Devils end preseason with OT road win

Photo: Mark Ferris

The Manchester Storm hosted the Cardiff Devils in preseason action on Sunday less than 24 hours after the Welsh side had handed out an 8-1 thrashing in Cardiff.

This game at the Storm Shelter was, however, a much tighter affair, and that despite the Devils building up a solid lead after the opening 20 minutes. Brendan Mikkelson got the Devils' opener 7:51 into the game with a wrist shot from the point, followed up by Justin Crandall making it two 57 seconds before the period was out.

Just as they had done the night before, the Storm pulled a goal back in period two, this time through Adam Brady at 22:57; but unlike in Cardiff, the Storm were then able to tie things up. Playing shorthanded, Scott Simmonds did well to chase the puck down and force a turnover which set up Cam Critchlow for the equaliser. Parity was to last only three minutes though, with Trevor Cox putting the Devils back ahead with 29:10 on the clock.

Manchester kept pushing to tie things up again, and were rewarded with 8:50 left through captain Dallas Ehrhardt to get the near-sellout crowd on their feet.

With no winner in 60 minutes, overtime was needed - and the Devils required just 15 seconds to end things, Brodie Reid with a decent wrist shot from the slot to give his side the win.

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