The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze earned a valuable point on Saturday night, narrowly falling to league leaders Belfast Giants in a 3-2 shootout loss at the SSE Arena.
Blaze travelled to Belfast with their full line-up, while the Giants were dealt a blow with Canadian Josh Roach missing out. Brit Jackson Whistle got the nod in net ahead of American Tom McCollum.
The opening period was marred by seven minor penalties split between the two sides.
Both teams struggled to find rhythm amid constant interruptions, resulting in a scoreless start to the game.
The pattern of penalties persisted into the second period, and Coventry capitalised first with Gabe Bast serving a two-minute minor for a check to the head.
On the ensuing powerplay, Blaze top-scorer Chase Gresock notched his 17th Elite League goal of the season at 21.27, with Brandon Alderson providing the assist.

The Giants responded swiftly, aided by penalties against Coventry. With Alexander Kuqali in the box for tripping, Scott Conway levelled the score on a powerplay at 25.42, assisted by David Goodwin, who recently came out of retirement to return to his former side.

Belfast grabbed the lead at 28.11 when Grant Mismash showcased brilliant stickwork to navigate through the Blaze defence and beat Mat Robson, putting the hosts ahead 2-1.

Despite further penalties disrupting the flow, neither team could add to the scoreline before the second intermission.
Coventry showed resilience in the third period, tying the game once again through their powerplay. At 44.49, defenseman Terrance Amorosa unleashed a powerful shot from the point, finding the back of the net. Assists were credited to Alderson and Nick Seitz.

The score remained deadlocked through regulation, with both teams earning a point for their efforts.
The five-minute overtime period offered chances for both sides, but neither could break the stalemate.
The game proceeded to a shootout, where Belfast’s Grant Mismash and JJ Piccinich both converted their opportunities. Meanwhile, Jackson Whistle stood tall in the Giants’ net, denying all Blaze attempts to secure the extra point for the league leaders.
Photo credit: William Cherry