Excel Hull Stingrays 4-3 Edinburgh Capitals
The Excel Hull Stingrays tonight eked out their first win in nine games and just their second in 16 games as they defeated the Edinburgh Capitals at the Hull Arena by four goals to three.
Goals from Lee Esders, Adam Knight, who struck for the second time in two games, and a double from Konstantin Kalmikov, including the winner with less than five minutes remaining, gave the Stingrays a slim one-goal victory over the sixth placed Capitals.
Lee Mitchell made a successful return to action, bagging an assist on Esders second minute goal, in a game which he iced with defenceman brother Craig for the first time in his professional career.
Notable statistical performances in this game came from Kalmikov, who obviously notched two more goals to his tally, George Halkidis, who claimed two assists, Lee Mitchell and Adam Knight, who has hit back at a number of criticisms with a series of impressive performances, recording a goal and an assist tonight.
The win sees the Stingrays move off the bottom spot for the first time in over a month after the news that last seasons double winners, the Sheffield Steelers, were being soundly beaten 6-2 by their fierce rivals in Nottingham.
More important than moving off bottom spot is that Sylvain Cloutier's side grabbed the two points on offer and that his side has finally begun to show signs of evolving as they creep to full capacity, after two months of under performing while understrength.
Match Highlights:
SOG: 41-38
PIM: 12-8
