Ice Hockey: Devils go top

Nov 22 2007 South Wales Echo

WELSH defenceman Alex Symonds had good reason to celebrate after Cardiff Devils crushing Elite League victory against Edinburgh Capitals at the Cardiff Bay rink.

Gwent-born teenager Symonds helped Cardiff go top of the table for the first time in 10 years – and he scored his first goal for the Devils.

And Symonds, 19, has also been selected in the Great Britain team for their World Under-20 Championship campaign next month.

“It feels fantastic to be part of a Devils team who are top of Elite League,” said Symonds. “It’s been a huge team effort.

“Scoring my first goal was also a good feeling. Jason Silverthorn found me on the blue-line with a big pass and I just let my shot go.

“But we all know that being top of the table means nothing unless we build on it. We’ve knocked Coventry Blaze off the top – and go to play them on Saturday.

“That’s going to be tough, but we will travel with confidence in ourselves.”

Cardiff Devils have now won 11 successive league matches and this weekend visit second-placed Coventry Blaze on Saturday and then entertain third-placed Newcastle Vipers on Sunday (6pm).

Match stats:

Scorers: Cardiff Devils: Brad Voth 2+1, Alex Symonds 1+1, Jason Silverthorn 1+1, Paul Sample 1+0, Mike Garrow 1+1, Tyson Teplitsky 1+0, Phil Hill 1+1, Mat Petricko 0+4, Max Birbraer 0+3, Sylvain Deschatalets 0+3.

Edinburgh Capitals: Adam Stefishen 2+0, Mark Wires 1+1, Kyle Horne 0+1, Ryan Crane 0+1, Neil Hay 0+1, Doug Christiansen 0+1, Dino Bauba 0+1.

Period scores: 2-1; 4-0 (6-1); 2-2 (8-3).

Shots on goal: Cardiff (on Perras) 14+8+9=31, Edinburgh (on Osaer) 17+9=26; (on Myers) 9+14=23. Total 49.

Penalties in minutes: Cardiff 4+6+2=12; Edinburgh 4+4+2=10.

Attendance: 800.

CARDIFF Devils have two players, Alex Symonds and Matt Towe, in the Great Britain team for their World Under-20 Championship campaign in Latvia between December 12 and December 18.

They will miss two Cardiff matches, against Newcastle Vipers at home on Saturday, December 15, and Hull Stingrays away the following evening.

Great Britain squad – Netminders: Martin Clarkson (Northern Massachusetts Jr. Cyclones), Joe White (Swindon Wildcats).

Defence: Alex Symonds (Cardiff Devils), Ben O’Connor (Edinburgh Capitals), David Savage (Guildford Flames), Jeremy Lundin (Newcastle Vipers), Lewis Christie (Belfast Giants), Michael Farn (Swindon Wildcats), Sam Oakford (Bracknell Bees), Stephen Lee (Hull Stingrays).

Forwards: Aaron Nell (Kenai River Brown Bears), Craig Peacock (Peterborough Phantoms), Dean Holland (Newcastle Vipers), James Ferrara (Nottingham Panthers), James Neil (Nottingham Panthers), James Archer (Peterborough Phantoms), Lloyd Gibson (Sheffield Scimitars), Mark Garside (Edinburgh Capitals), Matt Towe (Cardiff Devils), Matt Davies (Swindon Wildcats), Robert Dowd (Sheffield Scimitars), Ryan Watt (Bracknell Bees).