The first period was evenly contested between the two outfits with DeRidder and Souliere evidently dialled in for a vital game in the season with multiple sides jockeying for play-off positions around both franchises. The only goal of the period would come in the 16th minute from a face-off win by Neumann and shot through traffic from Langan that whistled into the Storm net.

The middle stanza saw significantly more attacking chances created with both goaltenders pressed in a couple of excellent stops apiece early in the period. The mounting pressure in front of the net would eventually pay dividends for the hosts with a timely shot through traffic from Nardi levelling the match in the 26th minute. However, the parity would not hold as an uncharacteristic error at the back from Clavelle would lead to a Glasgow second. The Storm man was unable to control the loose puck and an opportunistic Kielb seized on the puck to quickly tee up Risk would fired beyond a hapless DeRidder in the 34th minute. Yet, this hugely enjoyable middle period would have one final twist in the tale as a well worked Storm powerplay made things 2-2 with just three seconds remaining on the clock. The special teams unit worked the puck around the zone well enough to earn a big rebound from Souliere that was deftly poked home by a delighted Ergang.

A huge final period of hockey was ahead of both outfits and the first chance after the intermission landed on the stick of Johnson whose effort was deflected over the bar from just outside the blue paint. The initial six minutes of this twenty period saw three minor penalties (two against the Storm and one to the Clan) come and go with limited shots put on net. The next big chance of game would land on the stick of Johnson who thought he had an empty net to tap into until a spectacular effort from Souliere saw him swivel to tip the effort over the bar and away from danger in the 52nd minute. The second game in as many nights against Glasgow Clan for the Storm the game would head into an overtime period with neither side able to fashion a winner in the closing stages of regulation.

The bonus hockey period saw very few scoring opportunities fashioned and the evenly contested encounter rightly went all the way to penalties. The goaltenders combined to make eleven consecutive stops until Ulett fired under the blocker of Souliere to ensure both points would stay in Manchester.

Words by: Callum Schora