Campbell released by Stingrays; banned for 47 games

The Hull Stingrays today released import forward Derek Campbell with immediate effect following an off-ice incident in the Stingrays 2-1 loss to the Dundee Stars on Saturday. Shortly after being released by the club, the Elite Ice Hockey League announced that Campbell had been banned for a total of 47 games following a review of the incident.

The 33 year old - who had been one of the club's standout players so far this season - received a match penalty for excessive roughness 54.55 into the game and was ejected having reacted to a hit from Dundee forward Nico Sacchetti - who received a game misconduct for boarding on the hit and was also ejected.

Having both been ejected, Campbell then decided against heading straight to the changing room in order to confront Sacchetti again, this time off-ice close to the Dundee dressing room. An altercation subsequently broke out with the unsavory incident seeing some fans caught up in the middle attempting to break it up.

Campbell was given an automatic one game suspension after receiving the match penalty for excessive roughness as per Elite League rules, ruling him out of the return leg in Dundee on Sunday - which the Stingrays lost 3-2.

However, the Stingrays have today decided to release the player following his actions.

On releasing Campbell - who had recorded four goals and six assists in 12 games this season - Stingrays owner and assistant coach Bobby McEwan said:

"I just felt we had to make the decision, and not let it drag on until the end of the week, so I called Derek and let him know. What he did on the ice in reaction to the challenge is part and parcel of the game, but I can't condone what happened off it, it's a business decision."

McEwan revealed to BBC Radio Humberside Campbell's reaction to the decision to release him:

"He's very disappointed and he understands it was a decision that we just had to make."

The EIHL launched reviews of both the on-ice and off-ice incident on Saturday and have subsequently today banned Campbell for a total of 47 games. 

The 47 game ban comprises of 15 games for fighting off-ice, 12 games for an attempted eye-gouge, 10 games for a knee to the head and a further 10 games for excessive force to the head resulting in impact to the ice.

Upon announcing the ban, Elite League Head of Discipline Moran Hanson said:

"There are many aspects to this serious incident and that is why I have broken it down into separate sections. I have studied the game tape in great detail and I have spoken with the three officials, who all were able to give me detailed reports. This is a very nasty incident and there is no place for any of these actions in our sport."

It is believed that the Stingrays were unaware of the length of Campbell's ban prior to releasing him today. However, if they had chosen to keep him on the roster, he would return from his ban on Saturday 15th March, ironically, against the Dundee Stars.

The last question remaining from the whole incident is now whether Campbell's ban applies to both he and one of the Stingrays import roster spots he filled or whether the ban remains only with the player should he ever return to the Elite League.

As the Stingrays have chosen to release Campbell from his contract it is thought that they will be able to replace him with a further import forward should they chose to, though this has yet to be confirmed by the club or the league. Sheffield's David Simms has suggested on Twitter that the Stingrays would have to play an import short for the full 47 game term but could appeal to the other nine Elite League clubs if they wished to replace Campbell. They would then have the final say on whether the ban applied to the import slot or not.

As it stands, it seems highly likely the ban may have marked the end of the Canadian's career, if not at least his career in the Elite League - which spanned over eight seasons, five clubs, 346 games, 110 goals, 224 assists, 334 points and, perhaps most memorably for some of the wrong reasons, 1434 penalty minutes.

Stars extend Stingrays losing skid to seven

Dundee Stars 3-2 Hull Stingrays

The Hull Stingrays tonight suffered their second defeat of the weekend to the league leading Dundee Stars following up last night's narrow and controversial 2-1 defeat with a 3-2 loss in Scotland to extend their losing run to seven games.

After putting in man of the match worthy 55 save performance last night, Dundee netminder Dan Bakala picked up where he left off, shutting out the Stingrays in the first period as they outshot the Stars 15-8 in a scoreless 20 minutes.

Dundee would rebound in the second period and nevertheless opened the scoring on the powerplay through Brock McPherson - who scored his second goal in two games against the Rays - with Omar Pacha sitting his third of three consecutive penalties.

A first goal in Dundee colours for Marcis Zembergs and a tenth of the year for Nico Sacchetti would further add to the Stingrays misery in the second period, extending the Stars lead to 3-0.

