Excel Hull Stingrays 3-3 Cardiff Devils
After 186 long and turbulent days away the Excel Hull Stingrays finally returned to the ice tonight coming back from 3-1 down to tie 3-3 with the Cardiff Devils in Challenge Cup Group B.
The Stingrays were welcomed onto the ice by more than 1000 home fans at an impressively packed Hull Arena but made a quiet, awkward start to the game as a well drilled and match fit Cardiff side, who were without Brad Voth, dominated much of the play in an, at times, scrappy first period.
A number of penalties were handed out to both sides before Craig Mitchell's second of the game proved costly for the Stingrays as the Devils pressure finally paid off with Tylor Michel netting the only goal of the period on the powerplay.
While threatening and undoubtedly hard working going forward, it was only on the powerplay that the Devils looked truly threatening. Nevertheless, it was largely thanks to Stingrays new keeper Christian Boucher that Cardiff were not further ahead particularly after pressure on the powerplay, the Ontario native absorbing shot after shot, eventually accumulating a man of the match worthy 23 first period saves.
Playing a solid road game Cardiff continued their slight superiority over the home side in the second thanks to their continued dogged determination going forward and, although the Rays gradually improved as the game went on, the Devils netted again after 7 minutes, this time through Phil Hill who pounced after some poor defensive positional play.
In response, the home side then netted their first of the year less than two minutes later. In an impressive first showing for the club, newly installed captain Kurtis Dulle picked out a pin point defence splitting pass to put debutant Finn Matti Uusivirta through on a breakaway for his first in a Rays jersey and the clubs first of the year.
That only served to make an already hard working Devils side more determined and just before the halfway point of the game Jon Pelle somewhat deservedly added the Devils third and his tenth goal of the year.
The turning point of the game then quickly followed as a scrum in front Boucher - in which defenceman Jozef Sladok grabbed Devils scorer Pelle - saw Cardiff tough guy Justin Sawyer, who was presumably coming in to protect his smaller, more skilled team mate, receive a 5+game for sucker punching 6'5 Kris Grundmanis in what was probably a case of mistaken identity of the similarly sized Slovakian Sladok.
Mistaken or not, the gloved punch cross shove knocked the Latvian to the ground and into Bouchers crease leaving referee Andy Carson no option but to hand out a match changing game penalty.
Minus a defenceman, the Devils remained relatively solid and closed out the second period happy with a two goal lead but naturally looking to add more.
Two goals down, the Stingrays needed a big period both offensively and defensively to salvage anything from a game they had failed to provide that cutting edge in, despite working hard to create chances.
That determined style of play then paid off after 48 minutes. Tireless Stingrays forechecking saw a Devils mistake give the puck to returning Brit Ryan Lake in the slot, who shot low through Stevie Lyle's five hole to evoke memories and a remarkably similar celebration to the goal he scored in his last season of hockey in the 05/06 EPL Cup Final.
That goal revitalised Sylvain Cloutier's side and it would be Cloutier himself that would score a scrappy game tying goal less than 120 seconds later on a delayed penalty and, although his side hit the post late late on, the sizeable home crowd went happy with a point in an even game that the Devils may have been disappointed to draw.
It was an encouraging first showing from the Stingrays, however, as perhaps expected, the whole team appeared a little rusty- in particular Jason Silverthon who was late in to the week long training camp - and Cloutier will be the first to admit that there is still work to be done before the Rays are the finished article.
Of course, for many in attendance the important thing was not the result but the fact that their team is back on the ice at all.
Next weekend the Stingrays are without a home fixture as they travel to Scotland for a Scottish double header with fixtures in Braehead, against the newly formed Clan, on Saturday and Edinburgh on Sunday.
Rays rating: 6
Stingray goalscorers: Matti Uusivirta, Sylvain Cloutier, Ryan Lake
Cardiff goalscorers: Phil Hill, Tylor Michel, Jon Pelle
SOG: 29-46
PIM: 16-43
Stingrays FBB Three Stars: 1: Christian Boucher (46 shots, 3 goals against), 2: Kurtis Dulle (0+1), 3: Lee Mitchell (0+1)
