Cardiff Devils Vs Hull Stingrays Challenge Cup Group B

Challenge Cup Group B - Cardiff Devils 5 Hull Stingrays 2

The Devils erased the disappointment of defeat in Hull on Saturday, firing 50 shots on their way to a convincing 5-2 Cup victory over the Stingrays in Cardiff Bay.

It wasn’t just the score line that  go the tent rocking as fans enjoyed a physical contest that produced nearly 5 hours in penalty minutes; with more than 3 hours awarded 23 seconds from the final buzzer.

The most notable of these were awarded to Devils captain Brad Voth and Stingrays tough-guy Adam Knight who traded blows behind the Devils bench after being ejected from the game. Their penalties were upgraded to travesty of the game which incurs a two-match ban and disciplinary review.

Both players were escorted from the ice at the same time and with words being exchanged off the ice, Knight appeared to make his way past the Hull changing room to confront Voth behind the Devils bench.

The fight was their second of the evening after the two heavyweights went to-toe-to in a more traditional battle with just 3.54 on the clock. Knight instigated the fight with Voth, but the Hull player that hit the ice first with Voth picking up the decisive victory.

The off-ice bought was the epilogue to a 10 man scrum on the ice moments before, the prologue of which could be traced back to the opening minutes of the game.

With just 1.26 on the clock and the Devils already a goal ahead, Tylor Michel laid one of his trade mark heavy hits on Stingrays’ captain Jeff Glowa, ending his night. Michel received 12 minutes in penalties, but with 23 seconds left in the game and the result decided, Stingrays’ tough guy Adam Knight targeted Michel for the hit.

With Brad Voth’s 2 minute boarding penalty elapsing moments before, the Devils captain skated straight from the box to protect his team mate. A melee soon began that saw Devils Mike Hartwick get the better of Stingrays Shaun Thompson in a one on one battle.

Regardless of events late on in the game, the home crowd witnessed an exiting game of hockey.

Jay Latilippe sent the Devils 3-0 up with his first goal at 6.21 in the opening period, which proved to be the eventual game-winner. His second of the night at 35.59 restored the Devils 2 goal advantage after the impressive Konstantin Kalmikov’s brace had pulled the Stingrays back to within 1 goal.

Kalmikov’s 2 goals took his tally to 5 for the weekend following a hat-trick as part of Hull’s 4-2 victory over the Devils the previous night.

His efforts would prove to be in vain as Wes Jarvis added the insurance marker for the Devils with his second of the night at 53.10 on the power play. Jarvis appears to have continued his offensive form from last season. Having picked up 3 goals in 4 games, he leads the Devils in scoring alongside the increasingly impressive Phil Hill.

Hill gave Stingrays goaltender Tommy Sandahl no chance when he opened Sunday night’s scoring on the power play after just 57 seconds and now leads the league in points after the first rounds of fixtures.

The Stingrays are back in Cardiff on Saturday 26th September in what is now a surely a must-see game.

This weekend, fans can expect no let up in intensity and the Devils will be hoping for a sold-out crowd when they entertain the Sheffield Steelers this Saturday at Cardiff Bay. They head to Sheffield the day after for the return fixture.

Game Winning Goal - Jay Latulippe
Winning Goaltender - Stevie Lyle
Losing Goaltender - Tommy Sandahl
Period Scores: 3-1, 1-1, 1-0
Penalty Mins: Car 181 Hul 103
Powerplay: Car 9/3 - Hul 3/0
Shots On: Stevie Lyle 22 – Tommy Sandahl 50
Referee: Dean Smith