Glasgow Clan 6 Manchester Storm 4


Glasgow Clan moved to within a point of Nottingham Panthers in third place in the Elite League after taking the victory in a 6-4 win over Manchester Storm.

The game got off to an exciting start with goals to set the tone for what was an exciting contest for Elite League points.

Storm were the ones to open the scoring when Luke Moffatt set up Chance Braid, who sent a low effort past Clan goalie Joel Rumpel's glove and into the net.

They were two up a couple of minutes later when Zack Fitzgerald took a seat for tripping - a powerplay from which Manchester took full advantage.

Dallas Ehrhardt's pass from the right hand face off circle found its way to Dane Byers in the centre and he managed to force it in from close range.

Clan halved the deficit shortly after when Vaclav Stupka's pass from the left was intercepted, but broke for Matt Beca who finished from the slot.

The home side were back on level terms early in the second period as Michal Gutwald's shot from the right found its way in past Storm goalie Matt Ginn.

Then Scott Tanski scored with a cracker of a solo goal to put Glasgow in front as he took the puck around the Manchester goal, came about out to a central position and fired an exquisite backhanded shot into the roof of the net.

Ryan Finnerty's men equalised shortly after as Dane Byers got enough of a touch to divert Felix Poulin's blue line shot into the net past Rumpel.

Clan restored the lead in somewhat controversial circumstances when Craig Peacock drove the puck towards the net, but collided with a couple of Storm players.

It crossed the line, but there were questions over whether the goal moved first. Nevertheless, it was given to the delight of the home support.

Vaclav Stupka added a fifth early in the third period to open a two-goal cushion, tapping in from Beca's pass.

Former Clan forward Mike Hammond got another back to give the visitors hope of taking something from the game.

But they were eventually beaten by an empty netter from Matt Haywood as he turned and swept the puck into the gaping goal from his own defensive zone.