Stingrays on a high after wins over big guns

It could not have gone any better for Sylvain Cloutier's side and marks a remarkable turnaround in fortunes given their recent 12-0 defeat in front of the live TV cameras at Cardiff Devils.

But that nightmare seems to have been firmly buried in the past now as the perennial strugglers finally begin to look capable of mixing it with the Elite League's big guns on a regular basis.

And in downing a second title hopeful on the road last night, Cloutier's players were able to pull themselves to within three points of sixth-placed Braehead Clan who ended the weekend pointless following defeats to Cardiff and the Steelers. They also have five games in hand on their Scottish rivals.

Last night saw Nottingham strike first after only 46 seconds through Rob Bellamy before Cloutier pulled his side level on the powerplay in the 13th minute.

Defenceman Trevor Read put Stingrays ahead but Jade Galbraith restored parity within 34 seconds, before notching his second of the game in the 29th minute. But back came Stingrays and top goalscorer Jereme Tendler claimed his 21st goal in 24 games with a powerplay marker just 28 seconds before the end of the middle session.

Marc Levers had put Panthers ahead again, but Stingrays tied it once again through Andrew Coburn, again on the powerplay.

Overtime failed to separate the sides and Stingrays sealed the extra point 5-4 with Jason Silverthorn, Konstantin Kalmikov and Drew Bannister all being successful in the shoot-out.

Joey Talbot and Tom Squires gave Steelers a two-goal lead inside five minutes in Hull on Saturday but the hosts were level by the end of the first through Matti Uusivirta and Konstantin Kalmikov.

Tendler, former Steeler Ryan Lake and captain Kurtis Dulle extended Hull's lead in the second before Tendler completed his hat-trick in the third.

Steelers bounced back in their first game at Sheffield Arena in almost a month by coming from behind to sink league newcomers Braehead 6-4.

Talbot and Neil Clark cancelled out the visitors' early two-goal lead before Ashley Tait put Steelers ahead. Further goals followed from Tait, Robert Dowd and Mark Thomas to keep Steelers in third place in the table.