A 46 save performance from debutant netminder Greg Blais and two third period powerplay goals from Dominic Osman tonight helped the Hull Stingrays to a 4-2 win over the Coventry Blaze in the Challenge Cup.
With both sides already qualified from the group stage of the competition - the Rays in fourth - and their names already in the hat for the Quarter Finals the game was effectively marked a dead rubber. As a result all the pre-game build-up evolved around Rays enforcer Ryan Hand and his Coventry counterpart Benn Olson and whether or, more likely, how many times they'd drop the gloves.
That much anticipated fight never materialised though as Olson - clearly under strict instruction not to drop the gloves following his involvedment in brawls with Cardiff and Belfast in recent weeks - rejected Hand's invitation to drop the gloves numerous times on the two players opening shift and throughout the game.
With that out of the way, the Blaze got the better start to the game as they started the game with the kind of energy that would be evident throughout, dominating the opening moments albeit with some scrappy, disjointed play as the adrenaline took effect particularly on the Rays.
The Rays - who appeared to play more physically than they had the in whole of the 12/13 season so far put together - gradually grew into the opening period and yet another moment of pure skill from that man Janis Ozolins saw them take the lead 4.23 in. Breaking into the offensive zone, the Latvian tantalisingly dangled the puck on his stick moving it to his skate and then back to his stick while jinking around a number of Blaze players before slotting home past netminder Peter Hirsch. The goal is another to add to Ozolins growing highlight reel and begs the question how many more tricks does he have in his locker?
Penalty trouble was an issue for the home side all night long, however, they used the man disadvantage to their advantage six minutes after their opener. Jereme Tendler with his 11th of the season and yet another textbook shorthanded goal having intercepted a pass between two Coventry blueliners in the Blaze offensive zone before out-waiting keeper Hirsch.
Despite out shooting the home side 14-7, the Blaze were two goals down heading into the second.
They eventually made their superior puck possession time pay in the second period but not before Rays netminder Blais made two fantastic saves on the Blaze and forward Dustin Cameron.
Cameron found himself home alone yards in front of the keeper, only to see his goalbound one-timer somehow diverted wide by Blais. The danger wasn't over for the Rays though and, as their penalty kill struggled to settle defensively, Cameron was somehow again left home alone in front of Blais. Instead of one-timing a shot, the Blaze winger opted to receive the pass and deke the keeper, only for Blais - floored by the deke and initial chances around the net - to stone him with an upside-down sprawling kick save - or something to that effect. Yes, it is that hard to describe but it was that jaw-dropping.
Nevertheless, with Cameron still looking to the Heavens, the Blaze pulled one back thanks to NHLer Matt Beleskey - who dived to keep the puck in the zone before impressively getting to his feet and rifling a shot low past the persistent Blais on the powerplay to show his true class.
Less than three minutes later, the locked-out Anaheim Ducks forward drew the Blaze level with his second powerplay goal of the evening - a booming, pinpoint slapshot high into the Rays net as a string of second penalty's proved costly. Nevertheless, but for Blais - who turned away 17 shots in the second period alone - it could have been a lot worse for the home side and they moved into the final period possibly believing that they had weathered the storm.
The Rays improved in the third period and a hugely costly five-on-three powerplay - thanks to penalties on Steven Chalmers for interference and Beleskey for roughing - proved the difference. Controlling the puck in the zone well, Matty Davies fed Dominic Osman at the backstick - who squeezed his one-time shot low past Hirsch for what would turn out to be the game winning goal.
Fast forward four minutes and 47 seconds and Osman again fired home in a near replica move - though this time into a significantly more open net - to seal a clinical 4-2 Stingrays win in front of a big crowd at the Hull Arena.
The victory extends the Rays win streak to four games and gives Sylvain Cloutier's side five wins from their last six fixtures - ending their Challenge Cup Group B campaign on a winning note. While disappointing that tonight's game was effectively a dead rubber, the win continues important momentum for the club and extends a win streak that has yet to see them truly play to their full potential.
Impressively, the Rays now have three players (Osman, Ozolins and Tendler) in double figures for goals and in the league's top 15 goalscorers - something no other side can claim. Likewise, the man of the match performance from Blais was massive and, at the very least, reassuring that the Rays have his quality on the bench or sidelines should starting netminder Bowns ever be unavailable. His double save on Cameron from close are surely two of the best saves ever seen at the Hull Arena.
A return fixture tomorrow night in Coventry is next on the schedule for the Rays who's record against the Blaze this season is now one win and one shootout defeat.
FBB Three Stars
1. Greg Blais
2. Janis Ozolins
3. Domnic Osman