For the third consecutive game the Stingrays attempted to mount a third period comeback with a shorthanded marker from Jereme Tendler - his third goal in three games - kick starting that potential comeback 2.44 into the third period.

The Stingrays notched a second through Matty Davies on 46.24 to reduce the deficit to one. However, despite pulling netminder Ben Bowns with less than a minute remaining and outshooting the Stars 12-8 in the third, the comeback would again end in disappointment in a narrow 3-2 loss.

The defeat is the club's seventh loss on the bounce and third consecutive loss by one goal.

Next weekend the Rays face Fife in Scotland on Saturday and Nottingham at home in the Challenge Cup on Sunday, prior to which they will receive the outcome of disciplinary action on Derek Campbell following last night's off-ice incident.

Stingrays third period comeback falls short again amid off-ice chaos

Hull Stingrays 1-2 Dundee Stars

For the second time in two weeks the Hull Stingrays tonight trailed by two goals after 40 minutes and produced comfortably their best hockey in the third period but were unable to overturn the deficit.

Where they successfully fought back from two goals down last week against the Belfast Giants - only to lose out thanks to a late powerplay goal - they were unable to come back and tie the score tonight against the Dundee Stars, eventually losing out to their Gardiner Conference rivals by two goals to one.

On the back of some vocal home support early in the game, Sylvain Cloutier's side started the game against the Elite League leaders with real purpose and intensity, taking the game to the Stars in the opening minutes.

That early momentum was swiftly eradicated however after penalties on Jason Silverthorn and Bobby Chamberlain prior to the ten minute mark gave the Stars puck possession and the opportunity to open the scoring.

Though the Stars couldn't muster a powerplay goal, they would eventually open the scoring through Jerry Polllastrone. With the Stingrays on the offensive 4-on-4 after penalties to Chamberlain and Sam McCluskey,  Nikita Kashirsky received the puck and fed a pass down the middle of the ice to an unmarked Pollastrone - who broke in on a breakaway and slipped the puck past Bowns.

Despite their good start, the Stingrays trailed and were struggling to really test Dundee netminder Dan Bakala - who has been a big reason for his side's rise to the top of the standings.

Although they outshot the Stars in the opening period 19-15 and overall, a whopping 57-37, the majority of the Bakala's stops were straightforward with the Rays having very few clear cut chances - particularly in the first period. A big reason for that was the impressive performances of defencemen Tysen Dowzak and Rory Raylyk - the backbone of the Stars side - who defended admirably, generated offence and swept up any of Bakala's rebounds.

On the occasions the home side did craft chances Bakala was on top form to deny them as he notably stopped one-timers from Jereme Tendler and Kyle Mariani with kicksaves low down in the first period.

Undoubtedly their biggest chance of the night and the best save of the night came late in the opening period as Omar Pacha fired a speculative shot towards Guillaume Doucet in front of the Stars net.

Doucet didn't so much re-direct the puck as bat it goal bound from two feet directly in front, only for Bakala to deny him with miraculous glove save to the obvious amazement of Doucet and most of Hull Arena. Part instinct, part luck and part skill, Bakala's save came at a crucial time and ensured the visitors would go into the first intermission one goal to the good.

The importance of the save was proven early in the second period as a poor clearance around the boards from Stingrays captain Matt Suderman gifted the puck to Brock McPherson.

From almost level with the goal line, and thus from the acutest of angles near the boards, McPherson somehow found the smallest gap in Bowns' pads and hit the twine on the inside of the far post to double the Stars lead.

That goal, like the first period penalties, prevented the home side from building any momentum and, although they again outshot the Stars, they looked lacklustre throughout. A brilliant, determined individual performance from Derek Campbell the only real positive in a disappointing first two periods that promised so much prior to the game but again delivered so little.

As they had a week earlier against Belfast, the Stingrays found themselves just two goals down heading into the final period of a game they hadn't yet performed particularly well.

And again, as they did against Belfast, the Stingrays came out of the second intermission almost a different side eventually firing 23 shots on Bakala in the final 20 minutes.

The third period improvement would eventually pay dividends for the Stingrays as Silverthorn set up Tendler on the powerplay for a one-timer that Bakala, nor likely any other netminder in the world would have stopped, with a high finish for a narrow angle to reduce the deficit.

