Flames beat Devils in 11-goal game

Photo: Dave Williams

Guildford Flames ended Challenge Cup Group B with a win in an 11-goal thriller at a sold-out Vindico Arena over Cardiff Devils.

Guildford raced into a four-goal lead after the opening period, and were good value for it. Peter Crinella put on a slapshot masterclass as the got the Flames' first two goals - firing past Tyler Wall from the circle at 2:41, and then from the opposite wing at 11:58 on the powerplay. Ryan Tait turned on the jets, drove the net, and beat Wall short side at 16:12 for a 3-0 lead that also saw Wall relieved of goaltending duties for the Devils. The incoming Ben Bowns could do nothing about Lewis Hook's tip with 1:36 left in the first period that put the Flames four up.

Ryan Barrow got the Devils on the board 5:26 into period two, and by 30:35 the arrears were halves thanks to Josh Waller's breakaway finish. However, exactly 60 seconds later Ryan Hughes put the Flames 5-2 up, with Tait adding his second of the night at 34:33 to keep the visitors four ahead after two periods.

As the game looked to be heading into the final ten minutes with four goals between the teams, the Devils scored two in quick succession to really make a game of it. Cole Sanford and Riley Brandt netted 58 seconds apart to make it a 6-4 game heading into the final stages. Things then got very interesting when Marcus Crawford brought the home side back to within one with 2:33 to play, and only an excellent stick save from Taz Burman shortly after prevented the Devils from drawing level. Bowns wasp ulled with 1:21 left for the extra skater, and after missing one attempt on the empty net the Flames did settle the game through Tait's hat trick goal with 33 seconds left.

The result locks Cardiff in as third seeds in the next round of the competition, and the Flames in fifth.