Hull Stingrays 4 Newcastle Vipers 2

Oct 25 2010 by Peter Adams

IN another double trouble weekend the Vipers lost to the team two places below them in the table.

Beaten 3-6 at home by the Cardiff Devils on Saturday the Vipers looked to be heading for their second defeat on successive nights when they left the ice for the second break in Hull trailing 3-1.

The Vipers had taken a 13th-minute powerplay lead through Dale Mahovsky, struck in the face by the puck the previous evening. This season the Vipers have found killing penalties very difficult and it was no surprise when, with the second period 51 seconds old, Matti Uusivirta equalised to make the visitors pay for having fellow Finn Patrik Forsbacka sitting out a hooking penalty.

Less than two minutes later the puck was flying beyond Vipers goalie Charlie Effinger’s reach for a second time with Uusivirta again making the final touch.

It was 3-1 with little over three minutes of the period left, Jereme Tendler with a second powerplay goal to underline the Stingrays’ dominance.

The game between the seventh and ninth-placed teams in the league table re-ignited as a contest three minutes after the break during a Vipers powerplay, which was concluded by Forsbacka’s redirection of Kyle Sibley’s hit and hope shot from point.

Late in the game the Vipers were in penalty trouble as a result of referee Michael Hicks finding fault with three players in quick succession.

And again having players sitting out penalties cost dearly, Tendler shotting home the Stingrays’ insurance goal with just over four minutes left on the clock.

Two minutes into Saturday’s game at Whitley Bay the Vipers found themselves trailing to the Devils, Kenton Smith’s shot going in off the unfortunate Mahovsky’s face. After being treated, the Vipers’ No 91 was able to continue, but in a new shirt.

The Vipers equalised via Dan Speer then left the ice for the first break 3-1 ahead after scoring twice more.

But the Devils struck back twice in the middle period to level the match, before grabbing three more in the final stanza.

Last night

Stingrays: Tendler and Uusivirta 2+0, Davies, Kalmikov and Read 0+1. Vipers: Forsbacka and Mahovsky 1+0, Carroll, Sibley and Speer 0+1

Saturday night

Vipers: Speer 1+1, Forsbacka and Hartmanis 1+0, Forsbacka, Sample, Schwarz, Sibley and Stewart 0+1. Devils: Michel 3+0, Hill and K. Smith 1+0, Finnerty and S. Smith 0+1.