Flames cruise past Storm to secure fifth

Photo: John Uwins

Guildford Flames secured fifth place and a .500 record to end the 2021/22 Premier Sports Elite League season with a XXX win over Manchester Storm at the Spectrum.

Referee Matt Thompson was honoured before faceoff on the occasion of his last game in the Elite League with a presentation and applause from the 1,630 fans in attendance.

The Flames, who won the reverse meeting 24 hours earlier, took the lead 95 seconds in with Levi Cable finishing off a tic-tac-toe play on the set up from Jamal Watson and Brett Ferguson. Just under two minutes later, Owen Griffiths was the lucky recipient of a loose puck in the slot and fired it past Jason Bacashihua.

Watson made it 3-0 at 6:44 as the Flames dominated a feisty opening period.

Griffiths' second of the night, putting home a rebound, put the Flames four ahead at 29:20. Frankie Melton pulled a goal back for the Storm 1:57 into period three, with Jared Vanwormer scoring Manchester's final goal of the season with 8:25 remaining.