Flames too hot for Storm

Photo: Mark Ferris

Guildford Flames ensured they stay on Belfast Giants' tales at the to pof the Viaplay Elite League with an impressive road win in Manchester over the Storm.

The Flames came out of the tapes very quickly and raced into a three-goal lead in just over 10 minutes. Robert Lachowicz's shot slipped past Jeremy Brodeur's glove hand to open the scoring with 7:46 played, with Daniel Tedesco finishing on a breakaway 90 seconds later. Ryan Tait batted a bouncing puck past Brodeur for the Flames' third at 10:44 as the home side were forced to call a timeout to regroup. Storm did get on the board with 1:27 left in period one through Liam Blackburn on the powerplay.

Despite the hosts pulling one back, Guildford started period two in the same way they'd begun the first and marched into an even more comfortable lead. Peter Crinella deked Joe Hazeldine before slotting past Brodeur at 24:40 to make it 4-1, followed 52 seconds later by Tedesco converting Sam Marklund's feed to add the Flames' fifth. When Logan Fredericks made it 6-1 ay 27:54, the Storm pulled Brodeur and had James Downie take the net. Cole Carter scored the home side's second powerplay goal of the game at 38:33 to pull his team back to four behind.

Ian McNulty, Tait and Marklund each scored in the final period to complete a final scoreline of 9-2 to the Flames.