Clan too hot for Devils in opening period

Photo: Al Goold

Four goals in the opening period helped Glasgow Clan to an impressive 6-3 home win over Cardiff Devils live on Premier Sports on Sunday afternoon.

Clan struck first, and quickly - in-form defenseman Mitch Jones gave them the lead 73 seconds into things at the Braehead Arena with a shot form just inside the circle. Matt Register tied the game at 10:07 when he was allowed to ghost into the slot unchecked, but 54 seconds later Jones' shot form the point was tipped in front by Mathieu Roy to put Clan back ahead. Taran Kozun spilled Tim Campbell's shot allowing Braylon Shmyr to tap home the loose puck and make it 3-1 with only 11:47, and when Colton Yellow horn made it 4-1 at 14:55 Devils' coach Jarrod Skalde decided to switch goalies.

Mark Richardson scored the only goal of the second 20 minutes with.a goal from the point which had Shane Starrett screened.

Cardiff needed to get the next goal to have any chance of levelling the scores, but just 54 seconds had passed when Tim Shoup came in unmarked on the far side to convert from Yellow horn's feed. Stephen Dixon pulled another back for the Devils at 49:21, and while they chased for a way back into the game the empty net gamble backfired when Nolan LaPorte sealed the game with 53 seconds remaining.

Clan moved to 34 points from 35 games with the win, while Cardiff lost ground on the top two teams in the league and now five themselves five points behind having played four more games.