Squires makes instant impact

SHEFFIELD-born forward Tom Squires ended a hectic day in the best possible way - scoring the game-winning goal to earn Hull Stingrays a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.The 21-year-old only signed for Hull on a two-way deal with English Premier League outfit Sheffield Steeldogs Thursday morning, but was in the right place to score the all-important fourth goal on his debut to earn the East Yorkshire club a memorable 4-3 win at Cardiff Devils.

Squires’s goal came in the 25th minute to put the visitors into an unexpected 4-0 lead. Jason Silverthorn struck first for Hull at 6.48, Jereme Tendler doubled the lead three minutes later before Cale Tanaka made it 3-0 at 18.35.

Nearly four minutes after Squires’s strike the comeback began from Cardiff when Chris Blight found a way past Ben Bowns on the powerplay.

Devils’ player-coach Gerad Adams made it 4-2 at 31.30, again on the power play, and although the prolific Mac Faulkner made use of another man-advantage situation to make it a one-goal game at 46.38, Stingrays hung on for a first road win of the season and two decisive points.

“We certainly did it the hard way,” said player-coach Sylvain Cloutier. “We should have finished the game off a lot earlier but we took our foot of the gas and that was disappointing.

“Give Cardiff credit, though, they kept battling and we kept giving them powerplays and they took advantage. They have a good powerplay unit.

“But one of our goals at the start of the season was to make the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and we have done that. It is a massive accomplishment for the club and every year we seem to be doing something.”