VIDEO: Stingrays stun Devils while Giants step over Steelers

HULL Stingrays piled on the pressure for Cardiff Devils coach Gerad Adams after a stunning 5-3 victory in South Wales last night.
KEEP OUT: Hull Stingrays' goaltender Ben Bowns. Picture: Arthur Foster.KEEP OUT: Hull Stingrays' goaltender Ben Bowns. Picture: Arthur Foster.
KEEP OUT: Hull Stingrays' goaltender Ben Bowns. Picture: Arthur Foster.

Struggling Cardiff – long-regarded as a top five team – had dropped into the bottom two of the Elite League after Fife Flyers’ unexpected 4-2 win over Nottingham Panthers on Saturday night.

And Sylvain Cloutier’s improving team – who went down 2-0 at home to leaders Belfast Giants the night before – bounced back in style to increase the agony for the Welsh side.

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Jason Silverthorn, Guillaume Doucet, Carl Lauzon and Jereme Tendler – with a 58th-minute game-winning goal – were all on target for the visitors, before Omar Pacha added a late empty-net strike to seal the points.

KEEP OUT: Hull Stingrays' goaltender Ben Bowns. Picture: Arthur Foster.KEEP OUT: Hull Stingrays' goaltender Ben Bowns. Picture: Arthur Foster.
KEEP OUT: Hull Stingrays' goaltender Ben Bowns. Picture: Arthur Foster.

“It was a well-deserved win,” said a delighted player-coach Cloutier. “The boys worked extremely hard for 60 minutes.

“We did a great job on the PK, all three units did well and we got goals from all over, with Tends getting a big goal at the end.”

Ben Bowns made 60 saves in Hull against Belfast but still ended up on the losing side as the early-season pace-setters frustrated their hosts all night, with a goal from Dustin Whitecotton at 6.30 and a 26th-minute strike from Calvin Elfring enough to seal the points.

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Regardless of the result on Saturday, Cloutier still felt Bowns had his best weekend of the season so far.

“Hopefully Bownsy, can kick on from here,” added Cloutier.

“He had a rough start and he gave up a few goals he would have wanted back. But he has worked extremely hard and has rebounded.

“You must remember Bownsy is still young and it is still a learning curve for him and we will help him as best we can.”

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In what could prove to be a big weekend for Belfast’s regular season title hopes, they built on their win in Hull after a short journey west to the Motorpoint Arena where they last night beat third-placed Sheffield Steelers 4-2. Two first period powerplay goals Jeffrey Szwez and Robby Sandrock had the Giants 2-0 ahead by the sixth minute.

Captain Steve Goertzen halved the deficit on the powerplay at 8.25 but, just under six minutes later, Belfast restored their two-goal lead through former Steelers forward Colin Shields.

A scoreless second period followed before Belfast made it 4-1 through Whitecotton at 44.04. Jeff Legue made it 4-2 four minutes later but that was as close as Stelers got.

Goals from Nate DiCasmirro, Drew Fata, Rob Sirianni and Goertzen gave Steelers a 4-2 win at Coventry Blaze on Saturday.

To watch highlights of Steelers’ 4-2 defeat at home to Belfast click the PLAY button at the top of this page.