Excel Hull Stingrays 2-3 Nottingham Panthers
The Excel Hull Stingrays pushed the Nottingham Panthers all the way tonight at the Hull Arena but the home side couldn't quite do enough to overturn the Panthers in a 3-2 defeat.
Coming off the back of a defeat in the North East to Newcastle, the Rays, who were without both Lee and Craig Mitchell, faced a massive task against a visiting Nottingham side that trounced Dundee 12-2 the night before at the NIC.
However, as unlikely as it may have seemed given those circumstance, the home side produced a very good performance that was easily worth an Elite League point.
For once the Rays began as they meant to go on, testing Nottingham netminder Craig Kowalski suspiciously easily early on and they continue to that right throughout the game very rarely easing up on the forecheck.
In front of another very healthy home crowd, boosted by good numbers from Nottingham, the Rays then took the lead as Matty Davies netted for the second time this weekend on the powerplay firing through Kowalski's five hole.
In recent games the Stingrays have conceded at crucial times and that was once again the case tonight as Billy Ryan coasted through an improved Rays defence to net the equaliser past Christian Boucher 39 seconds before the end of the second.
A second period powerplay strike from Ian McDonald, who redirected a Corey Neilson shot from the blueline, five minutes after the break then gave the Panthers the lead, only for Jason Silverthorn to quickly fire home his third of the year to register the Rays second powerplay marker of the game.
The next goal would be the Panthers own second powerplay goal of the game nearly seven minutes into the third period, Jade Galbraith netting from the blueline on the man advantage for what would be the eventual game winning goal.
Having been severely tested right throughout the game by a Rays side almost unrecognisable from the side that took to the ice 24 hours earlier at Whitley Bay, the Panthers then shut down, defensively sitting four players on the blueline in order to protect their slender lead.
That tactic made it difficult for a tiring Stingrays to level the game at three and, although the Rays had a late six on four having pulled Boucher, in the end they didn't quite have enough to find a way past Kowalski.
The relief on the faces of Corey Neilson and his men after the buzzer was plain to see and that is testament to the improved showing that the Rays put in, particularly defensively where Sylvain Cloutier's side put in a real shift, limiting arguably the most offensive side in the league to just 29 shots and three goals.
Kris Grundmanis and Andrew Coburn were perfect examples of that sterling defensive effort with both launching their bodies in front of a number of shots during Panthers powerplays, however, the Rays standout performance came from netminder Boucher, who was once again in fine form making a number of brilliant saves, particularly one breakaway glove save which rightly received a long applause from the home faithful.
Up front the Rays yet again outshot their opponent but unfortunately could not find the net regularly enough or during even strength play action, something that may be of concern.
After a very mixed but ultimately pointless weekend, Cloutier and his side will now have to regroup ahead of a home double header next week. That double header begins on Saturday against table toppers Belfast, who have failed to win just one of their 11 league games this year, before Newcastle come to the Hull Arena, having lost 6-1 in Edinburgh tonight, with the Rays looking for revenge for their 5-3 defeat this weekend
Rays rating: 7.5
Stingray goalscorers: Davies, Silverthorn
Nottingham goalscorers: Galbraith, McDonald, Ryan
SOG: 40-29
PIM: 14-18
FBB Three Stars 1: Boucher (29 shots, 26 saves) 2: Silverthorn (1+0) 3: Coburn (0+1)
