.11 2-2 Stuart Kerr (1st) PPG (Slonina)
26.38 2-3 Jeff Glowa (14th) SHG
28.14 3-3 Mark Hurtubise
34.51 4-3 Andrej Rajcak PPG

44.08 5-3 Martin Cingel PPG
47.05 6-3 Andrej Rajcak
59.39 7-3 Martin Cingel Hat Trick

SOG: 37-41
PIM: 10-16
MOM: Stingrays- Glowa Capitals- Rajcak

Saturday 15th November: Rays net three in last five minutes to steal a point.

Excel Hull Stingrays 3-4 Cardiff Devils (After Shootout)

Two Jeff Glowa goals with less than a minute to go secured the Excel Hull Stingrays a point against the Cardiff Devils at the Hull Arena on Saturday night.

The Stingrays, who trailed by three Cardiff goals from Mike Prpich, Jason Silverthorn and Jay Latulippe, scored what many expected to be a consolation goal through Konstantin Kalmikov with less than five minutes left on the clock. However to everyones surprise the Rays pulled one back in the last minute through Jeff Glowa with Curtis Cruickshank pulled for the extra skater. Less than 19 seconds later and the game was tied at three as Glowa again benefited from some lax Cardiff defending to score his team leading 12th of the season.

The game went into overtime and then a shootout before a Mike Prpich penalty shot and a Stingrays miss handed the Devils the extra point

Coach Rick Strachan however was pleased with the unexpected point:

"We looked down and out at 3-0 but we got a goal back and the bench woke up. We showed a lot of character towards the end of the game. It's always nice to pick up a point. Two would have been better but we have to be happy with what we got and if we can get a win in Edinburgh tomorrow night it will have been a good weekend.

The Stingrays now move on to a fixture in Edinburgh tonight with revenge on the cards after the Capitals 6-1 record away victory at the Hull Arena last weekend. Edinburgh current sit in 8th place in the Elite League, three points ahead of the Stingrays, after a shootout loss against 9th placed Basingstoke last night.

15th/16th Weekend Preview

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15/11/08 Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) v Cardiff Devils (7th) @ Hull Arena, F/O 5.30pm

16/11/08 Edinburgh Capitals (8th) v Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) @ Murrayfield Ice Rink, F/O 6pm

Form
Stingrays- W W L L L
Cardiff- L L W W L
Edinburgh- W L W W L

Last 3 Meetings
v Cardiff
02/03/08 2-3 PSL H
16/03/08 5-3 W H
13/09/08 1-6 L A

v Edinburgh
23/08/09 3-2 OTW A
24/09/08 4-2 W H
08/11/08 1-6 L H

Rays record v Cardiff @ Hull Arena (6 games)
Wins: 2
GF: 19

Rays record @ Murrayfield Ice Rink (9 games)
Wins: 3
GF: 21

In form
Stingrays- Konstantin Kalmikov- Scored Stingrays lone goal against Edinburgh last weekend.
Cardiff- Derek Campbell- Recorded a hat trick against the Edinburgh Capitals last Sunday.
Edinburgh- David Nimmo- Has socred 7 points in last 8 games.

Absentees
Stingrays- Pavel Gomenyuk (doubtful;back), Troy Neumeier (torn ligaments), Slava Koulikov (broken collarbone)
Cardiff- Brad Voth (doubtful; upper body), Marc Fulton (awaiting arrival)
Edinburgh- Pasi Raitanen (doubtful; back), Jeff Hutchins (joined Newcastle, EIHL)

Other stuff
- The Stingrays need just one goal to hit 200 goals in their two and a half year spell in the Elite League
- The Stingrays 6-1 loss against Edinburgh last weekend was the Scottish sides record away victory in the Elite League.

Predicitons
Stingrays 3-4 Cardiff
Edinburgh 2-4 Stingrays

12th November Preview

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Wednesday 12th November: Coventry Blaze(1st) v Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) @ Coventry Skydome, F/O 7.45pm

Form
Stingrays- L W W L L
Coventry- W W W W W

Last 3 Meetings
09/02/08 2-3 L A
20/09/08 0-2 L H
12/10/08 3-7 L A

Rays record @ Coventry Skydome (7 games)
Wins: 1 (24/09/06: 1st game @ Coventry)
Goals scored: 10

Players to watch

Stingrays- Steve Slonina- Slonina produced one of his best performances in a Stingrays shirt to date in the 6-1 loss against the Edinburgh Capitals. As a result of injuries to Pavel Gomenyuk and Troy Neumeier, Slonina, who started his career as a defenceman before converting to forward when he turned pro, was forced to cover on defence and put in a good display in a disappointing Stingrays performance. With three goals and eight assists in 11 games for the Stingrays, he will be hoping that he can put in another of those performances tonight against the league leaders.

