Cardiff Devils are feeling the pain.
They were stunned by Belfast Giants, who levelled the scores with five second left in regulation time and snatched a 4-3 victory after overtime and penalties.
David Rutherford netted the winning goal after five rounds of a dramatic shootout.
The heartache felt by captain Jake Morissette and his team as Belfast players celebrated was clear. Devils were shocked at the manner of this defeat.
It was a fiercely contested Elite League battle in which Belfast scored to force overtime with five seconds left when Sebastien Sylvester’s shot flicked off a home stick and deflected into the corner.
After five minutes of 3v3 overtime hockey the teams were still level, but there was more drama in the shootout. One Devils shot went between the legs of goaltender Jackson Whistle, who clearly though the puck had gone in.
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When referee Mike Hicks asked Whistle to stand on the puck was halfway over the line, but not quite enough for the goal to be awarded.
Joey Martin, Morissette and Patrick Asselin were the shooters for Devils, but man of the match Whistle stood tall and kept them out before Rutherford struck with the winning goal.
Only a week after losing a 5-1 lead and crashing to defeat against Fife at home, Devils were suffering again.
Giants followed a 5-4 win at Coventry on Saturday by winning in Wales, although Cardiff did earn a point because the teams were locked on 3-3 after regulation time.
Layne Ulmer, Patrick Asselin and Joey Martin scored for Devils, while Justin Faryna fired up fans in a sell-out 3,000-plus attendance when he dropped the gloves with Giants’ John Kurtz for an impressive scrap that earned both players five minute penalties for fighting.
Giants pulled goaltender Whistle with more than a minute to play and Devils were under pressure. There were five seconds left when goalie Ben Bowns was sent the wrong way when Sebastien Sylvester’s shot hit a Devils stick and deflected into the net.
The next test for Lord and his Devils is against Edinburgh Capitals in Scotland on Wednesday. That will be a sixth match in 12 days for Cardiff, who badly need a win against Caps after their devastating defeat against Giants.
Match stats:
Period scores (Devils first): 2-2; 1-0 (3-2); 0-1 (3-3); 0-0 (3-3). Giants on penalties.
Shots on goal: Devils (on Whistle) 13+17+7+3=40; Giants 15+7+8+6=36.
Powerplays: Devils 3/8;Giants 1/3.
Scorers, Devils: Layne Ulmer 1+0, Patrick Asselin 1+0, Joey Martin 1+1, Paul Crowder 0+1, Jake Morissette 0+2, Andrew Hotham 0+1, Drew Paris 0+1.
Giants: Sebastien Sylvestre 2+0, Ryan Martinelli 1+0, Blair Riley 0+1, Steve Saviano 0+1, Brandon Benedict 0+1.
Penalties in minutes: Devils 7+2+2=11; Giants 19+16+24=59.
Attendance: 3,095
Referee: Mike Hicks
Stars of the game: Devils, Layne Ulmer; Giants, Jackson Whistle.
