Stingrays in with a shot
Excel Hull Stingrays will head to Cardiff Devils tonight trailing 2-1 from their Elite League play-off quarter-final first leg at Hull Arena. In front of another bumper crowd, Stingrays found themselves a goal down inside four minutes when Tylor Michel scored short-handed for the visiting Devils. A stunning save from Cardiff goaltender Stevie Lyle followed, preventing Stingrays’ top scorer Jereme Tendler from levelling.
The netminder was in great form and made an even better stop to leave Lee Mitchell in disbelief, but Hull did find a way past Lyle in the 27th minute when player-coach Sylvain Cloutier was presented with a tap-in after smart play by Drew Bannister. However, the Devils moved back in front just over three minutes later with the unmarked Brad Voth finishing well. Shortly after, Jon Pelle, the league’s leading scorer, saw an effort ping against the post. Stingrays lost Jozef Sladok to a game misconduct rap for abuse of an official in the 44th minute. Hull kept coming though, and Lyle again had to be on hand, this time to deny Kurtis Dulle.
Now it comes down to 60 minutes of hockey at the Cardiff Bay Arena to see if the Stingrays can reach the semi-finals in Nottingham next weekend. Bench coach Bobby McEwan said: “It was a great performance from every guy on the team. Everyone showed up, play-off hockey came out. All we asked the guys is to give us a chance going into Cardiff and we have done that. We have given them a fright. They thought they were going to take a three or four-goal lead back with them. If we get a good start, it is game on.”
He continued, “It is only half-time, it is now 60 minutes of hockey and winner takes all. They will still be the favourites, they have been the form team all year and are very strong at home but if we can get an early goal, will they start to panic? We will see. They might be put under pressure they have never been put under. Hopefully we can get it done. It could be the last 60 minutes of the season or it could lead the club to the Final Four for the first time. It is pressure hockey now.”
