The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze closed the gap on fifth-placed Manchester Storm to four points with an impressive 1-2 road victory on Friday night.
The opening period was a tightly contested affair, with neither Blaze netminder Mat Robson nor Storm goaltender Drew DeRidder beaten as both sides traded chances without finding the breakthrough.
The deadlock was broken early in the second period when Grayson Constable sprung forward alongside Grant Mismash on a two-on-one rush. The Blaze assistant captain elected to shoot himself and buried the opportunity at 22.53 to give the visitors a 0-1 lead.
The Blaze nearly doubled their advantage just two minutes later when Alessio Luciani broke clear on a breakaway, but DeRidder came up with an important save to keep the Storm within one.
Both teams were handed their first powerplay opportunities as the period progressed, but neither side was able to capitalise as the game remained finely balanced heading into the third.
Each team again saw time on the man advantage early in the final frame and it was Blaze who struck for a second goal.
Top-scorer Matthew Gleason found space at the point on the powerplay, stepped into the slot and fired a glove-side shot past DeRidder to make it 0-2 with 15.05 remaining. Luciani picked up the assist on the play.
Just over three minutes later, the Storm responded. Harrison Caines raced in on a breakaway and slipped the puck five-hole past Robson to cut the deficit to 1-2 with 12.23 left in regulation.
With a little over seven minutes to play, the Blaze were forced into a crucial defensive stand while killing an extended 5-on-3 penalty.
The Storm thought they had tied the game moments later when Loren Ulett scrambled the puck over the line with 5.45 remaining.
However, Blaze head coach Kevin Moore immediately issued a coach’s challenge. After review, the goal was ruled out as Ulett had pushed Robson’s pad out of the way before forcing the puck home, keeping the score at 1-2.
Manchester pulled DeRidder for the extra skater in the final minute, but the Blaze defence and Man of the Match with 34 saves Robson held firm to secure a vital two points in the Elite Ice Hockey League standings.
Photo credit: Photo: Mark Ferriss
