GUILDFORD, 8 FEBRUARY – Following a loss, the Guildford Flames beat Manchester Storm 4-3 in a heated Elite Ice Hockey League match on Sunday at the The Guildford Spectrum, with an overtime goal from Canadian Cole Ully to win two points.
The Flames completed their comeback in the 62nd minute as Ully found the winner from an assist by Marcus Tesink. The sudden-death strike sealed an overtime victory for the home side, capping a run of four unanswered goals to snatch the extra point after trailing by three in the first period.
“It was a great show of perseverance to fall behind and not quit while retrieving the game,” said the Flames Assistant Coach, Andy Hemmings.
The Flames levelled in the 51st minute as Josh Nixon found the equaliser, latching onto a pass from Jamal Watson and Matt Alvaro to level the score. The goal erased Manchester’s three-goal cushion and set up a frantic final ten minutes after the clinical finish overtook the goaltender Evan Weninger.
To start the match, Canadian forward Hinam redirected the puck past Justin Fazio in the sixth minute of the first period, providing Manchester Storm with an early advantage in a physical opening frame.
Fellow Canadian Loren Ulett doubled the Storms’ lead in the 12th minute, firing a shot that nearly smothered Fazio before the puck scuffed off the bottom of the goaltender’s glove and trickled into the net.
The Storm’s advantage was bolstered late in the first period after the Flames’ Marcus Tesink was penalised for tripping at the 18-minute mark, handing the hosts a crucial man-advantage.
Manchester capitalised just a minute later on a power play as Hinam’s effort stretched the lead to 3-0 for his second of the night.
Hemmings said: “We would prefer to play from the front, but you take the games the way you can get them and you have to credit the guys for what they achieved in this one.”
Lewis Hook pulled a goal back for the Guildford Flames in the 29th minute, finishing off a well-worked play from Tyler Busch and Tyler Preziuso to reduce the deficit.
Building on his earlier assist, Busch found the back of the net at the 44th minute, capitalising on slick distribution from Ully and Watson.
The Flames remain in seventh place in the league standings after a resilient display and look to build on this momentum when they travel to face the Fife Flyers on 14th February.
