EIHL | Glasgow Clan 1 Manchester Storm 2

The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan were left frustrated after a third-straight loss in the Motorpoint Elite League, this time on home ice against the Manchester Storm.

The game got off to a bizarre start as Tristin Langan struck the bar after just five seconds, with the majority of the Braehead crowd thinking it was a goal, shortly before Manchester rushed up ice and attempted a wraparound which had to be stopped on the line.

A double video review was conducted after 20 seconds of open play, but both goals were ruled out. Stephen Johnson then hit the post with a sharp-angle shot five minutes later as the close calls continued to rain down early.

Steven Seigo got the first big hit of the night as he plastered Bradley Jenion into the boards in front of the Clan bench, much to the delight of the home fans before Rasmus Tirronen got into a scuffle at his goal mouth with Johnson.

Tirronen was penalised for his part in the minor scrap, forcing Ross Armour to sit for two minutes for him on a roughing call which allowed Brandon Cutler enough space to release a shot into the top corner on the powerplay to give the Storm an early lead.

In the second period, the physicality ramped up significantly as Langan barrelled through Brendon Clavelle in open ice. Manchester’s number seven took a few minutes to gather himself, but managed to skate off himself which earned him applause around the rink.

Jake Johnson had a good look at net from the left side shortly after, but his glove-high shot on Drew Derrider was easily snatched out the air by the experienced netminder.

Josh Tarzwell showed he’s made of tougher stuff as he rode a hit in the corner to keep the Clan’s offensive play alive and feed it to the slot, where Langan wrangled the puck free from under a defenceman’s skates and backhanded a shot just wide of the target.

Lewis Hook got a shorthanded breakaway before the second intermission after a quick breakout from the Storm and he tried to jam the puck through Tirronen’s five-hole but was denied by a quick collapse from the Finn.

In the third, Derrider was outstanding for the Storm, denying Mick Messner and Cole Kodsi on two great chances early in the period.

On his home debut for the Clan, Keaton Pehrson grabbed the equaliser with Tarzwell setting up the D-man for a first-time blast from the slot while Kodsi peeled off to distract two backchecking Storm players to leave Pehrson wide open.

Loren Ulett responded almost instantly though, as the Manchester stalwart tapped a shot home from the backdoor just two minutes later, ultimately sealing the two points for Cam Critchlow’s side.

It was a discouraging night for the Clan, as not much seemingly went there way. Attention now turns to a double-road weekend for the men in purple, as they head down south to Guildford, then Cardiff for meetings with the Flames and Devils this weekend.