Stingrays hammered while Steelers fall at home again
HULL STINGRAYS coach Sylvain Cloutier admitted he was "embarrassed" after seeing his side walloped 9-1 by a rampant Nottingham Panthers at the National Ice Centre.
All previous meetings this season between the two had been tight affairs but hat-tricks from David Clarke and Cameron Mann, together with strikes from Sean McAslan (2) Marty Gascon amde sure that run came to a shuddering end forn the visitors, for who Lee Mitchell scored a late consolation on the powerplay.
"It was embarrassing for the fans, embarrassing for Mike and Sue (Pack - club owners), it was embarrassing for me as a coach," said Cloutier, whose side will look to bounce back on home ice on Sunday evening against Newcastle Vipers, for who former Stingrays defenceman Ryan Jorde is expected to ice.
"As a player I have to do my job too – it was just embarrassing all round. Some guys just did not show up, it was the worst performance this season."
Seventh-placed Sheffield Steelers failed to close the gap on Newcastle and Edinburgh Capitals - the teams immediately above them - when they went down 3-1 at home to Belfast Giants, the first of a double-header between the two sides at Sheffield Arena.
After a goalless first period, Joe Talbot fired Steelers ahead at 28.41 before league leading goalscorer Colin Shields levelled at 33.11.
At 50.26 and Pat Bateman scored the go-ahead goal for the visitors and as Steelers pressed for an equalier, coach Dave Matsos pulled the netminder leaving Pierre-Luc Faubert to make sure of the points with an empty net marker with four seconds left on the clock.