Defensemen bring Devils back from two down

Photo: Mark Ferris

For the second night in a row, Cardiff Devils came back from two goals down to pick up a win and stay three points clear at the top of the Elite League. This time they overcame Manchester Storm on Saturday night.

Manchester wasted no time in getting themselves ahead in the game. Just 25 seconds had been played in the Storm Shelter when Stephen Johnson put Manchester ahead against the league leaders. Evan Weninger was the busier of the two goalies during the opening 20 minutes, but held out to keep the home side ahead heading into the break.

Having started fast in the first, Storm scored quickly in the second period as well. Alexis D’Aoust broke down the wing and let go an excellent snipe to beat Taz Burman and put Manchester two up with 22:18 played.

Cardiff got themselves back into things with two goals in just over three minutes. An Evan Mosey shot from the point found its way through past Weninger at 34:43 on the powerplay, before an Andrew MacWilliam slap-shot beat the Storm goalie high to tie the game at 38:03.

Storm had an early chance to go back ahead in period three, but Ryan Hughes couldn’t find the target on a penalty shot after getting Burman to bite on his drag.

The Devils immediately punished their hosts for that missed chance – a Cody Donaghey shot from the point somehow got through Weninger to put the Devils into the lead at 42:51.

Storm came closest to tying when a stranded Burman could only see the puck shot wide of his net, while in the closing stages Weninger was pulled but without Storm creating a clear-cut chance to equalise.

Cardiff held on for the one-goal win in a game where all of their goals were scored by defensemen.