The game would be marred by events with just over five minutes remaining though as Campbell - who had been the Stingrays standout performer on the night - drove the puck into the Stars zone only to feel aggrieved by a hit behind the net from Nico Sacchetti that went uncalled.

The hit would lead to Campbell, Silverthorn and Jeff Smith challenging Sacchetti before Kashirsky and the rest of both sides got involved in a scrum.

Eventually, Silverthorn, Campbell and Sacchetti would be thrown out of the game before a disgraceful off-ice incident would see Campbell and Sacchetti involved near the Stars changing room.

Ugly scenes would ensure as security attempted to break up the fight close to many fans in A Block of the Hull Arena with the Dundee players spilling out of the bench and the penalty box - for which they would be further penalised - to try and help their teammate.

The Elite League have since announced that Campbell has received an automatic one game ban for the excessive match penalty he was handed following the on-ice incident and he will now miss Sunday's return fixture against the Stars in Dundee.

Both the on and off-ice incident will  be further reviewed and it seems likely the Stingrays forward will receive a hefty ban for this actions, having seemingly gone to the Stars dressing room after being ejected.

Before and after the incident involving Campbell the home side continued to push hard for an equaliser in a much improved 20 minute spell - with Tendler hitting the post with three minutes remaining. However, for the second time in two weeks it would again ultimately prove to be too little, too late for Cloutier's side.

The Stingrays can have no complaints with the outcome having turned up and performed for just a third of the game against an in-form side and in-form netminder. Now on a six game losing streak, they must drastically improve over 60 minutes if they are to get anything from Sunday's return trip against Dundee in Scotland.

FBB Three Stars

1. Derek Campbell (0+0)

2. Omar Pacha (0+0)

3. Jereme Tendler (1+0)

Match Highlights: Hull Stingrays 1-2 Dundee Stars

Match Highlights: Hull Stingrays 2-3 Belfast Giants

Stingrays comeback thwarted by late Belfast powerplay goal

Hull Stingrays 2-3 Belfast Giants

The Hull Stingrays tonight came back from two goals down in the third period to draw level with Erhardt Conference side the Belfast Giants, only to concede a late powerplay goal and lose out three goals to two.

The home side - who entered the game on the back of four consecutive losses - found themselves two goals down after two periods thanks to powerplay goals from Kevin Saurette (15.09) - who has a phomenal scoring record against the Stingrays - and Dustin Whitecotton (25.52).

However, having outshot their opponents in the opening two periods, the Stingrays finally came good in the third.

First, Jereme Tendler found the net just two minutes and 48 seconds into the final period with the Rays only powerplay goal on six attempts on the night. Derek Campbell then bagged his league leading third shorthanded goal of the season with less than seven minutes remaining to level the scores.

Just as it looked as though the Stingrays might notch at least their third point of the season, the Giants recorded their third powerplay goal of the evening on their sixth attempt with Kyle Mariani sitting two minutes for interference.

Ben Bowns - who stopped 31 of 34 shots going up against GB number on Stephen Murphy - was then pulled and it had looked like the Rays might've once again leveled in the final minute, however, the goal was not given and the Giants held on for the win.

Although the Stingrays largely matched the Giants blow for blow and that, in itself, should prove to be a confidence boost for Sylvain Cloutier, the Rays coach and his players will be disappointed not to convert the comeback into a much needed win.

Now on a five game losing streak, it is important the Rays use the momentum from tonight's improved performance in next weekend's home and away double header against the in-form Dundee Stars.

The Stars have lost just two of nine games so far this season - having already beaten Cardiff, Coventry, Nottingham and Sheffield as well as Gardiner Conference sides Braehead and Edinburgh - and will inevitably prove a tough challenge.

Match Highlights: Coventry Blaze 7-4 Hull Stingrays

Match Highlights: Hull Stingrays 3-5 Edinburgh Capitals

Stingrays special team woes continue in Coventry defeat

Coventry Blaze 7-4 Hull Stingrays (CC)

The Hull Stingrays faint hopes of reaching the Challenge Cup Quarter Finals were dealt what will likely prove to be a fatal blow tonight as they were comfortably beaten 7-4 by a Coventry Blaze side that were forced to ice back-up netminder Adam Goss for more than 50 minuts.

