Glasgow Clan vs Manchester Storm

GAME REPORT: GLASGOW CLAN 3 MANCHESTER STORM 2

The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan clinched a tight 3-2 win over the Manchester Storm in the EIHL 2025/2026 season opener.

Both teams came bursting out the gates with some highly physical plays as Loren Ulett slammed Deven Sideroff into the boards just five minutes in.

The Clan captain was quickly back on his feet though to receive a stretch pass from Mitchell Heard which allowed the #95 in on a breakaway and he composed himself to tuck his shot past Evan Weninger to open the scoring early on for Glasgow.

Sami Aittokallio got off to a strong start as he got his elbow up high to cut out a sharp shot from J.D. Dudek before making a double save on Dennis Busby and Joseph Nardi as the period went on.

Cade Neilson battled in the corner at the other end to win the puck and set up Austin Mitchell-King who let rip from the dot but his shot zipped just wide of the net.

Brett Neumann then doubled the Clan’s lead later in the first when he finished off a gorgeous move from Joe Hazeldine and Tristin Langan in a slick tape-to-tape passing play with a high blast from close range.

In the second period, Neumann nearly bagged his second goal when he parked himself in the crease awaiting the feed from Brayden Burke but Evan Weninger showed great situational awareness to poke the puck clear from the danger.

Rylan Schwartz made no mistake when he got his chance on the puck at the blue line as he dispatched a rocket which flew low past Weninger to expand the Clan’s lead to three.

Debutant defenceman, Colton Poolman grabbed his first Clan point on the Schwartz goal as he reaped the rewards for a great opening game performance.

Hugo Roy got involved on the physical front as he laid a blockbuster hit in the corner on Josh Crawley which ignited some after-the-whistle jawing, but it came to nothing.

Aittokallio continued his fine form in the Clan net as he absorbed a long-range shot from former Clan forward, Gary Haden before swatting clear a close-range effort by Brandon Cutler.

Manchester started to find their tune after the half-way point in regulation though and Nardi capitalised on their momentum as he opened the scoring for the visitors with help from Haden covering Aittokallio’s line of sight.

In the third period, Dudek claimed a second Storm goal with a first-time snap from the slot after Ulett slipped a pass through the crease from behind the net.

Weninger had a show-stopping start to the third period with a quick reflex blocker save on a first time bomb from Neumann before elbowing Heard’s shot over the bar.

The Storm continued to press for an equaliser in the remaining minutes of the third period but Aittokallio and the Clan’s defence held on strong to see out the game with a 3-2 win to open their EIHL campaign.