Stingrays’ losing run extended at hands of Devils

Despite the high of finally gaining victory in Cardiff last month, Sylvain Cloutier’s short-benched team could not repeat that feat on home ice on Sunday, twice giving up the lead.

With forward Jack Watkins and defenceman Daniel Scott still away on international duty with Great Britain’s Under-20 team in Germany and departed captain and D-man Josh Mizerek not yet replaced, it was always possible fatigue may be a factor for Hull against an always-threatening Cardiff.

And so it proved, as the 2010-11 regular season runners-up scored three unanswered third period goals to leave Hull firmly stuck in the eighth and final play-of spot, five points behind seventh-placed Edinburgh who went down 7-2 at Coventry Blaze.

It had looked more promising earlier in the night for the home side, particularly as they more than matched their opponents to enjoy a 3-2 lead at the end of the third period.

Kenton Smith fired the Devils ahead at 17.13 on the powerplay only for the in-form Jereme Tendler to level for Stingrays 31 seconds later. Dominic Osman then edged the home side ahead with only nine seconds of the period remaining.

Cardiff were soon level in the second with Phil Hill finding a way past Christian Boucher at 21.03 but, once again, Tendler was on hand with his eighth goal in four games to put his side ahead once more at 25.33.

There was a temporary distraction when Derek Campbell and Chris Frank dropped the gloves at the midway point with both receiving fighting majors and Hull were able to preserve their slender lead until the break.

But Gerad Adams’s team came out fired up for the final session and, with Cloutier serving a tripping penalty, were level again through captain Stuart Macrae’s powerplay strike at 44.22.

It was another powerplay strike at 50.28, this time from Frank while Campbell was in the box on a hooking call, which left the home side reeling and, as Hull chased the game in search of an equaliser, Scott Matzka made the points safe for Cardiff at 57.35.