Adam Henrich opened the scoring with the first of two goals on the night at 10.50 before Brits Bobby Chamberlain and Matt Selby dropped the gloves moments later. Early reports suggest Coventry defenceman Selby may have just got the better of the Stingrays forward.

For the second time in a week, the Stingrays would be up against a backup netminder in the Challenge Cup as Coventry starter Mike Zacharias was replaced by Goss after just 13 minutes due to injury.

The Rays would fire just three shots on Goss in the remaining seven minutes of the first period.

Ryan Ginand (PPG) netted his eighth of the season to double Coventry's lead nearly five minutes into the second period. However, the Stingrays quickly rebounded from the goal, scoring through Jason Silverthorn and then Guillaume Doucet to tie the score prior to the halfway point of the game.

Michael Henrich (PPG) struck to make it 3-2 on 38 minutes but it would be the Stingrays that would have the last laugh in the second period, netting a shorthanded goal on the buzzer to tie the game through Matty Davies.

The goal was the Stingrays fourth shorthanded goal of the year, tying the exact number of powerplay goals they have recorded so far this year. That stat itself highlights how poor the Stingrays man advantage - which went 0-on-8 last night and 0-on-3 tonight - has been early in the season and, to a lesser extent, how offensively minded their penalty kill has been.

While the Stingrays powerplay has generally been substandard so far this season, the penalty kill has, ignoring two costly powerplay goals last night, on the whole been solid.

However, two Blaze powerplay goals in the opening three minutes of the final period opened up an unassailable 5-3 lead for the home side and ensured the Stingrays penalty kill would concede four goals on six Coventry attempts.

Where the Stingrays powerplay probably cost them against Edinburgh after failing to convert in eight opportunities, the penalty kill cost them tonight against the Blaze.

Doucet would add a second of the night on 46.03 but the damage had been done early in the period and the Blaze went on to add further goals through Adam Henrich and Ashley Tait for a comfortable 7-4 win.

The defeat leaves the Stingrays with no points from four straight Challenge Cup losses and what must surely be the impossible task of reaching the next stage.

Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier had targeted six points in order to qualify for the Quarter Finals, meaning, if it were possible to qualify with six points, they would now require three wins from their remaining four games.

One positive is that three of their final four Challenge Cup fixtures come at home, however, in current form it seems unlikely the Rays will once again be gracing the Quarter Final stage of the competition.

Their final four Challenge Cup fixtures come at home to Nottingham on 13th October, away to Cardiff on 31st October, at home to Sheffield on 2nd November and at home to Coventry on 30th November. 

Hiadlovsky condemns Stingrays to fourth defeat

Hull Stingrays 3-5 Edinburgh Capitals

The Hull Stingrays are still searching for their second win of the 13/14 season thanks to a game winning 47 save effort from Edinburgh Capitals netminder Tomas Hiadlovsky in a 5-3 loss to the Scottish side at Hull Arena.

For the first time at home this season the Stingrays lined up at full strength with import defenceman Jeff Smith back in the line-up, while the visitors were still without import forward Les Reaney - who is still awaiting his visa.

Though it was the visitors that had the game's first chance with the game only seconds old - as they forced Stingrays netminder Ben Bowns into a comforable glove save - it was the home side that should have been at least one goal up within the first five minutes as both Jereme Tendler and Guillaume Doucet were denied on separate occasions.

Hiadlovsky would again be called into action moments later after good work from Bobby Chamberlain down low in the offensive zone, only to deny the Stingrays again.

With the Slovakian netminder already proving to be a formidable barrier in the Caps net, it was with some relief that on rushing defenceman Omar Pacha was able to squeeze the puck in between the netminder and his short side post for a 1-0 Stingrays lead on 3.46

Fellow new signing Doucet then doubled the lead less than a minute later and it was at this point that the opening of the floodgates seemed imminent. Stealing the puck off defenceman Martin Lucka on his own blueline, Doucet used the extra man on the ensuing 2-on-1 as a decoy before scoring his third of the season.

Had the game continued at this rate there was only ever going to be one winner. However, a minute and 24 seconds later a speculative effort from Tomas Horna somehow found its way past Bowns. Despite being outshot 18-9 in the first period, the Caps were miraculously and completely against the run of play back in the game on a goal the Rays netminder will surely want back.

