Devils steal win with 36 seconds left

Photo: John Uwins

Ben Bowns made 35 saves to help Cardiff Devils go three points clear at the top of the Elite League standings. Joey Martin won Sunday’s trip to Guildford in the last 30 seconds.

Zach O'Brien opened the scoring 3:36 into things at the Spectrum with a finish to a Cole Sanford past under a sliding Eamon McAdam. Almost exactly move minutes later, Brett Perlini doubled the Welsh side's lead as they led 2-0 at the break.

Guildford were finding Bowns a thorn in their side at almost every turn as they searched for a way back into the game. Eventually, with eight seconds left in period two, the Flames worked the puck nicely to Josh Waller to score again his former team, popping the water bottle in the process.

5:13 into the third, no one spotted Lewis Hook free at the top of Bowns' crease - that was except for Daniel Catenacci who fed him for the equaliser. Bowns pulled off a flurry of point-blank stops to keep the Flames out on two Devils penalty kills in the final period, although the Flames ended one of their advantages early when they took a Too Many Men call with 1:54 to play. That proved costly when O'Brien found Martin in the slot to fire home the Devils' winner with only 36 seconds remaining.

The Flames went down to a second straight late defeat, while the Devils picked up a win after losing Saturday’s game in Belfast in the final ten minutes.