Hull Stingrays 3-2 Braehead Clan
Hoping to bounce back from a disappointing loss in Fife, the Rays traded early chances with the Clan - who failed to profit from an out-of-position Kurtis Dulle, fanning on a two-on-one before Tom Squires, Danny Wood and Sam Towner combined only to be stopped close in by Daren Machesney.
A Ryan Hand interference minor penalty gave the visitors a chance to lead, however, it was the Rays that would take the lead on the Braehead advantage as Jason Silverthorn received a long pass down the middle from Jeff Smith before breaking in and then outwaiting Machesney to slot home after 6.12 and give the Rays the perfect start.
Things were to get even better for the Stingrays 50 seconds later as Dominic Osman fired a perfect, defence splitting pass to Matty Davies - who miscontrolled the puck and was forced to take the puck down low into the corner. The Stingrays standout Brit then combined brilliantly behind the net with player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, circling the puck before feeding a pass for Osman to nudge home and double the lead past a sprawling Machesney.
The Rays had caught the Clan cold and were completely controlling the game five-on-five, putting in one of the best 20 minutes of the season in the process with veterans Silverthorn, Osman and captain Kurtis Dulle leading the charge.
Though they were in the ascendancy at even strength, their penalty killing unit was called upon three times in the first period and somewhat slowed their progress. Indeed, the Clan pulled one back on the man advantage, Ash Goldie benefiting from a scramble in front of Bowns to record the first of two Clan goals, and indeed the first of two Clan powerplay goals, on 9.55.
Robert Farmer and Stingrays defenceman Smith took roughing penalties immediately following the Clans first goal and, if anything, that helped the home side regain their two goal lead seconds later.
With both sides restricted to four outskaters, defenceman Dulle exploited the extra space available - going on a brilliant solo skate straight from the ensuing face-off at centre ice before sending a pass to the Elite League's top goalscorer Jereme Tendler - who used his extra-long reach to backhand a shot perfectly into the Clan goal.
Bowns turned away 13 shots in the Rays net during the first period but none bigger than his glovesave of a Jade Galbraith slapshot when the former Elite League topscorer was given time and space in front to pick his spot.
Dulle - who continued his recent up-turn in form with a brilliant performance and, had it not been for Bowns' performance, could have conceivably wound up man of the match - was inches away from further extending the lead with moments to go in the period, ringing a shot of the post.
The main talking point in a penalty strewn and goalless middle stanza - which saw Tendler and Clan standout forward Matt Schepke trade unsuccessful breakaways - was a tussle between Rays enforcer Ryan Hand and his Braehead counterpart Craig Cescon.
The entertaining fight materialised behind play and seemingly out of nowhere - likely due to Cescon's earlier hit on Osman and Hand's willingness to fight - and appeared to open up the game in favour of the Clan, though they wouldn't take advantage of the opportunity before the period ended.
Cloutier's side largely batten downed the hatches in the third period, relying on a non-stop defensive work ethic and Bowns to deny the Clan on a number of occasions.
Adam Walker - who was rarely used on the night - spurned perhaps their best chance, missing a one-timer completely on a two-on-one break with the Stingrays keeper sprawling across his goal.
A seismic Dmitri Rodin hip-check on an on-rushing Steve Birnstill then flipped the Clan defenceman in the air and got the somewhat sparse home crowd on their feet momentarily, however, the Clan responded by finally netting the goal they had threatened earlier as former coach Jordan Krestanovich shot home on the powerplay.
The visitors further pressurised the Stingrays in the final moments, pulling Machesney - who improved for the Clan as the night wore on - before a Rodin hooking penalty gave them a 6-on-4 advantage in the dying moments, however, the Stingrays held out for a huge, much needed 3-2 win.
The victory - the Stingrays third home win in a row - retains the club's hopes, albeit somewhat fading hopes, of qualifying for the end of season playoffs and came with a whole host of good performances across the board.
Martin Ondrej put in one of his best, most complete performances in a Stingrays jersey this evening and continues his season-on-season transformation, meanwhile Bowns and Dulle, as already mentioned, played big parts in helping them home.
Osman, Silverthorn and even Smith - all of whom have been possibly harshly criticised in recent weeks - also played big parts in the win putting in the type of veteran performance expected of them at this stage of the season.
The Stingrays chances of qualifying by finishing top of the Gardiner Conference are now remote, if mathematically impossible. Though the Rays - now in joint second in the conference - are just one point off Braehead and Fife in first, they have just four games remaining against conference rivals and have played more games than Dundee, Fife and Braehead - who will all pick up points against each other.
The best hope of playoff qualification for Cloutier's side now appears to be finishing eighth or higher in the Elite League itself. They currently sit bottom of the EIHL four points from eighth placed Braehead, five points from seventh placed Edinburgh having playing one game fewer than both sides but two games more than ninth placed Dundee on 38 points.
An extremely good run-in would possibly be enough to see the Stingrays qualify for the playoffs against-all-odds and, while that may seem unlikely, the Rays do have eight games remaining- more than all of their rivals apart from Dundee - including five at Hull Arena.
The Stingrays move on to face three consecutive Gardiner Conference fixtures, taking on Braehead in Scotland next Saturday, Fife in Hull on Sunday and then Dundee in Hull the following Saturday in the third of three must-win games.
As the saying goes, "it ain't over until the fat lady sings".
The Hull Stingrays fight to qualify for the 2012/2013 Elite League Playoffs resumes after they produced a sensational first period performance and rode in-form netminder Ben Bowns to seal a hard fought and thoroughly deserved 3-2 victory over Gardiner Conference rivals the Braehead Clan.
