Stingrays defeat fellow strugglers Vipers

HULL Stingrays have given themselves a chance of avoiding this season's wooden spoon as they defeated fellow strugglers Newcastle Vipers in the Elite League.

The Stingrays won 3-2 to take them to 37 points, just five behind the Vipers, with four games left to play including another tie in Hull.

The Hull side took the lead through George Halkidis after only three minutes before Konstantin Kalmikov doubled their lead eight minutes later.

The Vipers got themselves back in the match courtesy of Jason Tejchma before the end of the first period but could not make their pressure count as Jason Silverthom gave the Stingrays back their two-goal cushion.

A final goal from Vipers' Mike Berry with a powerplay counter in the third period was not enough to overcome their bottom-of-the-table rivals and the Vipers will be looking over their shoulder as the season reaches its climax.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh Capitals made it two wins in a row as they defeated Cardiff Devils 8-3 to stay in sixth with two games in hand on the Sheffield Steelers in fifth, who are also on 51 points.

After the disappointment of their Challenge Cup final loss to Nottingham Panthers, the Devils stay in fourth place on 59 points, seven points behind the Panthers in third.