Coventry- Jonathan Weaver- Former Hull Thunder forward Weaver, who has just returned from a disapointing Olympic qualifying with Great Britain, has been one of the top British players for several years now. The forward turned defenceman has enjoy huge success with the Blaze since he made the switch from his native Newcastle last season, winning both the league and British Knockout Cup in his first season with the club whilst establishing himself as a key performer for GB, he has continued that form this season with 25 points in 18 games so far.

Absentees
Stingrays- Pavel Gomenyuk (rib), Troy Neumeier (torn ligaments), Slava Koulikov (broken collarbone)

Prediction
Coventry 5-1 Stingrays

Saturday 8th November: Capitals crunch woeful Stingrays

Excel Hull Stingrays 1-6 Edinburgh Capitals

The Excel Hull Stingrays produced one of their poorest performances of the season in front of their home fans on Saturday at the Hull Arena against an Edinburgh Capitals side that the Rays will, come the end of the season, be closely fighting for a playoff spot with and an Edinburgh side that the Stingrays had beaten in both of their encounters this season.

The Stingrays began the game the wrong way if they wished to make it three out of three as the Capitals soon enough stormed into a two goal lead with markers from two Mark's. Mark Garside opened the scoring with a single handed move which saw him ghost through the weakened Stingrays defence and finish top shelf before Mark Hurtubise doubled the lead for the Scottish side, who have recently beaten Newcastle in a home and away double.

With the Stingrays powerplay ineffective and with both, players and fans becoming increasingly agitated by referee Andy Carson, the Stingrays coach Rick Strachan received a game misconduct for an outburst towards Carson. From there on in, with Stingrays assistant coach Slava Koulikov at the helm and minus defencemen Pavel Gomenyuk and Troy Neumeier, the Stingrays leaked goals with a Jeff Glowa goal the only bright spark in a second period that finished 5-1 in favour of the Caps.

The third period was a formality for both sides with Edinburgh adding a goal to the scoreline and the Stingrays continuing their inefficiency going forward, despite out shooting the Capitals 23-4. One of those nights for the Stingrays was completed with a spot of fighting with less than five minutes remaining on the clock, Stuart Kerr and the Capitals Adam Stefishen the willing combatants.

In the end it was the Stingrays inability to both defend and attack (I'm sure your aware of the importance of both of those things in ice hockey) that cost the Stingrays with the powerplay inefficiency(with no conversions from ten powerplays) and little if any defensive coverage for netminder Curtis Cruickshank, who went off late in the third with an apparent injury.

In a four pointer the Capitals took away the points, and in doing so put the Stingrays three points a drift in ninth place, on equal points with Basingstoke in last place with the only positive being that the Rays have three games in hand on both clubs. The Rays take to the ice this Wednesday with a fixture in Coventry, against the Blaze.


Best moment: Jamie Thompson's huge hit on A. Capital. Mark Garside's goal for the Capitals.

Worst moment: Jamie Thompson's huge check from behind which deservedly received 2+10. Edinburgh scoring their fifth and sixth, breaking their record for goals away from home in the Elite League.

F Block Blog MOM- Stingrays- Steve Slonina, Edinburgh- Jeff Hutchins

Stingrays verdict- (2/10)- Although the Rays were without Pavel Gomenyuk, Troy Neumeier and Slava Koulikov, as well as coach Rick Strachan for two periods, after three weeks of solid results, including wins over both Newcastle and Belfast, the quiet home crowd expected two points. Instead they got a terrible showing which, despite out shooting the Capitals 48-31, did little to encourage the fans that their recent form was little more than luck. The Stingrays powerplay was woeful, defensively they were poor and offensively, despite the 43 shots, they weren't much better.

Strachans verdict:"We were already a couple of guys short and we didn't help ourselves by making stupid decisions which saw us 3-0 down. We got back in the game, gained some momentum and were all over them. But instead of going in at the end of the second period maybe 3-2 behind, we made some more stupid mistakes and it's 5-1 and game over. It was one of those nights."

