Hull Stingrays 2-7 Coventry Blaze
Forward Matty Davies opened and closed the scoring with a powerplay goal but seven goals from the Coventry Blaze in between tonight earned the Erhardt Conference side a comfortable 7-2 victory over the Hull Stingrays.
Coming off the back of a narrow, hard fought loss in Belfast without Cale Tanaka - who it is feared may be out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury - the Stingrays played some of their best hockey early on against the Blaze before fading quickly.
A delay of game penalty on Mike Egener gave the Rays a man advantage from which they would take the lead through Davies - who fired home past a sprawling Peter Hirsch on 3.37.
In reality, that is as good as it would get for the Stingrays as the Blaze went on to control large periods with superior strength and physical play and crisper, more effective offensive play.
In their best moment away from Davies' opener, player-coach Sylvain Cloutier fired a breakaway attempt over the bar after a lovely through pass, however, the Blaze leveled shortly after Mike Schutte - who forced home past netminder Ben Bowns.
Martin Ondrej and former Stingray Derek Campbell - making his first return to Hull since leaving - then renewed acquaintances part way through the opening period with a minor scuffle for which both received extended time in the penalty box.
The recent Blaze addition cross-checking Ondrej in the back before the Slovakian reacted by putting a stick high in the face of the Canadian. Campbell then dropped the gloves followed by Ondrej, though the fight was over in seconds as the Rays defenceman lost his balance very early on.
Although the scores were equal heading into the second period, Coventry had dominated shots on goal, possession and scoring changes, in part thanks to the play of new signing Adam Henrich - who was comfortably the best player on the ice throughout the game and one of the best to have visited Hull Arena this season.
It took Paul Thompson's side just 38 seconds of the second period to take the lead they so deserved in the first period, Brad Leeb feeding brother Greg Leeb from behind the net to one-time a simple finish past Bowns.
The goal gave the Blaze a lead they would not relinquish as they imposed themselves on the Stingrays early in the second period with superior play that saw the home side struggling to their leave half of the ice, let alone create a sustained and effective offence.
A further goal materialised on 31.15 as Russ Cowley benefited from a poor Stingrays giveaway in their own end to beat Bowns with a simple deke.
At 3-1, the Stingrays still had some hope of getting something, anything, from the game and, for that, the weekend with 20 minutes remaining
However, Coventry man of the match Henrich had other ideas and struck 41 seconds into the final period, outwaiting Bowns to slide the puck around the British keeper for a 4-1 lead.
Dustin Cameron added a fifth less than four minutes later to end Bowns' participation in the fixture and, indeed, his involvement with the Stingrays for two weeks with Greg Blais - who will once again fill in for Bowns when he leaves for Great Britain duty next week - returning for his first action since early December.
The Canadian was beaten twice in the remaining 14 minutes, first through Jerramie Domish - who raced at speed the length of the ice on a counter attack, trading a one-two with Henrich before finishing a lovely move - then through the Blaze's seventh goalscorer of the night, Mike Bayrack - who took advantage of some poor Rays defensive positioning for a simple tap in.
A frustrated Ryan Hand was thrown out for unsportsmanlike conduct immediately after Bayrack's marker, having been spoiling for a fight with Campbell and enforcer Benn Olson to no avail.
Olson did eventually drop the gloves, ironically four minutes after Hand's departure, much to the annoyance of the onlooking Stingrays enforcer, as he and the Stingrays very own rangy blueliner Jeff Smith tangled in an good bout following a hit along the boards.
Davies completed the scoring as he had begun it with rare goal via a backpost tap in on the powerplay - thanks to a beautiful cross-ice pass from Jason Silverthorn - however, the goal was a mere consolation.
There was still time for Cloutier to take a game misconduct for abuse of official having sarcastically tapped his stick on the ice at referee Dean Smith but, in truth, the refereeing had no impact on the result with all seven Coventry goals coming on the powerplay and both of the Rays coming on the man advantage.
A frustrating 60 minutes, in the end it was a night to forget for the Stingrays.
Thanks to Fife and Edinburgh victories this weekend, the Rays sit bottom of the Elite League by four points - trailing Edinburgh who have played three more fixtures. Crucially, they also trail Fife - in eighth and the final playoff spot - by six points with one game in hand.
The Stingrays face a big home and away double header against the Dundee Stars next weekend without netminder Bowns - who will travel out with Great Britain for the final Olympic Qualifier in Latvia in mid-week.
