The well-known adage about the most dangerous lead in hockey unfortunately proved true, as the Storm came up short against the Guildford Flames, losing 4-2 in an entertaining and heated Friday night encounter.

The Storm made a strong start, taking an early lead with a well-placed five-hole shot by Esteves within the first five minutes. The hosts nearly doubled their advantage when Griffiths and Milton combined effectively on a short-handed play, but the Welshman couldn’t quite keep the puck down.

The second period erupted in every sense of the word. Hinam skated in from the wing, using a screen in front of Kupsky to snap a wrist shot into the top corner after twenty-six minutes. A superb pass from Dodero found Jacome unmarked at the back post, allowing him to tap the puck in at close range in the 31st minute. Just two minutes later, the Flames equalised on the powerplay in the 33rd minute through Alvaro, giving the Storm faithful a flash of déjà vu from last weekend’s clash. A missed high-sticking call then set the stage for an old-school hockey moment, as a near-line brawl led to an early end to the second period. Officials used the intermission to identify the offenders, ultimately ejecting four players: Morrow, Hinam, Jacome, and Catenacci.

The final twenty minutes began at a slower pace, with few scoring chances for either side. However, a late-period brace from Strang secured the two points for the visiting Guildford Flames on this occasion.

Words by: Callum Schora