Opening the P&O Channel Cup, the Excel Hull Stingrays just edged Dutch champions, the Tilburg Trappers, in what was a heated and physical second game of pre-season for the Rays.
In a game which the Rays frequently had their Dutch counterparts under heavy pressure, Adam Knight opened the scoring with his first goal for the team after six minutes, as he wheeled around the outside of the Trappers defence before cutting inside and slotting past former NHL netminder Yukata Fukufuji in the Tilburg goal.
The game was chippy from the off, as the Rays played a typically aggressive style under Sylvain Cloutier, although it was assistant coach Curtis Huppe, one of the teams skilled players, that began with a bee under his bonnet as he received a roughing penalty, already his second of the game after just seven minutes, for throwing a gloved punch following the Rays opening goal.
Further chances fell to the home side, with Kalmikov and Glowa combining well whilst shorthanded to force a glove save from Japanese international Fukufuji in a low butterfly position. Kalmikov again challenged the netminder on the buzzer but the period ended with just a single goal separating the sides.
The second period began with spells of very scrappy play as both sides tried to get to grips with the game, although the physicality of the match continued in the same vein, most notably with Lee Esders upending a Trapper before a retaliatory check came flying in. Adam Knight picked up an obligatory two minute minor for having select words with the Trapper in question for picking on 5'7 Hull born Esders.
However, with James Hutchinson also sitting a minor, the Rays found themselves defending a 5-on-3, and it was on this penalty kill that Tommy Sandahl's shutout as a Stingray ended at 91 minutes, as Rody Jacobs levelled for Tilburg.
Six minutes later and more penalties followed. A scuffle, again involving Curtis Huppe, who was binned for the third time in the game, ended with the Stingrays enforcer-turned-goalscorer, Adam Knight, and Tilburg's Mark Donders dropping the gloves. Knight, something of a veteran fighter, left the Dutchman with a cut above his left eye and probably a fair share of regret for the actions that lead to the short fight as Knight easily knocked the 6'0 forward to the ground.
That fight spurred the Rays into action with two quick goals extending the scoreline three goals to one. Firstly Jeff Glowa netted his second in two games on a 4-on-3 powerplay on 38 minutes before Matt Reynolds bagged a deserved goal in his man of the match performance as he persevered through a number of Trappers defencemen and rocketed a shot over the shoulder of Fukufuji just before the second break.
The Trappers came out fighting in the third with a somewhat fortuitous quickfire Josh Liebenow double in the space of six minutes leveling the scores and with momentum very much on the side of the Dutch.
However, the Rays re-applied the pressure, and they were eventually rewarded for their superiority in the match, which saw them fire 46 shots on Fukufuji to Tilburg's 24 shots on Tommy Sandahl, with a winner with six minutes remaining.
Shaun Thompson's second goal in two games, a scrappy effort in a scramble in front of the Trappers net, saw off the Dutch side and gave the Rays a second win in two games ahead of a match against Elite League rivals the Nottingham Panthers on Monday. The Trappers, who, with just a couple of training sessions under their belt, showed the makings of a good squad, go on to face the Panthers tomorrow afternoon (3.30) before they return home.
Stingray Stats
Matt Reynolds 1+1, Jeff Glowa, Shaun Thompson and Adam Knight 1+0, James Hutchinson and Konstantin Kalmikov 0+2, Sylvain Cloutier, Slava Koulikov and Pavel Gomenyuk 0+1.
Tommy Sandahl: 24 shots/3 goals allowed.
Best Parts
Adam Knight showing that he can both intimidate, fight and score, big hits from the majority of the squad, including a crowd pleasing hip check from Pavel Gomenyuk, a solid performance.
Worst Parts
Again the amount of penalties the team conceded (and again in a friendly) leaving them open to two powerplay goals, a few nervy moments at the back, occasional goal shyness.
F Block Blog MOM
Stingrays: Matt Reynolds (1+2) Although Reynolds was far from average last season, as one of the team's best performers, he looked like a different player, perhaps one of the first few signs of the change in coaching. He produced a fit and tenacious performance that did not go unnoticed, particularly given how many hits he threw in comparison to last season. He was well worth his goal.
Tilburg: Josh Liebenow (2+0) Like much of the Tilburg side, he impressed, especially after just a couple of training sessions with his new side, after moving from Germany in the summer. Given a lack of familiarity with his teammates, he linked well and showed good touches, whilst his finishes gave the Trappers a respectable one goal loss.
Stingrays Verdict: 7/10
This game gave the Rays fanbase a first look at their 09/10 squad and they all impressed in some form.
Adam Knight and Tommy Sandahl once again stood out, for their solid goalscoring and goal saving abilities respectively, whilst Shaun Thompson scored his second goal in two games for the Rays, following up an impressive season in Basingstoke with a good start to this term.
If anything, coach Sylvain Cloutier and his assistant Curtis Huppe are the only players that have yet failed to significantly register on the scoresheet, when expected, although their worth, particularly tonight, was incredibly visible to home fans in their hard work and desire to get on the scoresheet and win.
Konstantin Kalmikov made his first appearance of the season and, sporting a new Troy Neumeier-esque helmet, continued where he left off, with his usual flawless skating, strong shot and determination plus-some. That plus-some came, like Matt Reynolds, in the form of an aggressive streak with the number of times he threw himself into hits. In contrast to last season, and his Ukrainian reputation, Kalmikov, who once had a fight with Andre Payette, was showed no fear when the physicality of the game intensified.
Matty Davies saw his opportunities limited by Kalmikov's return but he did ice semi-regularly and, like on Wednesday night, didn't let himself down.
Finally, the defence looked solid. Ryan Jorde, although not the fastest, may remind fans of a match fit Stuart Kerr, Stephen Burns continues to show why he was handed a university deal, with his offensive bursts, whilst on the British side of things, James Hutchinson was good, recording two assists, and Craig Mitchell was defensively solid.
Cloutier's Comments
"The guys showed character and found a way to win. Obviously you don't like to give up a two goal lead at home in the last period, but it's early in the season and it was a case of getting the cobwebs out, that's what pre-season games are for. Tilburg are a very strong side, they skated well, were very organised and not afraid to mix it up."
