Devils Vs Singrays - 5.1.13

This Saturday see’s the Devils in action in their first game of 2013 taking on the Hull Stingrays at home in Cardiff. This will be the Fourth meeting between the two sides this season with the Devils currently having lost both games in the Challenge cup to Hull but taking the win in the league match.

We took an “in depth” and only vaguely sarcastic look at the stingray squad in the run up to a game earlier in the season which you can check out here http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/news/devils-vs-stingrays-challenge-cup/
The Stingrays have won just one of their last 10 games to sit bottom of the Elite league overall having taken just 7 wins from 26 games. They are however joint second in the Gardiner (Northern) Conference. They do have games in hand on their conference rivals, but player coach Cloutier is not happy with his side's current form.

"We're not changing right now, but we'll see what develops before the January 31 deadline," said the Stingrays' coach. "I'm always looking at forwards and defencemen to see what's available, just in case."

"I'd love to carry an extra import and go behind the bench, that would probably be the best scenario, but we just don't have the funds for that," said Cloutier.

The Stingrays were last in action just before the New Year taking on the Belfast Giants in one of those ridiculous doubled up League & Challenge Cup games away in Belfast.

The Giants opened the scoring with a strike from Kevin Saurette with the goal coming at 8.57. The visitors then went level with a power play goal from Jereme Tendler at 10.44. However, the Giants regained the lead on the night as Saurette with his second, netted on the powerplay at 12.38.

Less than a minute later the home side added a third goal from the stick of Gregory Stewart timed at 13.33. Belfast thought they had put the game out of the reach of the Stingrays when Noah Clarke added a fourth at 16.28.

The Stingrays had other ideas though as they hit three without reply with the first of these coming from Jereme Tendler as he got a second powerplay goal at 23.27. The visitors cut the deficit to a one goal game as Tendler netted a straight powerplay hat trick as he netted at 33.02. With a minute to go in the second period Jason Silverthorn netted a fourth straight powerplay goal to tie the game up at four apiece.

After a spirited fight back the visitors had nothing left in the tank in the third period. With the only goal coming from the stick of Craig Peacock on the powerplay with only 46 seconds of the period played. This game winning goal was enough for the Giants to collect the points for the league as well as securing a semi-final berth in the Challenge Cup.

Belfast Giants 5 - 4 Hull Stingrays

Looking at the Stingrays the main one to watch is Jereme Tendler who leads the Stingrays scoring with 24 goals, five of which he’s netted against the Devils and 15 assists.  Ex Devils player Jason Silverthorn on 10 Goals, 2 on the Devils and 22 assists and Janis Ozolins on 14 Goals and 16 assists.

In nets the Stingrays are backed up by Brit net minder Ben Bowns with a 90.1% save percentage and goals against average of 3.59.

The Devils scoring on the Stingrays has come primarily from Mac Faulkner on 5 goals against the Stingrays and Chris Blight on 2 goals Vs the Rays so far this season.

We will be running the “ridiculously childish and disgustingly biased” Match Night Live service for these games, expect name calling and one eyed bias in epic proportions, at the usual location of http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/mnl if you'd like to help out by texting updates (we’d be happy to hear from you) or chip in with some comments on the night please contact us at matchnightlive@gmail.com.

For details of upcoming away travel with Red Army Travel you can get all the information here http://the-inferno.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6212