Mistakes prove costly as Cloutier’s patience ends

Hull fell to a 6-2 defeat at unbeaten leaders Nottingham Panthers on Wednesday night - their fifth straight loss - and while Cloutier had been patient over his players’ performances prior to the clash at the National Ice Centre, that seemed to snap after a series of mistakes gifted Corey Neilson’s impressive side both points.

The Stingrays will now head to Cardiff - rarely a happy hunting ground - in the Challenge Cup on Saturday meaning it is likely to be Sunday when Hull break their losing streak at home to Elite League newcomers Fife Flyers.

“It is not good enough to just be in games any more, the guys have to pick it up,” said Cloutier. “We can’t just be in games for 20 minutes and not play for the other 40.

“We played a great first period and had a great five-on-three kill at the start of the second – then the wheels fell off.

“We had three turnovers and the puck ended in the back of our net. We can’t keep making these mistakes, especially against a team like that. It is hurting us.”

Jereme Tendler struck in the 18th minute on the powerplay for his third goal of the season to halve the lead enjoyed by the Panthers after David Beauregard and Matt Francis had put them 2-0 up after 13 minutes.

With Cloutier and Derek Campbell in the box for minor penalties at the start of the second, Hull successfully killed a 5-on-3 but, once again, the conceding of two goals in quick succession seemed to be the undoing of them.

Neilson was first to strike and restore his team’s two-goal cushion at 28.43 before young Robert Lachowicz made it 4-1 three minutes later.

The majority of the 3,500 crowd were celebrating again when Nottingham scored two more goals inside just 26 seconds. Jeff Heerema found a way past Christian Boucher in the Hull net at 49.25 before David Clarke made it nine for the season.

Stingrays grabbed their second of the night, also on the powerplay, through Frantisek Bakrlik in the 52nd minute shortly before replacing Boucher with youngster Ben Bowns, who is on a two-way contract with Sheffield Steeldogs.

Period Scores: 2-1, 2-0, 2-1

Penalty Mins: Not 18 – Hul 12

Powerplay: Not 1/4 - Hul 2/7

Shots On: Craig Kowalski 19 / Dan Green 4 – Christian Boucher 31 / Ben Bowns 1.