A night after recording a fairly comprehensive 5-2 win over ownership rivals Coventry Blaze in their opening pre-season game, the Excel Hull Stingrays forced a 2-2 tie at the Skydome in Coventry in the reverse fixture.
Once again at full strength, the Rays were looking to build from a positive result on home ice and soon carried that opening pre-season performance over, taking the lead through captain Joshua Mizerek's first in the blue and yellow after little more than six minutes.
They doubled that lead eight minutes into the second period, Slovakian defenceman Martin Ondrej beating Jonathan Weaver high up on a Blaze man advantage to force a shorthanded two-on-one chance. The Slovakian setting up coach and former Coventry player Sylvain Cloutier, who managed to slide the puck home under a sprawling Peter Hirsch. The goal being the Stingrays second two-on-one shorthanded goal in two games against the Blaze following Frantisek Bakrlik's shorty the previous night.
At the halfway point in the game British prospect Ben Bowns - on a two-way deal with the Stingrays from Sheffield Steeldogs - replaced the impressive Christian Boucher between the pipes for his debut and he was regularly tested.
In general the Sheffield youngster - who is thought to have a bright future in the game - performed admirably in his first appearance at Elite League level. A very good side-to-side save close in was quickly followed by a healthy slice of luck as an attempted glove save flew high in the air and landed inches from the goal line before being quickly cleared from his crease, the rebound instantly returned but again luckily hitting the post.
Even prior to Bowns' entrance into the game Paul Thompson's Coventry had slowly grown into the game and the Stingrays keeper was helpless on 37 minutes as Shea Guthrie worked hard to craft a chance for himself, eventually backhanding past the screened netminder to cut the lead to one.
Had it not been for some cynical defending from Mizerek the Blaze could have gone in at the break level as Jereme Tendler carelessly gave the puck away forcing the Rays American captain to bring down a Blaze forward almost on the breakaway.
Though the Stingrays weren't without chances, it was the side in sky blue that had the better chance, Luke Fulghum - who missed the opening game in Hull - hitting the bar before Bowns made a good sprawling save early in the second.
The equaliser did eventually come though and it was Fulghum who got it, banging home the rebound after Bowns had pushed his initial effort into the deadly Canadian's path.
Late in the game new Stingrays signing Dominic Osman had a big chance to give his side a second win in two games but he could only fire high into the netting above the plexi despite having been afforded time, space and traffic in front of the Coventry net.
The game petered out after the Canadian's chance to end in a 2-2 draw but - while Cloutier will only be concerned with the team performance - the club's opening two results will undoubtedly be somewhat pleasing for the Stingrays coach and fans alike. Likewise, the impressive showing by Bowns is not only a good sign for the Rays but also British hockey.
Once again, the Rays defence, and in particular Brits Sam McCluskey and Dan Scott who once again defied their age, stood out. While yet another shorthanded goal is another positive with the club looking dangerous on the counter attack in its opening two fixtures.
From here the Rays move on to take on Bowns' Sheffield Steeldogs on Tuesday before returning to Coventry next weekend to face Dutch opposition Tilburg Trappers and Geleen Eaters in the P&O Cup.
Rays Rating
7
FBB Three Stars
1- Sam McCluskey (0+0)
2- Dmitri Rodin (0+1)
3- Martin Ondrej (0+1)
