ON THIS DAY: September 17th

We’re easing you into the weekend with only two games to look back on and they’re fairly recent affairs from the Ryan Finnerty and John Tripp era.

Let’s fire up the time machine and head back in time.

GAMES

2016: Braehead Clan 1 Manchester Storm 2 (Elite League)

Clan were home for this mid-September encounter when they hosted Manchester Storm, looking to kick on after a decent first season in the Elite League.

Storm player-coach Omar Pacha brought his team to Glasgow with only one thing in mind…the two points and his players dug deep to get them.

Despite an opening goal from Matt Keith during the first period from a Corey Cowick assist, it didn’t take Manchester long to pull one back early in the second.

Darian Dziurzyński got himself on the scoresheet a minute and 16 seconds after the restart to make the game level, with Trevor Johnson’s assist.

Both players combined again for what proved to be the winning goal as Dziurzynski finished again from Johnson with 14 minutes left to go and despite Clan outshooting Storm 31 to 26, it was the visitors who took the points.

2017: Coventry Blaze 4 Glasgow Clan 1 (Elite League)

After yesterday’s loss to Milton Keynes Lightning, John Tripp took his team to Coventry to complete this away double header but didn’t get any luck from this game at the Skydome either.

Danny Stewart’s men looked more than ready for this one and so it proved when they scored two goals in the space of three minutes in the first period to set the tone for the game.

Luke Ferrara was first to find his way past Clan goalie Ryan Nie with a goal just after 13 minutes. By 16 minutes, Marc-Olivier Vallerand had double the home side’s lead.

Clan had a moment of joy on 23 minutes when Christoffer Bjorklund set up Adam Brace with what proved to be a consolation goal for the visitors.

But Blaze kicked on in the final frame as Coventry captain Jordan Pietrus scored on the powerplay to restore the three-goal gulf.

Then Ryan Dingle added a fourth for good measure as Blaze completed a good home win, sending Clan home to think again.

BIRTHDAYS

Happy birthday to former Clan forward, Mike Bayrack who is celebrating his 43rd birthday today.

Mike was part of the team in season two under Drew Bannister (2011-12) where he signed from Slovakian side HK Jesenice and played 50 games, scored 31 goals and made 40 assists.

Bayrack, who had also played at Belfast Giants the season before, went on to play with Coventry Blaze and came out of retirement last season to play a game from Grimshaw Huskies in the North PHL.