Hoping to bounce back from a disappointing loss in Fife, the Rays traded early chances with the Clan - who failed to profit from an out-of-position Kurtis Dulle, fanning on a two-on-one before Tom Squires, Danny Wood and Sam Towner combined only to be stopped close in by Daren Machesney.
A Ryan Hand interference minor penalty gave the visitors a chance to lead, however, it was the Rays that would take the lead on the Braehead advantage as Jason Silverthorn received a long pass down the middle from Jeff Smith before breaking in and then outwaiting Machesney to slot home after 6.12 and give the Rays the perfect start.
Things were to get even better for the Stingrays 50 seconds later as Dominic Osman fired a perfect, defence splitting pass to Matty Davies - who miscontrolled the puck and was forced to take the puck down low into the corner. The Stingrays standout Brit then combined brilliantly behind the net with player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, circling the puck before feeding a pass for Osman to nudge home and double the lead past a sprawling Machesney.
The Rays had caught the Clan cold and were completely controlling the game five-on-five, putting in one of the best 20 minutes of the season in the process with veterans Silverthorn, Osman and captain Kurtis Dulle leading the charge.
Though they were in the ascendancy at even strength, their penalty killing unit was called upon three times in the first period and somewhat slowed their progress. Indeed, the Clan pulled one back on the man advantage, Ash Goldie benefiting from a scramble in front of Bowns to record the first of two Clan goals, and indeed the first of two Clan powerplay goals, on 9.55.
Robert Farmer and Stingrays defenceman Smith took roughing penalties immediately following the Clans first goal and, if anything, that helped the home side regain their two goal lead seconds later.
With both sides restricted to four outskaters, defenceman Dulle exploited the extra space available - going on a brilliant solo skate straight from the ensuing face-off at centre ice before sending a pass to the Elite League's top goalscorer Jereme Tendler - who used his extra-long reach to backhand a shot perfectly into the Clan goal.
Bowns turned away 13 shots in the Rays net during the first period but none bigger than his glovesave of a Jade Galbraith slapshot when the former Elite League topscorer was given time and space in front to pick his spot.
Dulle - who continued his recent up-turn in form with a brilliant performance and, had it not been for Bowns' performance, could have conceivably wound up man of the match - was inches away from further extending the lead with moments to go in the period, ringing a shot of the post.
The main talking point in a penalty strewn and goalless middle stanza - which saw Tendler and Clan standout forward Matt Schepke trade unsuccessful breakaways - was a tussle between Rays enforcer Ryan Hand and his Braehead counterpart Craig Cescon.
The entertaining fight materialised behind play and seemingly out of nowhere - likely due to Cescon's earlier hit on Osman and Hand's willingness to fight - and appeared to open up the game in favour of the Clan, though they wouldn't take advantage of the opportunity before the period ended.
Cloutier's side largely batten downed the hatches in the third period, relying on a non-stop defensive work ethic and Bowns to deny the Clan on a number of occasions.
Adam Walker - who was rarely used on the night - spurned perhaps their best chance, missing a one-timer completely on a two-on-one break with the Stingrays keeper sprawling across his goal.
A seismic Dmitri Rodin hip-check on an on-rushing Steve Birnstill then flipped the Clan defenceman in the air and got the somewhat sparse home crowd on their feet momentarily, however, the Clan responded by finally netting the goal they had threatened earlier as former coach Jordan Krestanovich shot home on the powerplay.
The visitors further pressurised the Stingrays in the final moments, pulling Machesney - who improved for the Clan as the night wore on - before a Rodin hooking penalty gave them a 6-on-4 advantage in the dying moments, however, the Stingrays held out for a huge, much needed 3-2 win.
The victory - the Stingrays third home win in a row - retains the club's hopes, albeit somewhat fading hopes, of qualifying for the end of season playoffs and came with a whole host of good performances across the board.
Martin Ondrej put in one of his best, most complete performances in a Stingrays jersey this evening and continues his season-on-season transformation, meanwhile Bowns and Dulle, as already mentioned, played big parts in helping them home.
Osman, Silverthorn and even Smith - all of whom have been possibly harshly criticised in recent weeks - also played big parts in the win putting in the type of veteran performance expected of them at this stage of the season.
Gardiner Conference
1. Braehead 26GP 30PTS
1. Fife 26GP 30PTS
2. Dundee 24GP 29PTS
2. Edinburgh 28GP 29PTS
2. Stingrays 28GP 29PTS
The best hope of playoff qualification for Cloutier's side now appears to be finishing eighth or higher in the Elite League itself. They currently sit bottom of the EIHL four points from eighth placed Braehead, five points from seventh placed Edinburgh having playing one game fewer than both sides but two games more than ninth placed Dundee on 38 points.
Elite League
6. Fife 45GP 42PTS
7. Edinburgh 45GP 40PTS
8. Braehead 45GP 39PTS
9. Dundee 42GP 38PTS
10. Hull 44GP 35PTS
An extremely good run-in would possibly be enough to see the Stingrays qualify for the playoffs against-all-odds and, while that may seem unlikely, the Rays do have eight games remaining- more than all of their rivals apart from Dundee - including five at Hull Arena.
The Stingrays move on to face three consecutive Gardiner Conference fixtures, taking on Braehead in Scotland next Saturday, Fife in Hull on Sunday and then Dundee in Hull the following Saturday in the third of three must-win games.
As the saying goes, "it ain't over until the fat lady sings".
FBB Three Stars
1 - Ben Bowns
2 - Martin Ondrej
3 - Kurtis Dullle
