Hull Stingrays 5-4 Fife Flyers
The Hull Stingrays tonight held on for a crucial 5-4 victory over Gardiner Conference rivals the Fife Flyers to complete a massive four point weekend following last night's 2-1 overtime victory over the Coventry Blaze.
Prior to tonight the teams had already met three times this season in Fife with the Stingrays possessing a 1-1-1 record, however, the fixture would be the sides first meeting at Hull Arena this season.
A chippy and niggly opening minute eventually saw Omar Pacha and Justin DaCosta drop the gloves after just 1.18 with the Flyers defenceman getting the better of his Stingrays counterpart in an open fight.
The flight calmed the game somewhat but it would be the Stingrays that would take advantage of a goaltender inference penalty on Jamie Wilson as Kyle Mariani was given time on the blueline to fire a shot which eventually found its way home via Guillaume Doucet after 2.34.
Despite disadvantaged for large parts of the opening stages the Flyers controlled the game at even strength and, although they would end the period with five minor penalties and one major to the Stingrays four majors, they would deservedly equalise with less than 30 seconds to go in the period through Bobby Chaumont.
Unfortunately for the Flyers and head coach Todd Duitaume, the Stingrays used the late leveler to catapult themselves back up the ice and doggedly pursue a late first period go-ahead go. Amazingly the pressure paid off as Matty Davies fired home his second goal in two games since returning from injury to give the Stingrays a 2-1 lead heading into the second.
Sylvain Cloutier's side again got off to a perfect start in the second as stand in forward Jeff Smith picked up a blocked Jamie Chilcott shot after 21.32 and beat netminder Kevin Regan for a 3-1 lead.
Six minutes later Regan would be called into action to stop a Doucet penalty shot - after the Canadian was brought down on the breakaway - before the Flyers again got themselves back into the game through Chaumont - who picked up a loose puck and sniped it past the ever impressive Ben Bowns.
Fife continued to control large swaths of play at even strength, however, it would be the Stingrays that would again score somewhat against the run of play as Carl Lauzon fed Doucet directly in front of the Fife net to one-time home for a 4-2 lead after 33.14.
Regardless, the Flyers stuck to the task and, after some sustained offensive pressure, they would finally get the piece of luck they needed as the puck jumped over the stick of an advancing Pacha - leading to a two on one which Derek Roehl would eventually score at the second time of asking.
The goal came with less than five minutes to go in an offence happy second period which saw 35 shots rain in on the two netminders and the visitors would carry that momentum through the second intermission.
Though the Stingrays controlled more of the game in the third period than they had in the opening two periods it would be Fife that would complete their comeback from two goals down as Kyle Haines tied the game up at 4-4 having gone unnoticed when rushing from the point.
With the game on a knife edge the Stingrays - who hadn't been at their best but lead for the vast majority of the game - found themselves challenged by a Fife team that, contrary to the scoreline, had performed relatively well.
Although the Stingrays would fail to hit seven goals for the fourth consecutive home game they would clinch two vital points with their fifth goal of the evening as yet another piece of brilliant skill from Doucet drew an interference penalty from Danny Stewart that would ultimately decide the game
On the ensuing powerplay the puck was fired around the boards to Carl Lauzon - who picked out the slightest of gaps at the Regan's front post to notch what would be the game winning goal to go with his three assists with 6.40 left on the clock.
A tense three minutes ensued before another interference penalty - this time for a dangerous looking hit on Jereme Tendler by Matt Reber - drew the ire of the Flyers, inparticular Chaumont - who was given a ten minute abuse of official penalty - and effectively killed the game off.
The gritty victory, combined with Coventry's shootout loss in Edinburgh, lifts the Stingrays onto equal points with Coventry in sixth in the Elite League and maintains their challenge to Dundee - who tonight came back from 3-1 down to beat Braehead - at the top of the Gardiner Conference.
Following two important victories this weekend, the Stingrays face two crucial Gardiner Conference games next week as they travel to Scotland to face the Braehead Clan on Saturday and the Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday before a return fixture against the Clan in Hull the following Wednesday.
