Excel Hull Stingrays 2 - 3 Sheffield Steelers
The Excel Hull Stingrays tonight had their exit from the Challenge Cup confirmed as Yorkshire rivals the Sheffield Steelers struck a late winner at the Hull Arena to claim a 3-2 victory.
For large parts the Rays - who were all but mathematically out of the competition before a puck was dropped - matched their South Yorkshire counterparts as they continued their recent upturn in form, Jack Watkins handing them a 12 minute lead with his second goal in a yellow and blue jersey.
Neil Clark and Colt King replied for the Steelers in the second period to hand the visitors a 2-1 lead heading into the final period, only for Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier - on his return to the squad in place of the injured Jason Silverthorn - to level the scores at two with less than five minutes left in the game.
However, the Steelers - who are chasing Cardiff, the Stingrays opponents tomorrow night, in Challenge Cup Group B - cruelly snatched the win with ten seconds remaining, Clark netting his second of the night and the crucial game winning goal.
The result - unsurprisingly given their record of five games, five losses - knocks the Stingrays out of the competition with Cardiff travelling to Hull tomorrow, another meeting with Sheffield next week and an away game with Coventry still to come in the competition.
The Excel Hull Stingrays tonight had their exit from the Challenge Cup confirmed as Yorkshire rivals the Sheffield Steelers struck a late winner at the Hull Arena to claim a 3-2 victory.
For large parts the Rays - who were all but mathematically out of the competition before a puck was dropped - matched their South Yorkshire counterparts as they continued their recent upturn in form, Jack Watkins handing them a 12 minute lead with his second goal in a yellow and blue jersey.
Neil Clark and Colt King replied for the Steelers in the second period to hand the visitors a 2-1 lead heading into the final period, only for Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier - on his return to the squad in place of the injured Jason Silverthorn - to level the scores at two with less than five minutes left in the game.
However, the Steelers - who are chasing Cardiff, the Stingrays opponents tomorrow night, in Challenge Cup Group B - cruelly snatched the win with ten seconds remaining, Clark netting his second of the night and the crucial game winning goal.
The result - unsurprisingly given their record of five games, five losses - knocks the Stingrays out of the competition with Cardiff travelling to Hull tomorrow, another meeting with Sheffield next week and an away game with Coventry still to come in the competition.
FBB Three Stars
1 - Jack Watkins (1+0)
2 - Kurtis Dulle (0+0)
3 - Frantisek Bakrlik (0+1)
