The Excel Hull Stingrays tonight took on reigning Elite League champions the Coventry Blaze, battling to a two goal loss to the club they now share an ownership group with.
As close as the scoreline appears, the Rays, who were without Craig Mitchell, Ryan Lake and Jason Silverthorn, only ever looked like taking anything from the game after 55 seconds, when Jereme Tendler banked a shot in off Blaze netminder Brett Jaeger to net his second shorthanded tally in two games giving the Rays a 1-0 lead.
From there on it was all Coventry as Paul Thompson's stacked side took complete and utter control in the first. They levelled just three minutes later as Greg Chambers was allowed to fire glove side past Boucher before the deadly Luke Fulghum made the most of time and space given to him to clinically put the Blaze into the lead.
A mistake from Aivars Gaisins thirty seconds before the end of the first then allowed Owen Fussey to close out the scoring at 3-1 as the Rays crumbled to the quite clearly superior Blaze.
The visitors, in front of a healthy away following, pushed hard in the second but were unable to find the finishing touch that had seen them take a two goal lead in the first with the Stingrays battling hard in defence to prevent any further scores. In their offensive end, the Stingrays struggled on, creating half chances but rarely pressurising the Blaze enough to ever doubt the result.
Some nice work from Matti Uusivirta and Konstantin Kalmikov manufacturer a one time chance for Matty Davies, however, Jaeger, billed as the best of this years crop of netminders, was equal to it impressively saving with his glove.
Heading into the third it was clear the Blaze were conserving energy and effort ahead of the return Challenge Cup fixture, as the Rays came back into the game. Still, despite the visitors laying off the home side, the closest the Rays would come to scoring again would be through rookie Andrew Coburn, who hit the cross bar in another encouraging showing.
Already out of the Challenge Cup, Sylvain Cloutier and his side face the Blaze in the cup competition tomorrow night hoping to improve on a pretty tame showing at home tonight with changes to the playing squad on the horizon.
Rays Rating
5
FBB Three Stars
1- Andrew Coburn (0+0)
2- Kurtis Dulle (0+0)
3- Matty Davies (0+0)