The Hull Stingrays tonight held on for a crucial 5-4 victory over Gardiner Conference rivals the Fife Flyers to complete a massive four point weekend following last night's 2-1 overtime victory over the Coventry Blaze.
Prior to tonight the teams had already met three times this season in Fife with the Stingrays possessing a 1-1-1 record, however, the fixture would be the sides first meeting at Hull Arena this season.
A chippy and niggly opening minute eventually saw Omar Pacha and Justin DaCosta drop the gloves after just 1.18 with the Flyers defenceman getting the better of his Stingrays counterpart in an open fight.
The flight calmed the game somewhat but it would be the Stingrays that would take advantage of a goaltender inference penalty on Jamie Wilson as Kyle Mariani was given time on the blueline to fire a shot which eventually found its way home via Guillaume Doucet after 2.34.
Despite disadvantaged for large parts of the opening stages the Flyers controlled the game at even strength and, although they would end the period with five minor penalties and one major to the Stingrays four majors, they would deservedly equalise with less than 30 seconds to go in the period through Bobby Chaumont.
Unfortunately for the Flyers and head coach Todd Duitaume, the Stingrays used the late leveler to catapult themselves back up the ice and doggedly pursue a late first period go-ahead go. Amazingly the pressure paid off as Matty Davies fired home his second goal in two games since returning from injury to give the Stingrays a 2-1 lead heading into the second.
Sylvain Cloutier's side again got off to a perfect start in the second as stand in forward Jeff Smith picked up a blocked Jamie Chilcott shot after 21.32 and beat netminder Kevin Regan for a 3-1 lead.
Six minutes later Regan would be called into action to stop a Doucet penalty shot - after the Canadian was brought down on the breakaway - before the Flyers again got themselves back into the game through Chaumont - who picked up a loose puck and sniped it past the ever impressive Ben Bowns.
Fife continued to control large swaths of play at even strength, however, it would be the Stingrays that would again score somewhat against the run of play as Carl Lauzon fed Doucet directly in front of the Fife net to one-time home for a 4-2 lead after 33.14.
Regardless, the Flyers stuck to the task and, after some sustained offensive pressure, they would finally get the piece of luck they needed as the puck jumped over the stick of an advancing Pacha - leading to a two on one which Derek Roehl would eventually score at the second time of asking.
The goal came with less than five minutes to go in an offence happy second period which saw 35 shots rain in on the two netminders and the visitors would carry that momentum through the second intermission.
Though the Stingrays controlled more of the game in the third period than they had in the opening two periods it would be Fife that would complete their comeback from two goals down as Kyle Haines tied the game up at 4-4 having gone unnoticed when rushing from the point.
With the game on a knife edge the Stingrays - who hadn't been at their best but lead for the vast majority of the game - found themselves challenged by a Fife team that, contrary to the scoreline, had performed relatively well.
Although the Stingrays would fail to hit seven goals for the fourth consecutive home game they would clinch two vital points with their fifth goal of the evening as yet another piece of brilliant skill from Doucet drew an interference penalty from Danny Stewart that would ultimately decide the game
On the ensuing powerplay the puck was fired around the boards to Carl Lauzon - who picked out the slightest of gaps at the Regan's front post to notch what would be the game winning goal to go with his three assists with 6.40 left on the clock.
A tense three minutes ensued before another interference penalty - this time for a dangerous looking hit on Jereme Tendler by Matt Reber - drew the ire of the Flyers, inparticular Chaumont - who was given a ten minute abuse of official penalty - and effectively killed the game off.
The gritty victory, combined with Coventry's shootout loss in Edinburgh, lifts the Stingrays onto equal points with Coventry in sixth in the Elite League and maintains their challenge to Dundee - who tonight came back from 3-1 down to beat Braehead - at the top of the Gardiner Conference.
Following two important victories this weekend, the Stingrays face two crucial Gardiner Conference games next week as they travel to Scotland to face the Braehead Clan on Saturday and the Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday before a return fixture against the Clan in Hull the following Wednesday.
FBB Three Stars
1. Guillaume Doucet (2+1)
2. Matty Davies (1+1)
3. Carl Lauzon (1+3)
