EIHL Match Reports (Saturday 24/09/11)
EIHL Match Reports (Saturday 24/09/11)
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Here's the EIHL match reports from R&J Stats for Saturday 24th September
Elite League
Belfast Giants 2 Nottingham Panthers 1
Giants moved three points clear in the league standings as they inflicted Panthers first league loss in a close encounter at the Odyssey.
With two of the more fancied teams in the Elite League this year this was never going to be a wide open game with both sides keen to give nothing away throughout. A cagey start but an explosion at 11.44 as an incident involving Panther Brock Wilson and Giant Brock McBride saw both ejected on 5 + games for slashing and high sticks respectively. Shortly after it was the home side who took the lead when Benoit Doucet fired home at 15.46 on the powerplay, giving his side the first period edge.
Panthers were back on terms early in the second with Jordan Fox finding the target at 22.07 but Doug Christiansen's men were back in front at 36.37 thanks to a strike by Craig Peacock.
That is how it all ended up with neither side able to add to their tally in the third period but the result was always in doubt as both sides went close.
Period Scores; 1-0, 1-1, 0-0
Penalty Mins: Bel 35 – Not 39
Powerplay: Bel 1/7 – Not 0/5
Shots On: Stephen Murphy 27 – Craig Kowalski 25
Referee: Michael Hicks
Elite League
Sheffield Steelers 6 Coventry Blaze 4
The nights highest scoring encounter came at the Sheffield Arena as Steelers and Blaze counted for ten goals with a second period of 4-1 to Steelers proving decisive.
Neil Clark’s great start to the season continued as he scored 2+3 and Jeff Legue added 2+2 as Blaze lost out but victory was always in doubt until Clarke hit the empty net with 16 second remaining.
Earlier, Blaze had scored the only goal of the opening period with Luke Fulghum on target at 6.45.
Steelers turned the game their way in a dominating second period. Legue levelled at 21.36 and then Chad Huttel fired them ahead at 25.54. Mike Ramsay added a third at 28.31 before Blaze stemmed the tide at 29.14 with Fulghum grabbing his second. Steelers were not finished however and Legue on a shorthanded play saw the period end 4-2 in the home side’s favour.
An early third period counter by Clark at 41.23 had Steelers 5-2 ahead but penalty problems as the game wound down let Blaze right back into the mix. Powerplay goals came from Aaron Nell at 53.27 and Owen Fussey at 54.49 to pull Paul Thompson’s men to within a goal and only when Clark scored into the empty net at 59.44 could both points be iced for the home side.
Period Scores: 0-1, 4-1, 2-2
Penalty Mins: She 28 – Cov 14
Powerplay: She 0/5 – Cov 2/7
Shots On: John DeCaro 33 – Peter Hirsch 25 + 1 ENG
Referee: Tom Darnell
GAME NOTE: Coventry’s Luke Fulgum iced in his 200th Elite League game in all competitions
Elite League/Challenge Cup Group A
Braehead Clan 6 Dundee Stars 0
Clan may have started the season a few weeks behind the rest of the Elite League teams but they certainly hit the ground running with an impressive blanking of Stars in front of over 2,500 at Braehead Arena in a game that gave them points in both league and Challenge Cup.
A debut shutout by Jaakko Suomalainen paved the way as the Finn posted 33 saves, while at the other end new Clan skipper Jordan Krestanovich led by example with a double strike.
A fairly even start was snapped into life as Clan took the lead at 8.40 with young Brit Vince Connon skating through to score. The home lead was then doubled as Krestanovich scored his first of the night at 16.58.
Stars were very much back in the game in the second period but despite having much more of the possession they found Suomalainen and his defence working hard to keep them out and the scoreline remained unchanged.
With Clan still short of match fitness it was expected that Stars would finish strongly - but that was far from the case as the home side gained their second wind to completely dominate the period, winning it by 4-0. Stars back was effectively broken when Krestanovich scored shorthanded at 45.24 and then 52 seconds later James Jorgensen fired home number four.
Adam Walker scored Clan’s fifth from a tight angle at 50.57 and the scoring was completed by a second shorthanded strike of the night as Ryan Campbell finished of a fine break out at 51.45.
Period Scores: 2-0, 0-0, 4-0
Penalty Mins: Bra 16 – Dun 8
Powerplay: Bra 0/3 – Dun0/7
Shots On: Jaakko Suomalainen 33 – Chris Whitley 31 / Mark McGill 5
Referee: Moray Hanson
Challenge Cup Group B
Cardiff Devils 4 Hull Stingrays 2
Two important Challenge Cup points for Devils as the Welsh side prevailed in a tight encounter over a Stingrays side who remain winless so far this season.
Devils were completely in charge during the opening period but had nothing to show for it despite outshooting their visitors by 15 to 4.
That situation changed in the second session as Brad Voth fired Devils ahead at 21.39 and Scott Dobben doubled the advantage at 30.04 to leave Gerad Adams’ men seemingly well in control.
Game on again at 43.14 when Dmitri Rodin scored Stingrays opening goal of the night but the home side hit back with a goal of their own at 48.06 via the stick of Dobben – this time shorthanded. When Ben Davies scored Devils’ fourth at 55.37 the contest was over but Stingrays did score the final goal of the night from Jereme Tendler at 56.47 while his side enjoyed a 5 on 3 powerplay opportunity.
Period Scores: 0-0, 2-0, 2-2
Penalty Mins: Car 14 – Hul 10
Powerplay: Car 0/4 – Hul 1/6
Shots On: Stevie Lyle 28 – Christian Boucher 41
Referee: Dean Smith
