Stingrays fail to strengthen play-off spot

ANYONE would think Frantisek Bakrlik had a point to prove.

A hat-trick against former club Hull Stingrays 10 days ago proved in vain as his Fife Flyers team went down 7-5, further eroding their already bleak hopes of making the Elite League play-offs.

But on Tuesday night in Kirkcaldy, the 6ft 4ins winger came up trumps again and this time it made a difference - plundering another treble in a 4-2 win for his team which may have dealt a telling blow to his former club’s own play-off bid.

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The result sees Hull remain in seventh place, but leaves them more vulnerable to being overhauled by the two teams immediately beneath them, Dundee Stars and Edinburgh Capitals.

Hull have three games remaining in which to secure a place in the post-season, but it will be no easy task. Sheffield Steelers visit them on Sunday then, on the last weekend of the regular season, player-coach Sylvain Cloutier takes his team north to face Braehead Clan before returning home for the visit of Dundee - a potential play-off decider.

The one blessing for Hull is that Edinburgh - currently with only one win in 17 games - face the toughest run-in of the three teams fighting it out for the last two play-off spots.

Four of their six games are on the road at Coventry, Cardiff, Nottingham and Sheffield, with Coventry and Fife, on the last day of the season, to come on home ice.

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Dundee, who are two points behind Hull, also have a game in hand. They welcome Coventry before playing their last three games on the road at Cardiff, Fife and Hull.

“We didn’t play well at all but credit to Fife, credit to Bakrlik and credit to (Garrett) Zemlak (Fife net minder),” said Cloutier.

“We didn’t help ourselves and it was disappointing but we can’t dwell on it. We have to get ready for Sheffield now on Sunday.”

Although the odds of making the post-season still remain in Hull’s favour, Bakrlik’s goals will have given them plenty to think over on the long bus ride home in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

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The 28-year-old Czech’s first came at 8.34 with Toms Hartmanis doubling the home side’s lead just under seven minutes later.

Hull dominated the second period in terms of chances on goal, but they had to wait for a powerplay opportunity before they got on the board, Jason Silverthorn making the most of the man advantage at 37.22.

Then, with Sam McCluskey in the penalty box on a slashing call, Hull surprised the home team when Derek Campbell scored shorthanded to bring his team level.

Chances were hard to come by in a tight third period and it wasn’t until the last five minutes that the breakthrough came, Bakrlik grabbing his second of the night on a powerplay created by another slashing call on McCluskey.

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As Stingrays chased the game in an attempt to salvage at least one point, Bakrlik was able to pick his spot in the empty net for his hat-trick goal with 15 seconds remaining.

FORWARD Tristan Harper played his last game of the season for the Stingrays on Tuesday night, after it was revealed he will have surgery on Thursday to cure a long-standing shoulder injury.

Harper will miss the final three matches of the regular season as well as the play-offs, with the operation being done now to enable him to be ready for the start of next term.

Cloutier said: “Harps has struggled with his shoulder all season and he was out for a while there too.

“But he put a shoulder brace on and got back out there playing. He knew we were short and he wanted to help the team. I can’t fault him, he has a big heart and he would do anything to play.”

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