Cardiff Devils opened the New Year in style with a five-goals win at Milton Keynes Lightning.

They opened 2018 with a 13th consecutive Elite League ice hockey victory and stand six points clear at the top.

Sean Bentivoglio scored two goals for Devils with Mark Richardson, Andrew Hotham and Luke Piggott completing a 5-0 success.

Joey Haddad was thrown out for spearing after 19-46, but Devils killed the five minute Lightning powerplay and goalie Ben Bowns went on to keep a shut-out.

Haddad’s penalty was the major contribution to 31 minutes in penalties for the Welsh club during the opening period, while Lightning were able to play with five players throughout.

The visitors did not pick up any other penalties during the second and third periods.

Devils opened the scoring through Bentivoglio (7-06), while Mark Richardson made it 2-0 (12-36).

Andrew Hotham’s powerplay goal made it 3-0 (13-21), while Luke Piggott (41-44) and Bentivoglio added a second on the PP (49-22) completed the tally.

Bowns finished with a 23-shot shut-out – his fourth of the season – while Patrick Asselin weighed in with three assists and was Devils man of the match.

Match stats:

Period scores (Lightning first): 0-2; 0-1 (0-3); 0-2 (0-5).

Shots on goal: Lightning (on Bowns) 10+9+4=23; Devils 12+13+16=41.

Powerplays: Lightning 0/5; Devils 2/6.

Scorers, Devils: Sean Bentivoglio 2+1, Mark Richardson 1+0, Andrew Hotham 1+1, Luke Piggott 1+0, Layne Ulmer 0+1, Patrick Asselin 0+3, Joey Martin 0+1, Jake Morissette 0+1, Tyson Strachan 0+1, Ben Bowns 0+1,

Penalties in minutes: Lightning 0+6+18=24; Devils 31+0+0=31.

Attendance: 1,726.

Stars of the game: Lightning, Guillaume Doucet; Devils, Patrick Asselin.

Referees: Tom Darnell and Stefan Hogarth.

Devils’ next match is an away fixture at Guildford Flames on Saturday, January 6 (7pm).

They then play Nottingham Panthers on Sunday, January 7 (6pm) before entertaining Flames in the second leg of their cup quarter-final the following Wednesday.

Both home fixtures will be at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay.

Tickets for Cardiff’s home fixtures are available and ticket information can be obtained via ONLINE HERE

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