Hull Stingrays 6-3 Edinburgh Capitals
Dominic Osman recorded a hat-trick - including a sensational individual game winning goal - and Shane Lovdahl made his long-awaiting Hull Stingrays debut as the Rays tonight battled to a hard fought 6-3 win over the Edinburgh Capitals - their second home victory in three games.
Pre-game the Rays were buoyed by the arrival of American defenceman Lovdahl, who finally joined up with the squad after VISA issues delayed his journey, boosting the home side to full-strength for the first time this season. Ryan Hand reverting from defence to his preferred position as forward as a result.
Despite pressure from the visitors in the opening moments which saw topscorer Rene Jarolin ring the post, the Stingrays led after just 1.43 - Matty Davies tapping home a two-on-one feed from Janis Ozolins with Lovdahl notching a secondary assist on his first shift of a standout debut.
The Capitals are a much improved side on their 11/12 showing and they made things difficult for the home side in the opening two periods retaining possession well, even if they didn't regularly test Ben Bowns in the Rays net.
Nevertheless, for all their hard work, the visitors fell two goals behind after 13 minutes as Dominic Osman clinically fired a one-timer high past Tomas Hiadlovsky - Ozolins picking up his second assist of the game.
Martin Cingel then pulled a goal back with a neat individual goal coming in from the corner less than a minute later to silence the home crowd before leveling with his third of the year on the powerplay 3.35 into a relatively uneventful second period.
Ozolins and Osman then switched places as provider and goalscorer less than 3 minutes into the third - the American teeing up the Latvian to bullet a one-timer home in an almost carbon copy of the goal scored by Osman earlier in the evening to give the Rays a 3-2 lead.
The Scots equalised for the second time minutes later, Michal Dobron firing home a powerplay goal before Osman's moment of brilliance turned determination turned luck. The Michigan native chipping the puck around a defenceman, burning through the remaining D before somehow getting releasing a shot on net from the floor for what turned out to be a sensational game winning goal that trickled home.
A scramble around the Capitals net saw the Rays awarded a penalty shot on 53.46 after Daniel McIntyre covered up the puck in the crease. Moments later during the same incident, netminder Hiadlovsky was ejected on a match penalty - which may keep him out of tomorrow's return fixture in Edinburgh - for kicking out at a Stingray with his skate in the ensuing melee.
Back-up Craig Holland stepped in to the breach but was immediately forced to fish the puck out of his net after player-coach Sylvain Cloutier fired home on the resulting penalty shot for a 5-3 lead
There was still time for Osman to complete his hat-trick - the Rays second in two home games - as he prodded home a powerplay goal from close range in-turn complete the club's first victory in the Elite League Gardiner Conference.
This was by no means a complete performance by the Stingrays, particularly given their efforts against Nottingham and Cardiff at home in previous weeks, however, Cloutier will undoubtedly be happy to have claimed an important two points following the loss in Dundee last week.
Standout performances from hat-trick hero Dominic Osman - who had yet to record a point this season until tonight - goalscorer-turned-creator Janis Ozolins - who bagged a goal and three assists - and debutant Shane Lovdahl - who impressed on all fronts despite arriving from the US today - will also be pleasing, even if the team performance on the whole wasn't as polished as it could have been. Meanwhile netminder Bowns was again solid and Hand proved useful and entertaining in equal measure having been unleashed from his duties as a defenceman.
Of the win, Stingrays owner and assistant coach Bobby McEwan said:
Pre-game the Rays were buoyed by the arrival of American defenceman Lovdahl, who finally joined up with the squad after VISA issues delayed his journey, boosting the home side to full-strength for the first time this season. Ryan Hand reverting from defence to his preferred position as forward as a result.
Despite pressure from the visitors in the opening moments which saw topscorer Rene Jarolin ring the post, the Stingrays led after just 1.43 - Matty Davies tapping home a two-on-one feed from Janis Ozolins with Lovdahl notching a secondary assist on his first shift of a standout debut.
The Capitals are a much improved side on their 11/12 showing and they made things difficult for the home side in the opening two periods retaining possession well, even if they didn't regularly test Ben Bowns in the Rays net.
Nevertheless, for all their hard work, the visitors fell two goals behind after 13 minutes as Dominic Osman clinically fired a one-timer high past Tomas Hiadlovsky - Ozolins picking up his second assist of the game.
Martin Cingel then pulled a goal back with a neat individual goal coming in from the corner less than a minute later to silence the home crowd before leveling with his third of the year on the powerplay 3.35 into a relatively uneventful second period.
Ozolins and Osman then switched places as provider and goalscorer less than 3 minutes into the third - the American teeing up the Latvian to bullet a one-timer home in an almost carbon copy of the goal scored by Osman earlier in the evening to give the Rays a 3-2 lead.
The Scots equalised for the second time minutes later, Michal Dobron firing home a powerplay goal before Osman's moment of brilliance turned determination turned luck. The Michigan native chipping the puck around a defenceman, burning through the remaining D before somehow getting releasing a shot on net from the floor for what turned out to be a sensational game winning goal that trickled home.
A scramble around the Capitals net saw the Rays awarded a penalty shot on 53.46 after Daniel McIntyre covered up the puck in the crease. Moments later during the same incident, netminder Hiadlovsky was ejected on a match penalty - which may keep him out of tomorrow's return fixture in Edinburgh - for kicking out at a Stingray with his skate in the ensuing melee.
Back-up Craig Holland stepped in to the breach but was immediately forced to fish the puck out of his net after player-coach Sylvain Cloutier fired home on the resulting penalty shot for a 5-3 lead
There was still time for Osman to complete his hat-trick - the Rays second in two home games - as he prodded home a powerplay goal from close range in-turn complete the club's first victory in the Elite League Gardiner Conference.
This was by no means a complete performance by the Stingrays, particularly given their efforts against Nottingham and Cardiff at home in previous weeks, however, Cloutier will undoubtedly be happy to have claimed an important two points following the loss in Dundee last week.
Standout performances from hat-trick hero Dominic Osman - who had yet to record a point this season until tonight - goalscorer-turned-creator Janis Ozolins - who bagged a goal and three assists - and debutant Shane Lovdahl - who impressed on all fronts despite arriving from the US today - will also be pleasing, even if the team performance on the whole wasn't as polished as it could have been. Meanwhile netminder Bowns was again solid and Hand proved useful and entertaining in equal measure having been unleashed from his duties as a defenceman.
Of the win, Stingrays owner and assistant coach Bobby McEwan said:
"It was a really good win and we played well. We have to be winning our home games against the teams in our Conference. We want to make Hull Arena a fortress and make teams not relishing coming here. We have made a good start at home. Edinburgh played well and will surprise a few teams this season but I always thought if we kept playing our game we would win it. I thought Shane had a really good game, considering he only got here at 3.30pm. He moves the puck well and he handles the puck well. He is a smart player and a battler. He is going to be a good addition to the team."The Rays now face a return fixture tomorrow night in Edinburgh hoping to complete their first four point weekend of the 12/13 Elite League campaign.
FBB Three Stars
1 - Dominic Osman
2 - Shane Lovdahl
3 - Janis Ozolins
