Dream start for Storm

Photo: Mark Ferris

Mike Flanagan’s reign as Manchester Storm head coach got off to the perfect start with a 5-1 victory over Guildford Flames in Altrincham.

Storm had five different scorers in the game, with Ryan Hughes netting a goal and picking up two assists against his former team.

Hughes’ one-timer put Storm ahead with just 45 seconds played in front of his new home fans, and it was his shot that saw the rebound fall into the path of Cam Critchlow to double that lead at 6:29. Tyler Hinam gloved the puck out of the air and shot home to make it 3-0 with only 14:11 played.

Period two continued in the same vein for Storm who went four ahead thanks to a looping Dallas Ehrhardt shot at 26:20.

Ethan Strang had the Flames on the board 4:41 into the third, but Storm had the final word through Alex Robert with his side’s third powerplay goal of the night with 11:31 to go.