REPORT: Guildford Flames 6 Glasgow Clan 3 (Flames win 6-3 on aggregate)

Photos by John Uwins

Aspray Glasgow West sponsored Glasgow Clan’s Challenge Cup final hopes are over after Guildford Flames claimed a 6-3 victory in the second leg of their semi-final tie.

After a goalless first leg, the tie was finely poised with a winner takes all scenario, but it wasn’t to be for Jason Morgan’s men as bowed out of the competition at the Spectrum.

Clan started the brighter of the two teams as they peppered the Flames with a few chances early on, the best of which was a double chance from Darien Craighead, which was denied.

But not long after, Guildford finally broke the deadlock in the tie as Ryan Tait moved through the centre before despatching a shot that got a touch off the glove of new Clan goalie Kevin Lindskoug, but still ended up in the net.

Suddenly Flames had a momentum swing and looked threatening when they moved, with Lindskoug moving on a dangerous effort by Lewis Hook from the right.

Shortly after, it was a former Clan man who added to Guildford’s lead when the puck went loose in the Flames offensive zone and space opened up for Steven McParland.

The home forward got himself into a one-on-one situation and executed his finish well to double the Flames lead.

Despite the setback, Clan weren’t giving up and managed to get on the board with five to go in the second as Luke Lynch took the pass from the left side and tried to stuff the puck through home goalie Eamon McAdam.

It sprung loose behind McAdam, allowing Lynch to finally get the finish and breathe some life into Clan’s Challenge Cup hopes.

After Lindskoug denied Ryan Hughes early in the second, it wasn’t long before Guildford restored their two-goal lead.

Ryan Tait, with his second of the night, took possession of the puck outside the Clan zone, turned and charged down on goal where his finish ended up in the back of the net.

A Gary Haden chance shorthanded looked promising soon after with Glasgow shorthanded, but the chance could only go wide.

It looked a little bleaker for the visitors when they went 4-1 ahead at the halfway mark as Matt Tugnutt finished the rebound from Patrick Bajkov’s initial shot.

A perfect pass from Bryce Reddick set up Lynch on a breakaway who was coolness personified to claw back the deficit.

Then Craighead smashed the post with a chance later in the second period as Clan looked to fight back on a five-on-three powerplay.

Glasgow put some chances on the Guildford early in the third, but Flames made the most of a powerplay chance as Lewis Hook added a fifth.

But it didn’t take long for a response as Alex Roach cannoned a shot into the net from the blue line area to make it 5-3.

Peter Crinella made sure of the Flames’ route to a March date with Sheffield Steelers in the final with a late empty net goal.