Devils Hit Lightning For Six, Giants Crash To Clan

MK Lightning 4, Cardiff Devils 6

Cardiff Devils have opened a three-points lead at the top of Elite League.

Their 6-4 win against MK Lightning at the Planet Ice Arena ensured Devils would stay clear at the top, while closest challengers Belfast Giants were smashed 5-0 at Glasgow Clan.

After a goalless first period, Clan scored four times in the second with Vaclav Stupka, Rasmus Bjerrum, Gerard Hanson and Scott Pitt the scorers.

Bjerrum’s goal was shorthanded, while Brendon Connolly competed the Clan scoring with a powerplay goal after 54-35.

Devils’ four-point weekend was the ideal build-up to their double-head against Belfast Giants at the SSE Arena in Northern Ireland next weekend.

Stephen Dixon. Pic: Richard Murray.

Sean Bentivoglio was suspended and missed the match in Milton Keynes, while he will also sit out the first clash with Belfast next Friday evening.

Stephen Dixon (2), Bryce Reddick, Joey Haddad, Charles Linglet and Joey Martin scored for Devils at MK Lightning.

Martin took his points tally against Lightning to five over the weekend (4 goals, 1 assist), but the big difference was the Devils display on D.

The blue line division had bordered on terrible at times against Lightning at home on Saturday, but allowed the MK home team only 19 shots on Ben Bowns in the Sunday clash.

That underlines again how mindset can make the difference in Cardiff’s bid for a third successive title.

Joey Haddad. Pic: Dave Williams.

Match stats:

Scorers, Lightning: Nelson Armstrong 1+0, James Griffin 1+0, Michael Fine 1+0, Cole Shudra 1+0, Tim Wallace 0+1, Andreas Valdix 0+1, Robbie Baillargeon 0+2. 

Devils: Joey Martin 1+1, Stephen Dixon 2+1, Bryce Reddick 1+0, Joey Haddad 1+0, Charles Linglet 1+1, Michael Hedden 0+1, Matt Pope 0+2, Drew Schiestel 0+1, Sam Duggan 0+1, Layne Ulmer 0+1, Jake Morissette 0+1, James Livingston 0+1.

Period scores: (Lightning first): 1-5; 3-1 (4-6); 0-0 (4-6).

Shots on goal: Lightning (on Bowns) 6+7+6=19; (on Killeen) Devils 13+15+7=35.

Penalties in minutes: Lightning 4+2+26=32; Devils 6+8+4=18.

Special teams: Lightning PK 9/9, PP 2/7; Devils 5/7, PP 0/9.

Referees: Chris Wells, Stefan Hogarth.

Other Elite results on Sunday: Glasgow Clan 5, Belfast Giants 0; Dundee Stars 4, Fife Flyers 1; Coventry Blaze 2, Sheffield Steelers 1; Guildford Flames 1, Manchester Storm 0.