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The Inferno
Cardiff Devils v Hull Stingrays - 26/09
29th Sep 2009 | Posted by Mark Finn
The first game after 'that' game and with Hull missing 4 players, Huppe and Knight suspended, Jorde and Mitchell injured, damage limitation seemed to be the name of the game.
Devils were worthy winners but never really had to push themselves to the limits for the win, but makes for an interesting comparison to last years games.
The Devils first was a very nice goal timed at 14:47. Ben Davies picking up the puck and counter-attacking down the left wing. Timing the pass perfectly, he got it past the last defenceman where Towe flicked it over the sliding Sandahl. Assists went to Davies and Hartwick accordingly.
Devils second, timed at 31:34 was scored by Smith, after the puck fell loose infront of the net and he fired it below a mass of bodies. If I'm honest, I would be furious if it had stood against us as there were two Devils players lying in the crease when the goal went in - though to be fair they had both been checked there by Hull players (Delayed penalty on the goal). Assist to Birbraer.
Devils got a bit too relaxed then and failed to pick up the spare man as Glowa won the puck in the corner and passed it to Koulivov skated in on his own at the far post. Timed at 32:06, goal Koulikov with assists to Glowa and Thompson.
Barely a minute had go though when from a face off, Towe won the draw and Ben Davies hit a one time slapshot into the top far corner. Another cracking goal.
Don't know why but Cloutier went mad and seemed to be demanding the goal was washed out. After looking at the replay I'm still clueless why.
Game was over 29 seconds into the final period. A scamble infront of the net ended up with Jarvis poking the puck home once again.
After that it was just a case of Sandahl keeping the score down. He made some great saves which stopped it being a mauling, and was a deserved MOTM. Many of the Stingrays players (especially Cloutier) seemed more concerned with trying to get a reaction from certain Devils player, than they were with trying to score and win the game.
Cloutier in particular was very lucky that Thompson missed him swinging his stick and catching Latulippe in the face.
For the Devils, Smith looked to be getting back to his old self, a couple of trademark moves and counter-attacks combined with the puck seemingly clued to his stick. He linked up well with Birbraer a couple of times but for some reason Miller wasn't at the races tonight. He couldn't pass, he couldn't recieve passes and he kept losing the puck as he crossed the blueline. Hopefully it was one of those games.
The second line worked hard and on another night Hill could have had a hat-trick.
But the stars of the night and the difference between the two sides was the Devils third line. Matt Towe controlled the play really well but Ben Davies was for me the best player on the ice tonight. His pass for Towe's goal was worthy of a seasoned import, whilst his own goal was unstoppable. Everytime he got the puck tonight he looked dangerous and the Stingrays defence just couldn't work out how to stop him legally.
Of course the irony is that had Voth not got banned from the previous Stingrays game - then Davies wouldn't have even played. Instead of rotating him with Hayes it was Davies who got shift after shift - and in the final period Adams rested/benched himself and put Hayes on alongide Towe and Davies. I would be amazed if there was a better 10th forward in the league than Davies.
Other than one or two little mistakes the Devils D looked a lot more solid today and bar the goal which Lyle had no chance with - he dealt with everything pretty well. Once again Richardson was brilliant and make it look like he has been playing on defence all his career.
Devils were worthy winners but never really had to push themselves to the limits for the win, but makes for an interesting comparison to last years games.
The Devils first was a very nice goal timed at 14:47. Ben Davies picking up the puck and counter-attacking down the left wing. Timing the pass perfectly, he got it past the last defenceman where Towe flicked it over the sliding Sandahl. Assists went to Davies and Hartwick accordingly.
Devils second, timed at 31:34 was scored by Smith, after the puck fell loose infront of the net and he fired it below a mass of bodies. If I'm honest, I would be furious if it had stood against us as there were two Devils players lying in the crease when the goal went in - though to be fair they had both been checked there by Hull players (Delayed penalty on the goal). Assist to Birbraer.
Devils got a bit too relaxed then and failed to pick up the spare man as Glowa won the puck in the corner and passed it to Koulivov skated in on his own at the far post. Timed at 32:06, goal Koulikov with assists to Glowa and Thompson.
Barely a minute had go though when from a face off, Towe won the draw and Ben Davies hit a one time slapshot into the top far corner. Another cracking goal.
Don't know why but Cloutier went mad and seemed to be demanding the goal was washed out. After looking at the replay I'm still clueless why.
Game was over 29 seconds into the final period. A scamble infront of the net ended up with Jarvis poking the puck home once again.
After that it was just a case of Sandahl keeping the score down. He made some great saves which stopped it being a mauling, and was a deserved MOTM. Many of the Stingrays players (especially Cloutier) seemed more concerned with trying to get a reaction from certain Devils player, than they were with trying to score and win the game.
Cloutier in particular was very lucky that Thompson missed him swinging his stick and catching Latulippe in the face.
For the Devils, Smith looked to be getting back to his old self, a couple of trademark moves and counter-attacks combined with the puck seemingly clued to his stick. He linked up well with Birbraer a couple of times but for some reason Miller wasn't at the races tonight. He couldn't pass, he couldn't recieve passes and he kept losing the puck as he crossed the blueline. Hopefully it was one of those games.
The second line worked hard and on another night Hill could have had a hat-trick.
But the stars of the night and the difference between the two sides was the Devils third line. Matt Towe controlled the play really well but Ben Davies was for me the best player on the ice tonight. His pass for Towe's goal was worthy of a seasoned import, whilst his own goal was unstoppable. Everytime he got the puck tonight he looked dangerous and the Stingrays defence just couldn't work out how to stop him legally.
Of course the irony is that had Voth not got banned from the previous Stingrays game - then Davies wouldn't have even played. Instead of rotating him with Hayes it was Davies who got shift after shift - and in the final period Adams rested/benched himself and put Hayes on alongide Towe and Davies. I would be amazed if there was a better 10th forward in the league than Davies.
Other than one or two little mistakes the Devils D looked a lot more solid today and bar the goal which Lyle had no chance with - he dealt with everything pretty well. Once again Richardson was brilliant and make it look like he has been playing on defence all his career.
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