Newcastle Vipers 3-2 Excel Hull Stingrays
After a last minute 3-2 win against Nottingham last Sunday, the Stingrays found themselves on the other side of the fence on Saturday in Newcastle in what was the first of a double header.
After going two goals down via Jeff Hutchins and former Stingray Rob Rankin, who scored his fourth point in four games against his former employers, the Stingrays came back from a two goal deficit for the second time in two games.
The comeback commenced when, also for the second game in a row, Konstantin Kalmikov dispatched a penalty shot after referee Tom Darnell awarded a penalty for a Vipers player blocking and covering a shot on the line.
Kalmikov recorded his 16th of the season from the ensuing penalty shot before Lee Esders levelled the scores for the Rays, scoring his fourth of the season.
Unfortunately this time the Stingrays could not benefit from the momentum gained and Andre Payette was allowed to score his third of the season and second against the Stingrays sealing a tight victory for the Vipers.
SOG: 30-26
PIM: 10-6
