ASSISTANT coach Bobby McEwan believes Hull Stingrays paid the price for failing to take their chances against Cardiff Devils.

Depleted Stingrays went down 5-3 to their visitors, but squandered several gilt-edged chances to pull themselves back into the game at crucial times.

That lack of a clinical edge allowed the Devils to always just retain control.

McEwan said: "Failure to take our chances probably cost us.

"I thought we had chances to win, and we also hit the post and bar.

"We're the type of team if we don't take our opportunities we're not going to win games.

"Cardiff are a good strong, physical team. They scored three powerplay goals and that's the game right there."

Derek Campbell for Stingrays and Kenton Smith for Cardiff hit the goal framework before Stuart MacRae put Devils in front on nine minutes.

Jeff Pierce (28 minutes) and MacRae (36 minutes) made it 3-0, but not before Stingrays had wasted several clear-cut opportunities to make it 2-1.

Sylvain Cloutier finally did get Stingrays on the scoreboard just before the second interval.

A 48th-minute Jason Silverthorn goal pulled it back to 3-2 and again Stingrays had chances for 3-3, before Gerad Adams cannoned in a cracking fourth for Cardiff.

That took the wind out of Stingrays' sails and Ben Davies made it 5-2 on 56 minutes before Silverthorn netted his second for a 5-3 final scoreline.

"It's very frustrating because we have to battle against all the teams above us to stay in seventh spot and we're short of players at the moment," said McEwan.

McEwan confirmed Stingrays are unlikely to have any of their injured players – Ryan Lake (back), Matty Davies (concussion) and Martin Ondrej (groin) – back to face Belfast and Cardiff next weekend.