By Terry Phillips
Cardiff Devils 4 Braehead Clan 3
Cardiff Devils powered to their second win of the weekend, beating their Glasgow-based visitors in front of 3,000 spectators at Ice Arena Wales.
The Elite League leaders followed their 4-2 win in Sheffield on Friday by winning thanks to goals from Guillaume Doucet (2), Josh Batch and Joey Martin scored the goals for Devils.
Belfast Giants are second, eight points behind Cardiff, with three games in hand.
The next tests for Devils are against Coventry Blaze away next Saturday and then Sheffield Steelers in Cardiff Bay on Sunday (6pm)
First period
Devils dominated the first period, but Clan battled hard and scored the first goal on four minutes 46 seconds. Matt Keith was the scorer with Matt Hammond adding an assist.
Guillaume Doucet levelled things up for Devils when he netted after 15-10 after good work by Gleason Fournier.
The home team, again without defenceman Mark Louis, had Chris Culligan operating on defence with player-coach Andrew Lord again in action.
Bruce Dickinson, lead singer with Iron Maiden, dropped the puck before face-off wearing his new Devils team shirt with the number ‘666’ on the back.
The home team started strongly and forced Clan goalie Gary Russell produced a series of big saves as the visitors worked to keep rampant Devils at bay.
End of first: Devils 1, Clan 1.
Second period
Devils had to come from behind again in the second after Clan went 2-1 ahead thanks to a Craig Peacock goal after 26-25.
Goalie Ben Bowns made a magnificent diving save to stop the fierce close range shot, but the puck flew up off his body and slid slowly over the line before being hooked away after it had narrowly crossed the line.
Josh Batch levelled the scores on 30-23, finishing off the move after good work by Fournier and Matthew Myers, while Sean Bentivoglio fired against a post.
Clan hard man Jay Rosehill clashed with Devils defenceman Andrew Hotham just before the second break. Hotham was shoved down by Corey Cowick and was caught by Rosehill’s skate.
The 6ft 5ins Canadian tried to step away from Hotham, whose helmet flew off, but did clip him.
Rosehill then confronted Devils players in front of their bench and referee Hicks had to step in. Rosehill and Joey Haddad were each given two minute penalties for unsporting conduct.
End of second: Devils 2, Clan 2.
Third period
Goals from Doucet and Joey Martin, scored after 41-21 and 43-21, put Devils firmly in control.
Doucet scored with an outstanding solo effort, turning Clan defenceman Trevor Hendrikx inside out in the corner before skating towards goal and finishing with a decisive shot high into the net.
Martin then finished clinically, firing across goalie Russell and into the roof of the net to make it 4-2.
Clan found themselves in penalty trouble with three players in the box at the same time, while Rosehill was dumped on his backside by a big Scott Hotham hit.
The Braehead man jumped up incensed, but referee Hicks stepped between the two players and sent Rosehill to the penalty box.
He then suffered the indignity of watching Hotham’s hit replayed on big screens above the ice five times.
Clan pulled netminder Russell with two minutes left and they pulled a goal back after 59-12, but could not find a way to level the scores in the last 48 seconds.
Devils were by far the better side and really should have won this game by a bigger margin.
End of third: Devils 4, Clan 3.
Match stats
Scorers, Devils: Guillaume Doucet 2+0, Josh Batch 1+0, Joey Martin 1+0, Gleason Fournier 0+2, Matthew Myers 0+2, Joey Haddad 0+1, Patrick Asselin 0+1, Jake Morissette 0+1.
Clan: Matt Keith 1+1, Craig Peacock 1+0, Scott Pitt 1+0, Scott Arsson 0+1, Matt Beca 0+1, Mike Hammond 0+1, Alex Leavitt 0+1.
Period scores (Devils first): 1-1; 1-1 (2-2); 2-1 (4-3).
Shots on goal: Devils 9+13+12=34; Clan 5+11+11=27.
Penalties in minutes: Devils 0+2+; Clan 8+2+
Referee: Mike Hicks.