Inferno Game Preview - 23/11/13

22nd Nov 2013 | Posted by Simon Rafferty

At the moment it feels like we are seeing a lot of the Hull Stingrays and personally it feels like I’ve prepared this preview one hell of a lot just lately so this one is going to be a little shorter than our usual. 

You can check out our last Hull game preview - http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/news/inferno-game-preview-devils-vs-rays/ just add in an extra defeat for the Devils as the Stingrays managed a 3-5 on the road win over the Devils in this last meeting.

Last weekend saw the Stingrays in action twice splitting their weekends results taking two of the four points on offer staring on Saturday on the road in Braehead where hull made it two consecutive road wins as they beat Braehead by the odd goal in five and at the same time ended the home sides recent seven game winning streak. With Ben Bowns in the Stingrays net having an outstanding night as he turned away 40 of the 42 shots he faced.

It was a great start for debutant Joe Culled as he put the home side in front as he slotted home at 11.46. It looked as though the Clan would go in at the end of the period with a one goal lead. However, 12 seconds remaining the visitors were on level terms with a goal from Carl Lauzon.

The second period looked to be heading to be goalless that was until the Stingrays went on the powerplay and Jereme Tendler found the net at 36.29 to give his side a one goal lead at the end of the second period.

It was a two goal advantage to the visitors 73 seconds into the third period as player/coach Sylvain Cloutier netted. Despite outshooting the Stingrays 13-5 in the period the Clan could only breach Bowns the once at 52.26 as Ed McGrane scored. Even pulling goaltender Jones in the final minute didn’t help and the visitors held on to take the points.

Final Score Braehead Clan 2 – 3  Hull Stingrays.

Sunday saw the Stingrays at Home to the Coventry Blaze who picked up a win double following their home success over the Devils on Saturday with an impressive 5-2 win on the road against the Stingrays.

Blaze fired ahead in the opening exchanges and at 3.28 the returning Shea Guthrie scored the first goal of his second spell with the club to give his side the advantage.

Blaze held that lead until going 2-0 ahead only 43 seconds into period two with Ryan Ginand on target. A powerplay effort by Kevin Harvey at 33.55 made it three and Blaze moved into complete control mode when Ross Venus added number four at 37.12.

Effectively the game was overcome the start of period three but Stingrays kept plugging away and got their rewards at 51.17 when Carl Lauzon got his side on the board. A powerplay goal by Guillaume Doucet counted as Stingrays second of the game at 57.56 but the final word was the visitors’ with Ginand scoring his second with 37 seconds remaining into an empty net to complete a successful week on and off the ice for Matt Soderstom’s team.

Final Score Hull Stingrays 2 – 5  Coventry Blaze

Speaking after this game the Stingrays Player-coach Sylvain Cloutier had this to say –

 "For the first two periods we did not play the way we can. We got out-worked, we were not battling and you can't do that."

"We were the better team in the third period but it was a missed chance to get four points this weekend and to take advantage of them missing some key guys."

"We need to play as a group and out-work teams, like we did in Braehead, but we did not have it tonight. It is disappointing but we move on."

The Stingrays seem to have worked out how to beat the Devils in the last few games playing a very defensive style looking to score on the breakaway against the Devils depleted Defence corps, in much the same way as the Clan did last weekend.

The ones to watch for Hull remain

Guillaume Doucet    15 Goals & 15 Assists
Jereme Tendler       18 Goals  & 14 Assists
Jason Silverthorn    10 Goals & 15 Assists
Matthew Davies       4 Goals and 24 Assists

With more than capable support coming from across the squad.

In nets the Stingrays are backstopped by the seemingly unbeatable Ben Bowns who’s seemed to deny the Devils on the last few meetings and has a save percentage of 90% and a Goals against average of 3.6

The Devils made hard work of last weekend’s outings losing both speaking after these games Brent Pope had this to say -  “Our work rate was there. Our execution wasn’t.”

“These are tough times, but we know what is needed and everybody in our locker room is committed to ensuring we are performing consistently at a high level.”

You can see us talk about this upcoming game against Hull, last weekend’s games, a whole load of Random stuff and witness the smashing of a Devils mug by one of the panel ( let’s call him Jon)  and a whole lot more in the Shambolic Episode 10 of Inferno TV here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJrfqMIV00E

We might be running the “ridiculously childish and disgustingly biased” “ Pantomime Script” that is Match Night Live for this game we also might not.  It’s not a conspiracy we haven’t “sold out” or anything like that we just don’t have a host at the moment, if it runs expect name calling, slurs and one eyed bias and randomness in epic proportions, at the usual location of http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/mnl