Match Reports - Elite - Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey Team

Devils dominated the opening stages but failed to make their possession count but that all changed as Blaze hit penalty trouble and Devils opened the scoring when Phil Hill jammed home from the edge of the crease on the powerplay at 10.03. With Blaze skipper Adam Calder taking an elbows penalty at the time of the Devils goal the opportunity was there again for Devils with the man-advantage and at 10.56 it was 2-0 as Matt Miller beat a motionless Peter Hirsch through a screen. However, Blaze hit back quickly and EIHL top goalscorer Luke Fulghum slid the puck home from close in at 11.53 to bring his team right back into things. Devils then hit penalty problems and Blaze ended the period on a 5 on 3 powerplay with Jonathan Weaver hitting the pipework.

Devils were well in control after period two of the first semi-final as a 2-0 period has given them a 4-1 lead. After Blaze had killed off the remainder of the end of first period 5 on 3 they were again on the penalty kill as Danny Stewart went for slashing and it was a third Devils powerplay goal scored at 26.04 by Matt Miller, sweeping in a rebound from close-range. Blaze were struggling to get anything out of the game at this stage but were boosted when they killed a 5 on Devils advantage, only to lose a fourth goal at 35.36 as Phil Hill scored his second of the game, when he skated in alone from the left-wing to fire home.

Leading 4-1 going into the third period, Devils were stung by a fast start by the league champions with Luke Fulghum snapping a shot low through Stevie Lyle’s pads on the powerplay at 41.16. It then became a one-goal game when Brad Cruikshank slammed a great one-timer into the net from Dan Carlson’s supply at 45.11 and the game then became end to end with both sides going for it! The next goal was always going to be crucial and it came the way of Devils when Jay Latulippe scrambled the puck home from almost on the goal line at 50.55. Blaze were unable to recover from that and when they coughed up the puck in their zone after Hirsch was pulled for the extra skater, Mark Smith squared for a diving Max Birbraer to hit the empty net at 59.34 to confirm the Welsh side’s place in the final.

Match Stats

Referee: Carson
Lines: Staniforth and Young

Period Scores: 1-2/0-2/2-2 = 3-6
Shots On Goal: 13-14/5-24/10-12 = 28-50
Penalty Minutes: 4-6/8-0/14-2 = 26-8

Coventry: Luke Fulghum 2+0, Brad Cruikshank 1+0, Dan Carlson 0+2, Adam Calder 0+1, Derek Campbell 0+1, Mathias Soderstrom 0+1, Jonathan Weaver 0+1
Net: Peter Hirsch 49/5 (89.8%) + Empty Net 1/1

Cardiff: Phil Hill 2+0, Matt Miller 2+0, Jay Latulippe 1+3, Max Birbraer 1+1, Wes Jarvis 0+2, Mark Smith 0+2, Scott Romfo 0+1
Net: Stevie Lyle 28/3 (89.3%)

Man of the Match:
Coventry: #27 Luke Fulghum
Cardiff: #25 Phil Hill

08.39 COV PEN #17 Russell Cowley 2 mins for Tripping
10.03 CAR GOAL 0-1 #25 Phil Hill (#18 Jay Latulippe, #4 Wes Jarvis) (PPG)
10.03 COV PEN #25 Adam Calder 2 mins for Elbows
10.56 CAR GOAL 0-2 #20 Matt Miller (#18 Jay Latulippe) (PPG)
11.53 COV GOAL 1-2 #27 Luke Fulghum (#37 Derek Campbell, #26 Dan Carlson)
14.51 CAR PEN #4 Wes Jarvis 2 mins for Interference
18.04 CAR PEN #61 Ryan Finnerty 2 mins for Slashing
18.35 CAR PEN #6 Mike Hartwick 2 mins for Tripping

25.24 COV PEN #39 Danny Stewart 2 mins for Slashing
26.04 CAR GOAL 1-3 #20 Matt Miller (#18 Jay Latulippe, #4 Wes Jarvis) (PPG)
31.45 COV PEN #25 Adam Calder 2 mins for Hooking
32.48 COV PEN #37 Derek Campbell 2 mins for Interference
35.36 CAR GOAL 1-4 #25 Phil Hill (#45 Scott Romfo)
37.38 COV PEN #26 Dan Carlson 2 mins for Slashing

40.28 CAR PEN #91 Mark Smith 2 mins for Hooking
41.16 COV GOAL 2-4 #27 Luke Fulghum (#14 Jonathan Weaver, #25 Adam Calder) (PPG)
41.50 COV PEN #37 Derek Campbell 2 mins for High Sticks
45.11 COV GOAL 3-4 #57 Brad Cruikshank (#26 Dan Carlson, #77 Mathias Soderstrom)
50.55 CAR GOAL 3-5 #18 Jay Latulippe (#23 Max Birbraer, #91 Mark Smith)
59.34 CAR GOAL 3-6 #23 Max Birbraer (#91 Mark Smith) (ENG)
59.53 COV PEN #5 Brian Lee 2 mins for Roughing
59.58 COV PEN #39 Danny Stewart 10 mins for Misconduct

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Match Reports - Elite

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3/4/10 - Coventry Blaze 3 Cardiff Devils 6