Coventry Blaze 4 - 2 Excel Hull Stingrays
The Excel Hull Stingrays were tonight knocked out of the Challenge Cup, losing their fourth straight game in the competition and sixth on the bounce overall, in a four goals to two defeat to the Coventry Blaze.
Coming into the game at the Skydome Sylvain Cloutier's side were all but mathematically out of the competition following two defeats against Nottingham and another against Cardiff, however, tonight's loss ends their slim hopes of qualifying from the "Group of Death" for another year in a competition they have never progressed from the first stage.
Ownership rivals Coventry - having been beaten 4-2 in Braehead last night despite facing just 11 shots - took the lead through Luke Fulghum in the first but were pegged back by Jereme Tendler four minutes into the second.
New Blaze signing Dustin Wood then put the home side back into the lead before a quick fire double from Owen Fussey and Shea Guthrie extended their lead to 4-1.
Having been deprived of secondary scoring for much of the year, the Stingrays finally received some help offensively last night as Matty Davies and Dominic Osman recorded their first and second goals of the season and that continued tonight as Jack Watkins bagged his first of the season on the powerplay, ably assisted by Osman and Davies.
Once again though the shorthanded Stingrays - again without Ryan Lake, Tristan Harper and Derek Campbell - fell some way short of their opponents, particularly defensively as they allowed 50+ shots on netminder Christian Boucher for the second Sunday in a row.
The Stingrays performed somewhat admirably in somewhat tough circumstances this weekend, however, with the losing streak now at six games and few visible improvements on-ice, the pressure continues to mount on both coaches and playing staff.
The next four fixtures sees Cloutier's men take on Dundee, Edinburgh, Braehead and Fife in a welcome change from the opening month and a half of the season - in which they have faced the other bottom sides just twice.
Needless to say results and performances are a must for each and every player.
The Excel Hull Stingrays were tonight knocked out of the Challenge Cup, losing their fourth straight game in the competition and sixth on the bounce overall, in a four goals to two defeat to the Coventry Blaze.
Coming into the game at the Skydome Sylvain Cloutier's side were all but mathematically out of the competition following two defeats against Nottingham and another against Cardiff, however, tonight's loss ends their slim hopes of qualifying from the "Group of Death" for another year in a competition they have never progressed from the first stage.
Ownership rivals Coventry - having been beaten 4-2 in Braehead last night despite facing just 11 shots - took the lead through Luke Fulghum in the first but were pegged back by Jereme Tendler four minutes into the second.
New Blaze signing Dustin Wood then put the home side back into the lead before a quick fire double from Owen Fussey and Shea Guthrie extended their lead to 4-1.
Having been deprived of secondary scoring for much of the year, the Stingrays finally received some help offensively last night as Matty Davies and Dominic Osman recorded their first and second goals of the season and that continued tonight as Jack Watkins bagged his first of the season on the powerplay, ably assisted by Osman and Davies.
Once again though the shorthanded Stingrays - again without Ryan Lake, Tristan Harper and Derek Campbell - fell some way short of their opponents, particularly defensively as they allowed 50+ shots on netminder Christian Boucher for the second Sunday in a row.
The Stingrays performed somewhat admirably in somewhat tough circumstances this weekend, however, with the losing streak now at six games and few visible improvements on-ice, the pressure continues to mount on both coaches and playing staff.
The next four fixtures sees Cloutier's men take on Dundee, Edinburgh, Braehead and Fife in a welcome change from the opening month and a half of the season - in which they have faced the other bottom sides just twice.
Needless to say results and performances are a must for each and every player.
