Ice hockey – Capitals calm Storm to boost play-off hopes

Elite League: Edinburgh Capitals 2, Manchester Storm 1; Nottingham Panthers 2, Fife Flyers 3 (after penalty shots); Dundee Stars 0, Coventry Blaze 4.

Edinburgh Capitals earned themselves a play-off lifeline when they edged Manchester Storm at Murrayfield.

The home side, minus banned coach Michal Dobron, won 2-1 after outshooting the opposition 36-31.

Mason Wilgosh opened their account after 23 minutes after being set up by Matt Tipoff.

Michael D’Orazio netted a second on the power play with Tipoff and Yevgeni Fyodorov supplying the ammunition 15 minutes later.

Matt Bissonnette pulled one back after 42 minutes but the visitors were unable to net the game-tying goal.

Fife Flyers completed a weekend win double thanks to a penalty shootout success at Nottingham Panthers.

Brian McGrattan unassisted slotted home to open the scoring for the home side after 11 minutes but Justin Fox levelled after 30 minutes on the power play with Chase Schaber and Kyle Haines assisting.

Alex Nikiforuk claimed a second for Panthers after 42 minutes but Brendan Brooks levelled eight minutes later, Sisca and Richard Jackman assisting to take the clash into overtime.

The sides could not be separated and Panthers’ trio Jason Williams, Matt Carter and Nikiforuk all missed their penalty shots.

Seb Thinel and Mathew Sisca also failed for Flyers but Fox was the hero by slotting home for a famous win.

T J Syner opened the scoring for the visitors after seven minutes and Liam Stewart, son of rocker Sir Rod, slotted No 2 six minutes later.

Barry Almeida made it 3-0 with 35 seconds left of the middle session and Robin Bergman completed the misery for Dundee with 49 minutes on the clock.