Excel Hull Stingrays 0-2 Coventry Blaze
In their final Challenge Cup game of the year the Excel Hull Stingrays were tonight shut out by the Coventry Blaze, losing by two goals to nil thanks to two first period goals.
With both sides already mathematically out of the competition, the game was never going to be played with the intensity of Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Final, but it did remain important for the Rays to keep up the momentum of their recent run.
However, thanks to a pair of first period goals from Aaron Nell and Luke Fulghum it was the Blaze that deservedly claimed the win to level the teams four game series at two-a-piece and end the club's cup campaign with defeat, having fired 42 shots on Christian Boucher.
The result leaves the Stingrays bottom of Challenge Cup Group B with four points, a win over Coventry and draws against Nottingham and Cardiff, three points behind the Blaze and five behind Sheffield, Cardiff and Nottingham, who continue to battle for a semi final spot.
In midweek the Stingrays return to face the Devils at the venue where they were thrashed 12-0 four weeks ago before an away game in Whitley Bay against Newcastle two days after Christmas day.
