Devils condemn Clan to last-place finish

Photo: Al Goold

Glasgow Clan failed to get the win they needed to keep themselves in with a chance of a playoff place, losing out 7-5 to Cardiff Devils at a sold-out Braehead Arena.

In truth, Clan’s fate was sealed after a disaster of a first period saw them three down to the second-placed Devils. Not two minutes were on the clock when Joey Martin tipped Jamie Arniel's shot past Antti Karjalainen, while a bad rebound from the Finn saw Ryan Barrow's shot land on the stick of Arniel to convert at the top of the crease with 13:31 gone. Under three minutes later, Cole Sanford neatly finished Trevor Cox's feed in space to the Devils three ahead.

A long stretch pass from River Rymsha bounced off the back boards into the path of the on-rushing Chad Pietroniero to make it 4-0 14:32 into the middle period, but Darien Craighead got the board 14 seconds later. Sanford and Charlie Combs traded goals for a score of 5-2 in favour of the visitors through 40 minutes.

Matt Barry got Clan back to within two early in period three, only for Evan Mosey to put the Devils back three ahead just over a minute later. Jordan Cownie then pulled the score back to 6-4 with 13:14 to play, however a Mosey penalty shot with 9:16 left put the hosts three down and running out of time. Combs scored his second of the night at 51:47, and Clan battled until the end with Karjalainen pulled in the closing stages but to no avail.

The defeat, combined with results elsewhere, saw Clan slip to last in the stands on the final day of the season.