With the title race well and truly on in the EIHL there were crucial games to be played across the country.
Edinburgh Capitals 0 Sheffield Steelers 7
The Steelers coach Ryan Finnerty had said that his side needed to be more potent in front of the goal following two less than convincing games in Scotland. Finnerty also gambled by resting John De Caro to be replaced by British goalie Geoff Woolhouse.
The gamble paid off as the Steelers’ dominated the game from start to finish. A brace from Finnerty was backed up by goals from King, Huttel, Birnstill and Legue whilst Woolhouse stayed strong in front of some spirited Capitals attacks.
It was a vitalising victory for the Steelers who needed a boost after two shaky performances.
Belfast Giants 5 Coventry Blaze 0
Coventry returned to the rink looking for some points after their pointless weekend less time out. However Belfast were on again a hot streak.
The Giants picked up a 4-point lead with 13 goals scored and non conceded.
Braehead Clan 5 Dundee Stars 6 (APS)
The Stars – Clan game was the game of the round with the Stars looking to take advantage of the Capitals poor run and the Clan on some good form.
The Stars took the lead twice early only to find themselves 3 goals behind going into the last ten minutes. It was Kolanos, Maclean and McIntosh who netted within a minute of each other to level the scores and send the game to overtime.
No overtime winner was found and it fell to Chris Whitely to save from the usually reliable Jade Galbraith to win the game for the home team.
Nottingham Panthers 4 Fife Flyers 3
The Flyers were missing 3 players in their match up but again the Kirkcaldy side made it difficult for the visitors. But it was the visitors who showed the skill and took an advantage through Benedict and Francis.
It was a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish but a third period double from Gunn meant that the Panthers couldn’t relax.
Hull Stingrays 3 Cardiff Devils 5
The Devils maintained their good run of form to remain in contention for a top 4 finish with a controlling display against the Stingrays.
However it was the Stingrays that took the lead through former Devil Jason Silverthorn but a double from Matzka and 1 from Gerard Adams meant the Devils were in control of the tie.
Hull remained in contention with a Sylvan Cloutier strike but 2 in a minute from Pierce and Scott Matzka (for his hat trick) put the game beyond doubt even though Osman came in with consolation for the Stingrays.
English Premier League
There were just 3 games in the EPL on Sunday night and with Guildford not in action it was a chance for the Manchester Phoenix to close the gap. The Phoenix were missing Slava Koulikov to an injury picked up in the tie at Bracknell on Saturday night but looked to have done enough to beat the Berkshire outfit for the second night in a row. But with 90 seconds to go the Bees found an equaliser that appeared to be taking the game to overtime until James Archer netted his second of the game with 18 seconds left on the clock to win it for the Manchester Phoenix.
The 3rd and 4th placed sides also meant at Ice Sheffield with both sides having lost the night before. The Jets took the lead but it was Sheffield who came away with the spoils and leapfrog their opponents into third spot.
The final game of the night was in Peterborough where the Phantoms were involved in another high scoring match up this time against the Milton Keynes Lightning. This time though it was the Lightning who did the majority of the scoring to beat the Phantoms who remain outside of the playoffs but tied on points with the Bracknell Bees.
Scores
Sunday 26th February
EIHL
Hull Stingrays 3 Cardiff Devils 5
Edinburgh Capitals 0 Sheffield Steelers 7
Belfast Giants 5 Coventry Blaze 0
Nottingham Panthers 4 Fife Flyers 3
Braehead Clan 5 Dundee Stars 6 (APS)
EPL
Bracknell Bees 2 Manchester Phoenix 3
Milton Keynes Lightning 9 Peterborough Phantoms 3
Slough Jets 3 Sheffield Steeldogs 5
Neil Tucker
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