Cardiff Devils logged their twelfth straight win with a three-goal road win in Dundee, making it a four-point weekend on their Scottish double-header.

In what was a feisty opening period, the Devils struck twice in quick succession inside the final four minutes to take control of things. Cole Sanford had put them ahead at 5:04, but an excellent Jake Elmer wrist shot beat Ben Bowns to tie things up just past the 12-minute mark. Joey Martin, who’d taken exception to a Jonathan McBean hit earlier in the period, just about got the puck over the line at 16:15 to put the Devil back ahead, with Tyler Busch then adding another just over 90 seconds later.

Dundee responded with a pair of goals in four minutes themselves in period two. Jake Elmer netted a contender for goal of the week, flying down the wing and beating Bowns from a tight angle to make it 2-3 at 31:09, before Carter Johnson tipped Drydn Dow’s shot past Bowns for the tying goal at 35:40. The Devils got themselves back ahead with 94 seconds left in the period as Trevor Cox got a deflection on a Bode Wilde shot off a faceoff play to go in 4-3 up at the break.

Tyler Busch scored 1:48 into period three to gibe the visitors some breathing space again, and they needed that cushion as the Stars pressed hard for a way back into the game. Bowns pulled off a couple of smart stops to keep his side ahead, before Ben Davies ended the game with an empty-netter at 58:10.

Photo: Derek Black

Cardiff Devils came back from three goals down in Fife, again, en route to beating the Flyrtes in a shootout.

Colin Shirley had the game’s opening goal, getting on the end of a Drake Pilon pass in the slot to beat Tyler Wall and put the hosts one ahead. They were indebted to Shane Owen for a flurry of excellent saves, including a big glove save off a one-timer, to keep themselves ahead as the Devils enjoyed two powerplays to try and get themselves back level.

There were four goals across the second instalment of 20 minutes as the Flyers raced into a big lead but were pegged back a couple by the buzzer. Max Humitz’s shot on the powerplay squirmed out behind Wall and across the line to make it 2-0 at 24:05, while some nine minutes later Colin Shirley’s shot bounced in off Teemu Pulkkinen’s to make it 3-0. Cardiff rallied and got themselves back into the game on a pair of powerplays. Jamie Arniel came in at the far post to bury Trevor Cox’s feed for the Devils’ first of the night at 35:59, while Brandon Alderson got on a loose puck in front of Owen at 38:28 to suddenly make it a one-goal game.

Joey Martin was left all alone in the offensive zone to pick his spot and tie the game 4:22 into period three, but there was more drama to come. Drake Pilon’s excellent finish at 50:57 put the Flyers back ahead with just over nine minutes to play, only for Jamie Arniel’s neat shot beating Shane Owen at 54:53 to make it four each.

Neither side found an overtime winner, nd in overtime it was only Cole Sanford who scored through ten shots combined to give the Devils the extra point.

Photo: Flyers Images

Cardiff Devils made it ten games unbeaten with a late show to beat Fife Flyers at a sold out Vindico Arena.

The Devils piled pressure on Dominik Salama’s net in the early stages and were rewarded with the opening goal inside five minute – Jamie Arniel was given too much time and space in the offensive zone, and he picked his spot to beat the Finn with 4:05 played. Fife survived a high-Sticking minor on Jonas Emmerdahl to avoid going further behind, but should have been level but for a miss-pass on a 2-on-0 resulting in no shot.

The Flyers were opportunistic in period two again, but came out on top despite being outshot 15-11 over the middle 20 minutes. After the visitors wasted a 5-on-3 advantage, Lucas Chiodo levelled the game on the 10-minute mark of period two, getting on the end of a Troy Lajeunesse pass that went through Marcus Crawford’s lefts before the Flyers’ forward lunged in at the back post to beat Tyler Wall high. 97 seconds later, Colin Shirley needed to stretch to reach Teemu Pulkkinen’s pass into slot but did so and fired past Wall to put the Flyers ahead.

Cardiff couldn’t take advantage of a couple of early minor on the Flyers, but turned the game in less than three minutes late on. Justin Crandall levelled on a 3-on-2 rush with a bullet of a one-timer off Evan Mosey’s pass to tie the game at 53:40. Cody Donaghey then let fly from the point that beat Salama through a screen with 3:46 to play to put the Devils back into the lead late – Tom Coolen thought about challenging the goal, but ultimately opted not to.

The Flyers went with six skaters for the final 94 seconds, and a late pad stop by Wall kept them for earning themselves a late point.

James Assinder

Cardiff Devils completed a four-point weekend with a well-earned 6-1 road win in Manchester over the Storm on Sunday night.

Cardiff had the better of the opening period and were rewarded with a two-goal lead after 20 minutes at the Storm Shelter. Brandon Alderson finished from close range with 10:24 played, before Joey Martin fired home on the powerplay at 18:03 to put the visitors in charge.

5:39 into period two the Devils thought they’d made it three, but Joey Martin’s goal was called back for a kicking motion. The decision went to video review with the play adjudged having to have been a kick off Martin’s left leg. Storm failed to convert on a 5-on-3 advantage in the middle period, with Zack Phillips’ big one-timer that went just wide their best chance to get on the scoresheet. The Devils did make it three, however, with 3:52 remaining in the period – a spinning pass from Riley Brandt converted by Sam Duggan to make it 3-0.

Goals 23 seconds apart from Bode Wilde and Brant put the game out of reach for the Storm just over seven minutes into period three. While CJ Garcia did pull one back for the Storm with 8:54 to go, Cole Ully re-established the Devils’ five-goal advantage with just under three minutes to play as the Devils took a convincing road win.

Photo: Mark Ferris

Cardiff Devils completed a four-point weekend against Belfast Giants with a 4-3 win at the SSE Arena in Part II of their weekend double header. The two games combined totalled 14,600 spectators.

The Giants started period one better than they had the night before, and were up inside ten minutes. With Jamie Arniel sitting a double-minor for a High-Stick, Daniel Tedesco’s shot was deflected past Ben Bowns by Oliver Cooper to open the scoring at 9:29. On the same penalty, an excellent Trevor Cox wrist shot beat Jackson Whistle to tie the game shorthanded under two minutes later.

Belfast killed off a Henrik Eriksson penalty for 1:58 of period two after it carried over from the first, but found themselves behind to Cole Sanford firing home the rebound from a Joey Martin shot 3:08 into the middle period.

The game changed on a major penalty in period two. Ryan Barrow was ejected for a Boarding call that put the Giants onto a five-minute advantage that they didn’t miss. Daniel Tedesco finished a nice passing play to make it two each at 31:36, and shortly before the end of the penalty Ara Nazarian put the Giants back into the lead.

Cole Ully levelled for the Devils 3:13 into period three, before Sanford scored his second of the night, and third of the weekend, to put the Devils back itno the lead with with 10:28 to play.

Whistle was pulled with 2:21 to go but to no avail, and the Devils head on to take maximum points from the weekend.

Photo: William Cherry