Forward Matty Davies opened and closed the scoring with a powerplay goal but seven goals from the Coventry Blaze in between tonight earned the Erhardt Conference side a comfortable 7-2 victory over the Hull Stingrays.
Coming off the back of a narrow, hard fought loss in Belfast without Cale Tanaka - who it is feared may be out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury - the Stingrays played some of their best hockey early on against the Blaze before fading quickly.
A delay of game penalty on Mike Egener gave the Rays a man advantage from which they would take the lead through Davies - who fired home past a sprawling Peter Hirsch on 3.37.
In reality, that is as good as it would get for the Stingrays as the Blaze went on to control large periods with superior strength and physical play and crisper, more effective offensive play.
In their best moment away from Davies' opener, player-coach Sylvain Cloutier fired a breakaway attempt over the bar after a lovely through pass, however, the Blaze leveled shortly after Mike Schutte - who forced home past netminder Ben Bowns.
Martin Ondrej and former Stingray Derek Campbell - making his first return to Hull since leaving - then renewed acquaintances part way through the opening period with a minor scuffle for which both received extended time in the penalty box.
The recent Blaze addition cross-checking Ondrej in the back before the Slovakian reacted by putting a stick high in the face of the Canadian. Campbell then dropped the gloves followed by Ondrej, though the fight was over in seconds as the Rays defenceman lost his balance very early on.
Although the scores were equal heading into the second period, Coventry had dominated shots on goal, possession and scoring changes, in part thanks to the play of new signing Adam Henrich - who was comfortably the best player on the ice throughout the game and one of the best to have visited Hull Arena this season.
It took Paul Thompson's side just 38 seconds of the second period to take the lead they so deserved in the first period, Brad Leeb feeding brother Greg Leeb from behind the net to one-time a simple finish past Bowns.
The goal gave the Blaze a lead they would not relinquish as they imposed themselves on the Stingrays early in the second period with superior play that saw the home side struggling to their leave half of the ice, let alone create a sustained and effective offence.
A further goal materialised on 31.15 as Russ Cowley benefited from a poor Stingrays giveaway in their own end to beat Bowns with a simple deke.
At 3-1, the Stingrays still had some hope of getting something, anything, from the game and, for that, the weekend with 20 minutes remaining
However, Coventry man of the match Henrich had other ideas and struck 41 seconds into the final period, outwaiting Bowns to slide the puck around the British keeper for a 4-1 lead.
Dustin Cameron added a fifth less than four minutes later to end Bowns' participation in the fixture and, indeed, his involvement with the Stingrays for two weeks with Greg Blais - who will once again fill in for Bowns when he leaves for Great Britain duty next week - returning for his first action since early December.
The Canadian was beaten twice in the remaining 14 minutes, first through Jerramie Domish - who raced at speed the length of the ice on a counter attack, trading a one-two with Henrich before finishing a lovely move - then through the Blaze's seventh goalscorer of the night, Mike Bayrack - who took advantage of some poor Rays defensive positioning for a simple tap in.
A frustrated Ryan Hand was thrown out for unsportsmanlike conduct immediately after Bayrack's marker, having been spoiling for a fight with Campbell and enforcer Benn Olson to no avail.
Olson did eventually drop the gloves, ironically four minutes after Hand's departure, much to the annoyance of the onlooking Stingrays enforcer, as he and the Stingrays very own rangy blueliner Jeff Smith tangled in an good bout following a hit along the boards.
Davies completed the scoring as he had begun it with rare goal via a backpost tap in on the powerplay - thanks to a beautiful cross-ice pass from Jason Silverthorn - however, the goal was a mere consolation.
There was still time for Cloutier to take a game misconduct for abuse of official having sarcastically tapped his stick on the ice at referee Dean Smith but, in truth, the refereeing had no impact on the result with all seven Coventry goals coming on the powerplay and both of the Rays coming on the man advantage.
A frustrating 60 minutes, in the end it was a night to forget for the Stingrays.
Thanks to Fife and Edinburgh victories this weekend, the Rays sit bottom of the Elite League by four points - trailing Edinburgh who have played three more fixtures. Crucially, they also trail Fife - in eighth and the final playoff spot - by six points with one game in hand.
The Stingrays face a big home and away double header against the Dundee Stars next weekend without netminder Bowns - who will travel out with Great Britain for the final Olympic Qualifier in Latvia in mid-week.
FBB Three Stars
1. Kurtis Dulle
2. Matty Davies
3. Tom Squires
