GLASGOW CLAN VS MANCHESTER STORM (PLAYOFF 3RDv4TH)

The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan fought through a strong test against the Manchester Storm but grinded out a victory to close out the season on a high with a bronze finish at the playoff weekend

Rais Francis was the first Storm player to test Liam Souliere as he wound up a shot from the slot and corked a low effort on target but the Clan netminder covered his line and kicked it clear in time.

A Brayden Burke turnover in the Manchester zone led the Storm out on an odd man rush up ice for Connor Lee to snap home the opener after some neat hold up play.

Tristin Langan drove hard at Evan Wenninger’s net shortly after and dropped back to Brett Neumann but his close-range dig at net was into the logo of the Storm goaltender.

Some well-sustained pressure paid off for Glasgow shortly after though as space opened up on the right for Mick Messner and he rifled the Clan back level with a great finish to beat Wenninger.

Brady Risk looked hungry for a goal at the start of the second as he rifled off two shots on net in the opening minute but was denied by the blocker, then catcher of Wenninger.

Souliere had to steer away a Kaleb Ergang slap shot from mid-range early in the period before Harrison Caines tipped a Francis shot to put the Storm ahead for the second time.

Glasgow assumed control for the rest of the frame though with Alex Forbes striking the post in a close call from a sharp angle before Austin Mitchell-King was denied in the crease by a pad stop.

Daniel Tedesco moved the Clan up ice with pace on a two-on-one with Hugo Roy and slid a pass to the backdoor for the #19 to race on to and send into the net to tie the game up once again.

Risk then got his just reward for some dogged determination at the top end as he tipped Rylan Schwartz’s blast from the blue line to put the Scottish side ahead for the first time this weekend.

In the third period, Neumann had two great looks in the first minute as Langan played him into the crease for a one time shot which the incoming Tyler De La Bertouche had to be quick to guide past the post before a quick breakaway attempt was coolly collected by the netminder.

Chris McKay drove through the slot in a smart winding run through the offensive zone but was denied by a cool catcher save by De La Bertouche.

Both netminders closed out the game strong with De La Bertouche minimising the damage to keep Manchester in the fight while Souliere held his own in the Clan crease, denying J.D. Dudek on a breakaway to see out the game.

The final buzzer rang through the Motorpoint Arena with Glasgow taking the victory in their final outing of the season as the 2025/2026 campaign ends with a Bronze reward for the Clan.