After controlling more or less the whole of the opening 20 minutes - only to allow the visitors to pull a goal back - the last thing the Stingrays wanted to do 16 seconds into the second period was concede. Unfortunately for Cloutier and his side, that is exactly what they did.

With Jeff Smith sitting a hooking minor penalty, Edinburgh broke into the Rays zone from opening face-off and, after a well worked move between standout forward Horna and defenceman Jan Safar, equalised through Curtis Leinweber.

Just over five minutes later, Leinweber would have his second of the night as he re-directed a powerful Safar point shot on the powerplay to give Richard Hartmann's side a 3-2 lead. Although the Capitals struggled in the opening period, they controlled large parts of the second period and began to frustrate the Stingrays offensive as Hiadlovsky continued to stand tall - stopping 17 second period shots as his side were again heavily outshot 17-6.

Knowing they needed to drastically improve on their second period showing, the home side came out with renewed drive and vigor in the third period and immediately set up in the Capitals offensive zone.

That early third period pressure soon told as they leveled the score at 3-3 on 45.41 with a goal that would surely swing the momentum of the game in their favour.

Big things are expected of latest arrival Carl Lauzon - who arrived in the country a week ago - and the Stingrays third summer from the French top flight tonight began to show glimpses of what he is capable of, none more so than on the Rays third goal.

Showing the type of urgency that they required at 3-2 down with less than 15 minutes to play, Lauzon broke across the Caps blueline and skillfully dropped the puck to Derek Campbell. Campbell then picked out the French-Canadian with a wonderful return pass that forced Hiadlovsky to shift his attention back to the on rushing forward, meaning he was out of position and therefore allowing Lauzon to shoot into the gaping net.

Although there is still clearly lots more to come from the French-Canadian - who is settling down in a new country, culture and league - his split second impact and that lovely drop pass to Campbell as well as pinpoint finish was a flash of brilliance in an otherwise poor night from a Stingrays point of view.

Having worked hard to get back into the game, with Lauzon's goal a potential game-changer, the Stingrays undid all that good work just five minutes later as they pushed for another goal.

That offensive pressure saw defenceman Kyle Mariani fluff an undecided, attempted shot from the blueline, giving away puck possession and allowing Edinburgh to counter-attack. On the resulting counter-attack, the Caps would score what would prove to be the game winning goal through longtime forward Martin Cingel in front of the Stingrays net, following hard work down low from Peter Holecko.

The goal killed the Rays momentum and forced them to regroup and look for another leveler. Though Hiadlovsky was again called into action as the game wore down - stopping another 13 shots as the Stingrays outshot the Caps 14-7 in the third and 50-21 overall - the damage had been done. The Caps shut up shop in the closing moments and clung on to a hard fought win and a vital two points with the Rays were unable to tie the game for a third time.

Edinburgh player-coach Hartmann would add a last second empty net goal to complete the 5-3 defeat - which condemns the Stingrays to their fourth loss in five games and gives his side their first victory of the season.

Although the Stingrays were dominant throughout in terms of possession and shots on goal and, in fairness most statistical categories, the visitors ruled the roost in two key areas: netminding and special teams.

Where Bowns - whose only mistake shouldn't have had any bearing on the result - stopped 16 of 20 shots, Hiadlovsky denied an impressive 47 of 50 as the Stingrays offence came up empty when the game was in the balance.

Likewise, where the Capitals scored two goals on five powerplay opportunities, the Stingrays slumped to no goals on eight powerplay opportunities. It is clear to see that the Rays man advantage is struggling and has so far had problems creating real scoring opportunities. Indeed, they are often left frustrated and unable to get one-time shots on goal from the point - which seems to be their main focus- with shots blocked, mishit or opted out of due to a lack of sight on net.

Equally as worrying is that Cloutier's side have now suffered two irreversible second period collapses in two weeks having led heading into the middle stanza.

They will be hoping to buck that trend and their three game losing skid tomorrow night in a Challenge Cup fixture in Coventry before a home tie against the Belfast Giants next Sunday.

FBB Three Stars

1. Omar Pacha (1+0)

2. Matty Davies (0+1)

3. Jamie Chilcott (0+0)