Shoot-out defeat frustrates Stingrays’ coach Cloutier

Ahead of a Challenge Cup tie with league leaders Sheffield Steelers at Hull Arena on Wednesday (7.30pm), a 6-3 home win over their Scottish rivals on Saturday night was followed by a 4-3 loss after a shoot-out at Murrayfield.

There were a number of standout performances of the weekend - most notably that of defenceman Shane Lovdahl, who laced up his skates for a home debut on Saturday just hours after stepping off a plane once delays over his work visa had been overcome.

And while Cloutier was satisfied with three points from the weekend, he couldn’t help but be frustrated by a failure to seal a maximum return.

“I’m slightly disappointed as we should really have taken four points from these two games,” said Cloutier.

“We got off to a good start on Sunday in Edinburgh, but we were ill-disciplined and it cost us as we allowed them back in the game. It was frustrating but I’ll take three points.”

In front of a small crowd at Murrayfield, Janis Ozolins fired Hull ahead with two goals inside four minutes before the home side halved the deficit at 11.31 on the powerplay through Michael Dobron.

The Capitals then surged ahead in the early part of the second through top marksman Rene Jarolin, who first found a way past Ben Bowns short-handed at 25.25, before making it 3-2 five minutes later on the powerplay with Stingrays’ captain Kurtis Dulle in the penalty box on a cross-checking call.

Chris Sykes - with his first Elite League goal since switching from EPL outfit Sheffield Steeldogs - then levelled for the visitors at 37.25 and that’s how it stayed until the end of overtime.

In the shoot-out, both teams scored three times apiece, but after Dominic Osman missed his third attempt - he had scored his first two - it was left for Dobron to clinch the extra point for the Capitals.

On Saturday, Osman had been among the standout performers for the Stingrays, plundering a hat-trick as Hull began it’s home campaign in the league in style.

Another early goal - this time from Matty Davies - got Hull going at 1.43, with debutant Lovdahl claiming an assist. Osman doubled the lead at 13.57 but the home crowd was silenced less than a minute later following Martin Cingel’s reply for the visitors.

Cingel then levelled on the powerplay at 23.35 and it was almost another 20 minutes before the net bulged again, Ozolins grabbing his first-ever Elite League marker at 42.43.

But Edinburgh refused to go away and levelled for a third time at 45.06 through Dobron, again on the powerplay with Dulle in the box on a slashing call. It was to be the last time they threatened, however, with Osman scoring his second on a delayed penalty call at 49.41.

Capitals had goaltender Tomas Hiadlovsky thrown out on a match penalty for kicking - an incident the league are going to review further - and Cloutier scored from the resulting penalty shot. Osman then sealed both points on the powerplay at 56.50.

Considering American-born Lovdahl had only stepped off a plane Saturday morning, he was able to convince his coach he had made the right decision in signing him during the summer.

“Shane did a great job for us,” said Cloutier. “ He has a lot of patience back there and has a good first pass. He will also boost our powerplay.

“I knew what I was getting when I did my homework on him during the summer and he is going to be a great pick-up.”

Lovdahl, who had kept in constant touch with Cloutier while stuck back home awaiting his visa clearance, added: “It has been frustrating sitting at home and watching the games on the website as I had never been in that situation before.

“But now I am here my main focus is to worry about my defensive side as I don’t like to get scored on.”

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