Cardiff Devils 7-4 Hull Stingrays
The Excel Hull Stingrays Challenge Cup hopes tonight suffered a blow as they went down by seven goals to four in Cardiff after conceding three goals in less than three second period minutes.
A first goal for Jozef Sladok and another marker from Konstantin Kalmikov had given the Rays a 2-1 first period lead before Cardiff levelled through coach Gerad Adams just prior to the first break after initially taking the lead through Max Birbraer five minutes in.
The Rays then collapsed, effectively handing the Devils the two points, by allowing three goals in just over 150 seconds with Tylor Michel netting a double after Birbraer had netted his second of the game.
Sylvain Cloutier's side showed brief signs of a resurgence at the beginning of the third, scoring on 44 and 45 minutes through on form goalscorers Matti Uusivirta and Jereme Tendler.
However, a third double of the night for Cardiff, this time from Jon Pelle, sealed a 7-4 Challenge Cup win in favour of the Welsh side.
Rays scorers: Sladok, Kalmikov, Uusivirta, Tendler
Cardiff scorers: Birbraer (2), Pelle (2), Adams, Michel (2)
SOG: 44-28
PIM: 30-22
