Five-Star Devils Open Domestic Season In Style

Cardiff Devils 5, Glasgow Clan 3

Cardiff Devils have opened their domestic ice hockey season with five-goal performances against Guildford Flames and Glasgow Clan.

Head coach Andrew Lord and his Devils stand top of their Champions Hockey League group with two matches to play – both against Frolunda Indians – and have started well in the Challenge Cup and Elite League.

Cardiff followed their 5-3 win against Guildford in the cup with a 5-3 victory against Glasgow Clan in the EIHL.

Man of the match Mike McNamee, Gleason Fournier, Blair Riley, Matt Pope and Mark Richardson scored for Devils, who faced three matches in four days later this week.

Lord’s men travel to play Guildford Flames in a cup group match on Thursday before entertaining Glasgow Clan in the league on Saturday. They then travel to Coventry Blazed next Sunday.

Man of the match Mike McNamee celebrates his goal for Devils against Glasgow Clanb. Pic: Helen Brabon.

Devils welcomed former captain Jake Morissette back to the Viola Arena to celebrate the banner raising for their play-offs championship success  last April before the puck dropped on Sunday Night.

Visitors Glasgow  opened the scoring after a misplaced puck in the neutral zone sprung Nolan Laporte in alone to beat Ben Bowns and make it 1-0 after three minutes 36 seconds.

Devils tied the game when Mike McNamee hammered home a perfect touch pass from Linglet past goalie Patrick Killeen at 8-41.

Glasgow took a string of penalties that opened the door again for Devils’ powerplay to go to work and at 12-23 Fournier scored to make it 2-1 with Matt Pope and Linglet assisting.

The lone goal in the middle period was scored in the dying seconds with Riley tipping in a blast from Bryce Reddick to give the Devils a 3-1 lead at 39-31.

Two minutes into the final period Devils went 4-1 ahead with Pope adding the finishing touch on a nice passing play between Joey Haddad and Masi Marjamaki (42-07).

Celebration time for Blair Riley during the Devils v Clan clash. Pic: Helen Brabon.

At 46-34 it was another powerplay goal for Devils, this time from Richardson with McNamee and Linglet drawing the assists on the Devils fifth goal.

Devils led 5-1 and were totally in control at that stage. Clan pulled one back through Matt Pufahl at 50-46 and scored again at 56:09 from Mathieu Roy to make it 5-3, but the Devils held on for a comfortable win.

Match stats:

Devils: Mark Richardson 1+0, Blair Riley 1+0, Mike McNamee 1+1, Gleason Fournier 1+0, Matt Pope 1+1, Charles Linglet 0+3, Bryce Reddick 0+1, Joey Haddad 0+2, Masi Marjamaki 0+1, 

Clan: Nolan LaPorte 1+0, Matt Pufahl 1+0, Mathieu Roy 1+0, Scott Ptt 0+2, Matt Beca 0+1, Jordan Heywood 0+1.

https://twitter.com/JoeyMartin14/status/1173248471568199680?s=20

Period scores (Devils first) 2-1; 1-0 (3-1); 2-2 (5-3).

Penalties in minutes: Devils 2+4+6=12; Clan 10+2+6=18.

Referee: Matt Thompson