8th November Weekend Preview

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Saturday 8th November: Excel Hull Stingrays (9th) v Edinburgh Capitals (8th) @ Hull Arena, F/O 5.30pm

Form
Stingrays- L L W W L
Edinburgh- L L W L W

Last 3 Meetings
08/03/08 5-2 W A
23/09/08 3-2 OTW A
24/09/08 4-2 W H

Players to watch
Stingrays- Konstantin Kalmikov (6GP 3+5 0PIM)
Edinburgh- Mark Hurtubise (22GP 7+21 12PIM)

Absentees
Stingrays- Pavel Gomenyuk (back), Slava Koulikov (broken collarbone)
Edinburgh- Kyle Horne (International duty)

Predictions
Stingrays 4-3 Edinburgh

Stingray news.

- Stingrays defenceman, Pavel Gomenyuk, was injured in his first shift on Sunday night against the Sheffield Steelers. He is thought to have missed the majority of the game with a back injury, although it is unclear at the moment whether he will ice this weekend against Edinburgh.

- The Stingrays game against the Belfast Giants in Northern Ireland, on Sunday, has been cancelled. The match, which would have pit the Stingrays against the side they beat 6-3 last Saturday, is thought to have been cancelled by the EIHL due to international call-ups for Great Britains Olympic Qualifiers this week.

- Lee Mitchell, the Stingrays leading British pointscorer with three goals and seven assists in 18 games, is on the reserved list for Great Britains Olympic Qualifiers in Poland this week. Team GB kick off with a game against host side, Poland, on Thursday, before games against Japan and Romania for the right to qualify for the next round.

- Coach Rick Strachan has put new forward, Jamie Thompson's, pointless weekend down to fitness after the Canadian recorded just two penalty minutes in games against Sheffield and Belfast this weekend. Thompson, who came in to replace Rick Kozak, will be expected to score goals and put up points for the Stingrays, something he didn't do this weekend:

"I think Jamie has got a lot to offer the team. He was nowhere near match fitness. When he is I believe he will make a huge contribution to the team. He's a solid player, he's got some good hands and he can hit hard. He's very patient with the puck and will create a lot of offence." said Strachan.

Evidence of his goalscoring may not have been felt by the team, however Scott Basiuk certainly felt his ability to throw a hit, with a huge hit early in the first period which left a big impression on home fans.

- Jeff Glowa has walked away with the fans voted, player of the month for October. Glowa, who recorded five goals and five assists in seven games in October, walked away with the title ahead of forward Matt Reynolds and departed forward Rick Kozak.

Sunday 2nd November: Excel Hull Stingrays 1-2 Sheffield Steelers

2.49: 0-1 Talbot

27.48: 1-1 Kostadine

46.38: 1-2 Talbot

MOM: Stingrays- , Steelers- Brad Cruikshank

PIM: 4-6

SOG: 23-37

Stat of the night?

Konstantine Kalmikov- 5 games played, 3 goals, 5 assists for 8 points and 0 penalty minutes.

IN COMPARISON TO WHO HE REPLACED:

Jake Riddle- 9 games played, 2 goals, 2 assists for 4 points and 52 penalty minutes.

Saturday 1st November: Belfast Giants 3-6 Excel Hull Stingrays (In 3rd)

1.46: 0-1 Kalmikov (Reynolds, Wilson)
3.48: 1-1 Shields (Cheverie)

21.05: 1-2 Kalmikov (Reynolds, Mitchell)
32.36: 1-3 Slonina
35.39: 1-4 Reynolds (Slonina, Neumeier)

43.56: 2-4 Martin (Deniset)
49.11: 2-5 Kostadine (Cooke, Gomenyuk)
49.35: 3-5 Cheverie (Thornton, Howells)
59.23: 3-6 Reynolds (Kostadine, Cooke)

-Curtis Cruikshank won the battle of the goalies, facing 40 shots letting in 3, whilst GB netminder Stevie Lyle, in Belfasts net, let in 5 from 24 shots.

- Matt Reynolds ended the night with 4 points, Konstantin Kalmikov scored 2 goals, Jason Kostadine had a goal and an assists and James Cooke recorded 2 assists.

- The Stingrays recorded just their second victory in Northern Ireland, and their first at the Odeyssy Arena in Belfast.