PRE-SEASON: Tickets for our pre-season fixtures on Saturday 16th September and Wednesday 20th September are available online HERE, by calling 0161-926-8782 or in person at the Planet Ice Box Office!

The Flames got the better of the Storm, 6-4, in a hugely entertaining goal-filled exhibition game. The preseason curtain raiser was played out in front of a 1,902 strong crowd at the Shelter, as the noisy home supporters were evidently eager to take-in the freshly assembled Storm roster.

A sedate start saw both teams feeling each other out with the vast majority of offensive chances being kept to the outside making light work for Burman and Weninger between the pipes. However, the pace soon quickened and a remarkable coast-to-coast save by Weninger kept the scores deadlocked in the 14th minute, on the penalty kill. The man-advantage would soon switch in favour of the hosts and after some neat play between the forwards, Johnson’s efforts would find the twine. A deserved one-goal advantage was taken into the intermission for the Storm, as the hosts slightly shaded the overall possession and scoring opportunities.

The second would start with a flurry of goals that did not relent throughout the entire middle period. Just 14 seconds in, Merchant eased in the puck after an excellent saucer pass from Haarala to double the hosts lead. Things would get better for the Storm, only 18 seconds later, when a trademark Ehrhardt slapshot evaded everyone to find the net.

This sparked the visiting Flames into life – who tilted the ice from this point onwards. Two converted rebounds from Rupplinger and Hook brought Guildford within one. By the 29th minute, the scores were tied after Crinella converted on the breakaway. A defensive breakdown afforded Griffiths too much space on the wing and his backhand finish sent the Flames into the lead for the first time in the game. An unfortunate deflection off the skate of Parran made it 5-3 to Guildford, in the 36th minute, with things starting to look slightly ominous. Until a timely response from Haarala – in the 39th minute, cut the deficit to just a single goal with twenty minutes of play remaining.

The final period saw the hosts camped out infront of the Flames goal for large parts of the period – but they couldn’t find another way beyond Burman. An empty net goal from Crinella gave the forward an impressive hat-trick and ended any hopes of a dramatic comeback victory for the Storm, in their first preseason home outing.

PRE-SEASON: Tickets for our pre-season fixtures on Saturday 16th September and Wednesday 20th September are available online HERE, by calling 0161-926-8782 or in person at the Planet Ice Box Office!