Tag Archives: #GuildfordFlames

Guildford thrash Storm to book Finals Weekend place

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Guildford Flames will contest only their third ever Elite League Playoff Finals Weekend after a thumping aggregate victory over Manchester Storm.

The Flames brought a 5-1 lead back home from Manchester on Saturday night, and had a dream start back at the Spectrum when Nicolas Oulette beat Evan Weninger five-hole off a quick play just 16 seconds into the game.

Storm were always going to have an uphill task, but that early goal was one they never really recovered from as the Flames continued to press through the opening period.

Ryan Tait made it 2-0 on the night 5:42 into period two, before Bradley Lalonde crashed a one-timer off the post and in from the edge of the circle at 28:13.

Tait’s second of the night at 47:51 capped off an excellent passing play by the hosts on the powerplay as Storm could only watch on as their season slipped away.

Photo: John Uwins

Guildford in driving seat against Storm

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Guildford Flames head back to the Spectrum with a four-goal aggregate lead after an excellent 5-1 road win over Manchester Storm in Altrincham in the first leg of their playoff Quarter-Final.

Guildford came flying out of the traps and put themselves to ahead inside nine minutes in a building they hadn’t won at on three visits this season. With 5:28 played, Ryan Hughes uses a bounce off the defenseman to reset and fire high into Evan Weninger’s net and put the Flames ahead with 5:28 played. Just over three minutes later, things got better for the visitors when Matt Tugnutt’s throw on net deflect into his own net off Matt Murphy’s skate to put the Storm down by two with only 8:48 played.

Whatever Matt Ginn said in the Storm locker room at the end of the opening period did not have the desired effect in the second. The Storm turned the puck over as they broke out, and Steven McParland’s laser flew into the roof of Weninger’s net to make it 3-0 at 21:59. Ginn promptly called his timeout. On the powerplay, Bradley Lalonde shot through traffic to make it 4-0 with 3:10 left in the middle frame.

2:08 into period three, Ryan Tait was the beneficiary of some fortunate bounces in front of the Storm net to put the Flames five ahead. Mitchell Martin got Storm on the board converting his own rebound with 12:09 to play, but that was as good as it got for the hosts on a disappointing night.

Photo: Mark Ferris

Guildford put Clan on the brink of elimination

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Flames fell behind midway through the 2nd, but rallied with 4 straight before another Clan reply to take a lead they would never relinquish for a 6-3 win over the visitors from Glasgow.

Inside the last 60 seconds of the opening frame, Ryan Hughes put Flames in front with the only goal of the set.  

In the 27th minute, Clan put a 5 on 3 powerplay to good use when Luke Lynch tipped a goal home that survived video review for a high stick to bring the teams level at a goal each.  Former Flame Jake Bolton gave them their first lead before the game was halfway through, but Hughes’ 2nd of the evening at 37:39 and a Matt Tugnutt re-direct 3 seconds from period time allowed the home team to start the 3rd a goal in front.

About 8 minutes to close, Flames got some insurance from Matt Alvaro. Bradley Lalonde extended when he netted at 54:13 on the powerplay. Philippe Sanche pulled it a bit closer but with the Flames playing 4 men to 6 killing a penalty and Clan playing with an empty net, Ryan Tait buried the freebie to complete the final count.

“From a standings perspective we are already locked into 5th place and a playoff pairing with Manchester, but the message for our guys was we want to be playing good hockey and every game matters for different reasons,” explained Paul Dixon.

“Standings might not have been a factor for us, but tonight was important as is tomorrow.  I thought we did a great job against a team who is fighting for their playoff lives and it was great to get a home win ahead of next weekend’s playoff quarter final.”

“We want to do the same at Coventry tomorrow night and we are looking forward to getting there and working to get a result to close out the league portion of the schedule.”

Flames win in OT as Blaze denied late winner

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Ryan Tait scored late to tie it and Ben O’Connor scored with 42 seconds left in overtime to lift the Flames to a 3-2 win over the visiting Coventry Blaze.

Matt Alvaro set Flames to a lead, but a little over 2 minutes from period time Alexander Kuqali ensured the clubs would begin the 2nd all square on a goal each.

That middle set proceeded to time itself out with no further scoring before John Curran put them in front less than 2 minutes after re-start, but Ryan Tait in the 54th minute brought it level once again to secure a table point before grabbing the extra with the OT decider.

Taz Burman made 18 saves on 20 shots while Taran Kozun was 21 of 24.

“The result obviously is very important to us, but underneath that we were a lot happier with the overall effort of the guys,” explained Paul Dixon.

“These are important games heading into the playoffs, and we just want to be playing at our top gear to give ourselves the best chance we can to capture that trophy.”

“We have to be all in on this from every guy and that is the message leading into that last two regular season games before the quarter final weekend.”

Hughes hat trick helps Flames to second win of week

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Guildford Flames picked up their second win of the week, beating Glasgow Clan 7-1, while wearing their special retro jerseys to the organisation’s treble season at the turn of the millennium.

A pair of goals in the opening 20 minutes put the Flames up by two in a period thye controlled. Ryan Hughes came in at the far post to poke home a tip from Matt Tugnutt from an original Patrick Bajkov pass to open the scoring with 8:41 played. Some five minutes later, a Peter Crinella stretch pass set Ryan Tait through on a race for the puck, and he won it ahead of Reece Kelly and then calmly slotted back across Antti Karjalainen.

The home side then added four in the middle period as they pulled away further. Hughes made the most of a Bajkov blocked shot to then skate after the loose puck, through the zones, and finish five-hole at 27:03 to make it 3-0, before Bajkov skated across the Clan netminder and finished high at 30:56. Off the very next faceoff, Bajkov fed Hughes to complete his hat trick just nine seconds later. Former Clan forward Steven McParland converted a penalty shot with 2:49 left in the period to give Guildford a six-goal lead.

Matt Alvaro scored 78 seconds into the final period as the Flames hit seven, before Darien Craighead got Clan on the board at 44:04. Charlie Combs could have pulled another back for the visitors but couldn’t beat Taz Burman, while Owen Griffiths hit the post in the dying seconds as the Flames almost made it eight.

Photo: John Uwins

Flames prevent Stars moving back into playoffs

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Jordan Klimek had a pair of goals including the winner inside the last half of the 3rd to help lift the visiting Flames to a 3-2 win over the Dundee Stars.

An early Flames powerplay then a pair of late penalty kills highlighted a scoreless opening frame where Taz Burman made 15 saves at his end while Lucas Brine was perfect on the 9 shots he faced for Stars.

Just over 6 minutes into the 2nd, the opener found the mark through Peter Crinella to give the visitors a lead.  Ryan Valentini and Spencer Naas answers less than 2 minutes apart just past halfway gave them a lead until Jordan Klimek squared it 71 seconds from period time.

Klimek added a 2nd just under 10 minutes from close and the Flames held on the rest of the way to guarantee the win.

Burman made 43 saves on 45 shots while Lucas Brine was 31 for 34.

“That’s a great win to help our confidence, after a tough run with not a lot of results,” admitted Paul Dixon.

“It was actually an even, back and forth game and really either team could have won so we are glad we did enough to slip the points on our side of the ledger.”

“We will get home now and try to get ready for Glasgow Clan on Saturday before returning to Sheffield again on Sunday night.”

 

Photo: Derek Black