Rink round-up

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Jim Lydon and Ronnie Nichol give us their take on the weekend's fixtures around the bmibaby Elite Ice Hockey League.

Saturday

Sheffield Steelers 2 Cardiff Devils 1
A 4th straight win for Steelers kept them challenging at the top end of the Elite League table but they had to come from behind to edge Devils in a low scoring encounter.

The opening period provided nothing in the way of goals but saw the visitors outshoot their hosts by 13-6. Devils did make their pressure pay off early in the 2nd session however when Dave Iannazzo scored his 2nd league goal of the season at 22.19.

That proved the only netfinder as the 2nd break was reached with all still to play for.

The home side were given an early powerplay opportunity in the 3rd period and took it at 41.26 when Ben Gustavson nabbed his 1st of the season and egged on by the big home crowd they took the lead - again on the powerplay, when Scott Ricci netted his 1st of the campaign at 49.59.

This proved to be the game winner with both netminders - Jody Lehman and Phil Osaer playing solid games between the pipes.
Period Scores: 0-0, 0-1, 2-0
Penalty Minutes: 15-17
Shots On: Lehman 34, Osaer 32

Nottingham Panthers 4 Belfast Giants 2
The battle of the early pacesetters at the top of the Elite League saw Panthers stretch their advantage over Giants to 4 points with a 4-2 success - despite being outshot in the process.

The home side were quickly up and running and took the lead at 3.41 when GB international David Clarke (9th league goal of the season ) scored - Giants actually outshot Panthers by 18-8 in the opening period and could hardly be begrudged their tying goal at 18.08 through Todd Kelman (3).

A powerplay goal only 7 seconds into the middle stanza by Rod Stevens (1) edged Panthers back in front and Clarke (10) added to the advantage by scoring shorthanded at 34.23.  Giants were still very much in this one though and although losing Jeff Hutchins on a 2+10+Game Misconduct(2nd major) for checking to the Head  George Awada (6) also  scored shorthanded at 38.59 to make it a 1-goal game going into the final period.

The only goal in the session crucially came the way of the home side - Clarke (11) completing a superb hat trick at 45.17 on the powerplay to keep the side from the Lace City in pole position early in the Elite League campaign.
Period Scores: 1-1, 2-1, 1-0
Penalty Mins: 23-73
Shots On: Evan Lindsay 48, Mike Minard 36

Challenge Cup

Hull Stingrays 3 Edinburgh Capitals 3
Both teams went into this game knowing that a win would go a long way in securing a semi-final spot in the Challenge Cup. In the end both teams had to settle for a point, and it will now be a case of whoever wins between the two teams in Edinburgh on 22nd October, will secure that semi-final spot. However if that game ends in a draw like tonight''s it will be present group leaders Newcastle who will go through.

The visitors were first of the mark with the only goal in the first period as Martin Cingel found the back of Miroslav Bielik''s net in the 4th minute.

The home side got back on level terms 6 minutes into the second period with a goal from Kevin Young and then went in front 3 minutes later as Pavel Gomenyuk beat Stephen Murphy. They increased their lead in the 33rd minute when top goal scorer Sergiy Rublivsky found the back of the net.

Gregor Slak scored in 3rd minute of the final period  to give the visitors some hope. Then in the 52 minute Martin Cingel on the powerplay tied the game up at 3 apiece.

Period Scores: 0-1, 3-0, 1-2
Penalty Mins: 26-26
Shot On: Bielik 41 - Murphy 44

Challenge Cup Group D

Basingstoke Bison 3 Coventry Blaze 4
The only outside chance the home side had of qualifying  for the semi-final was to win this game and with that being the priorty and with the teams tied at 3 apiece they pulled their goaltender for the extra man and this let Coventry secure the win with an ENG with only 4 seconds left on the clock.

Neither team could find a way through in the first period and they went into the break goalless.

This was not the case in the second period, as the teams shared 6 goals. The visitors opened the scoring on the 24 minute mark with a goal from Samy Nasreddine. Their lead only lasted 2 minutes as Greg Owen (SH) got the home side back on level terms. Then a minute later Brad Cruickshank put the side in front. On the miday point the hosts with their second shorthanded goal of the night went 3-1 up as Greg Owen got his second of the game. The goals were flowing and 2 minutes later the visitors pulled one back with a strike by Tom Carlon. Then 3 minutes before the end of the period Rumun Ndur hit home a powerplay goal to tie it up at 3 apiece.

All to play for in the final period and with time running out Nick Boucher was pulled for the extra man only for Sylvain Cloutier to hit home the GWG into the empty net with 4 seconds on the clock.

Period Scores: 0-0, 3-3, 0-1
Penalty Mins: 14-24
Shot On: Boucher 47 + 1 ENG - Koenig 38

Sunday

Hull Stingrays 3 Belfast Giants 4
Giants got back on the winning trail to keep the pressure on Nottingham at the top of the league thanks to a late winner against Stingrays.

This one burst into life early on with both sides scoring in the 5th minute.  A powerplay goal by Shawn Skiehar (his 1st league goal of the season) at 4.26 was cancelled out by Steve Lee (1) 19 seconds later.

That was the only scoring in the opening period and in a tight middle session it was the home side who grabbed the go-ahead goal through Sergiy Rublivsky (5) at 30.19 on the powerplay.

When Rublivsky (6) made it 3-1 at 44.08 it looked good for the home side but for the second night in succession they threw away an advantage as Giants came roaring back.

Curtis Huppe (5) at 45.28 and Mark Dutiaume (4) at 47.49 tied it all up and with all to play for it was Jason Ruff (6) at 56.45 who scored the game winner for the visitors.  

Period Scores: 1-1, 1-0, 1-3
Penalty Mins: 8-26
Shots On: Miroslav Bielik 39, Mike Minard 36

Coventry Blaze 4 Sheffield Steelers 1
After a run of 4 straight wins the visitors came up short in this encounter as the home side moved up to 4th place in the league.

The hosts opened the scoring 3 minutes into the game as Dan Carlson with his 6th league goal found the back of Jody Lehman’s net.

Adam Calder with his first league goal doubled the home sides lead in 24 minutes. The visitors pulled one back in the 33rd minute as Shawn Maltby (4) found the net with a 5 on 3 powerplay goal. Blaze restored their two-goal advantage with a shorthanded goal as Barrie Moore scored his first league goal.

Ashley Tait (4) made sure the points were staying at home as he netted the last goal of the game in the 52nd minute.
Period Scores:1-0, 2-1, 1-0
Penalty Minutes: 35-25
Shots On: Trevor Koenig 34, Jody Lehman 37

Edinburgh Capitals 4 Basingstoke Bison 1
Edinburgh snapped a run of 4 league losses to take the points and lift themselves off the foot of the table.

In an even first period there was nothing between the teams. The visitors opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Brad Cruickshank shorthanded with his 6th league goal. The home side were back on level terms as Darius Pliskauskas (2) netted on the powerplay 30 seconds later.

Peter Janik (SH) with his first league goal of the season put the home side in front 2 minutes into the second period. The same player scored on the powerplay inside the first minute of the third period to give the hosts a two-goal advantage. The visitors pulled the goalie in an effort to try and get something out the game. However, it was the home side that had the final say as Matthew Craig (1) found the empty net.

Period Scores: 1-1, 1-0, 2-0
Penalty Minutes: 27-23  
Shots On: Stephen Murphy 35, Nick Boucher 32 + 1 ENG

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