Coventry Blaze 3-2 Hull Stingrays (SO)
The Hull Stingrays tonight completed a two point weekend with their second shootout loss and seventh off the season, again losing out by three goals to two, this time in Coventry against the Blaze
Hoping to re-bound from a disappointing defeat to the Edinburgh Capitals 24 hours earlier, enforcer Ryan Hand was restored to the line-up in place of player-coach Sylvain Cloutier and Brit Brett Chapman also dressed for his second appearance of the season, while former Stingray Derek Campbell made his second home debut for the Blaze.
The Stingrays got off to a slow first period start, finding themselves 2-0 down after just eight minutes thanks to goals from Dustin Cameron (powerplay) -assisted by Campbell - and Greg Leeb.
Paul Thompson's side held that two goal advantage until five minutes into the second period when Cale Tanaka - assisted by Sam Towner and Jeff Smith - reduced the deficit to one with the Canadian's first goal since 1st November.
Jason Silverthorn then made it two non-Jereme Tendler goals from two on the evening, tying the game up just under four minutes later with assists from the Rays leading scorer and Latvian Janis Ozolins.
That goal proved to be vital for the Stingrays as the third period and overtime passed without any goalscoring before Cameron sealed the extra point in favour of the Blaze after the Stingrays again failed to convert any of their chances through Silverthorn, Matty Davies and Dominic Osman.
While disappointing to again lose out by the narrowest of margins - the seventh time this season they have done so - a two point weekend is not completely dissatisfying for Cloutier and his side.
Interestingly, those seven defeats have deprived the Stingrays of seven critical points. Had they converted on the shootout they would currently find themselves in joint seventh in the Elite League with 30 points and joint top in the Gardiner Conference with 24 points.
Although the defeat to Edinburgh was damaging, the Caps loss to Dundee - who completed a massive six point weekend - combined with the Rays point in Coventry restores status quo with the Rays ahead by two points in the conference but behind by one in the league.
It is also worth noting the Rays have three games in hand on the Caps, though they will certainly be looking to utlise those points to put distance between themselves and the Scottish side before looking to move further up the Gardiner Conference.
Top to bottom in the Gardiner Conference is separated by just six points, making the Stingrays fixtures in Braehead and Edinburgh next weekend, and all conference games, all the more important.
It is believed a new signing may be announced by that point, though it seems highly unlikely that, should the unnamed player be signed, they will come straight into the line-up next weekend.
The Hull Stingrays tonight completed a two point weekend with their second shootout loss and seventh off the season, again losing out by three goals to two, this time in Coventry against the Blaze
Hoping to re-bound from a disappointing defeat to the Edinburgh Capitals 24 hours earlier, enforcer Ryan Hand was restored to the line-up in place of player-coach Sylvain Cloutier and Brit Brett Chapman also dressed for his second appearance of the season, while former Stingray Derek Campbell made his second home debut for the Blaze.
The Stingrays got off to a slow first period start, finding themselves 2-0 down after just eight minutes thanks to goals from Dustin Cameron (powerplay) -assisted by Campbell - and Greg Leeb.
Paul Thompson's side held that two goal advantage until five minutes into the second period when Cale Tanaka - assisted by Sam Towner and Jeff Smith - reduced the deficit to one with the Canadian's first goal since 1st November.
Jason Silverthorn then made it two non-Jereme Tendler goals from two on the evening, tying the game up just under four minutes later with assists from the Rays leading scorer and Latvian Janis Ozolins.
That goal proved to be vital for the Stingrays as the third period and overtime passed without any goalscoring before Cameron sealed the extra point in favour of the Blaze after the Stingrays again failed to convert any of their chances through Silverthorn, Matty Davies and Dominic Osman.
While disappointing to again lose out by the narrowest of margins - the seventh time this season they have done so - a two point weekend is not completely dissatisfying for Cloutier and his side.
Interestingly, those seven defeats have deprived the Stingrays of seven critical points. Had they converted on the shootout they would currently find themselves in joint seventh in the Elite League with 30 points and joint top in the Gardiner Conference with 24 points.
Although the defeat to Edinburgh was damaging, the Caps loss to Dundee - who completed a massive six point weekend - combined with the Rays point in Coventry restores status quo with the Rays ahead by two points in the conference but behind by one in the league.
It is also worth noting the Rays have three games in hand on the Caps, though they will certainly be looking to utlise those points to put distance between themselves and the Scottish side before looking to move further up the Gardiner Conference.
Top to bottom in the Gardiner Conference is separated by just six points, making the Stingrays fixtures in Braehead and Edinburgh next weekend, and all conference games, all the more important.
It is believed a new signing may be announced by that point, though it seems highly unlikely that, should the unnamed player be signed, they will come straight into the line-up next weekend.
