The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze cemented fifth place in the Elite League standings with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over the Cardiff Devils at the Vindico Arena on Friday night.
Goaltender Mat Robson, ever-present throughout the season, returned to the Blaze line-up after being forced out of last weekend’s clash against the Glasgow Clan with injury. However, forward Zach Heintz remained side-lined.
The opening period was a cautious affair, with both sides feeling each other out. Cardiff edged the shot count, aided by the only full powerplay opportunity of the period, but neither side could find a breakthrough.
Coventry began the second period on the man advantage, but failed to convert, and were soon punished at the other end. Josh MacDonald opened the scoring for Cardiff at 24.44, netting a powerplay goal after Robson was forced to scramble on an initial effort. Kohen Olischefski and Cody Donaghey picked up the assists.
Midway through the period, Coventry were handed a golden opportunity to draw level when Donaghey and MacDonald took simultaneous penalties at 32.59, giving Blaze an extended two-man advantage. However, Cardiff’s penalty kill stood strong, and tensions began to rise. Devils’ forward Riley Brandt was at the heart of several altercations, tangling with Coventry’s Morten Jurgens and Mike Kennedy as the physicality ramped up.
The Devils carried their slender one-goal lead into the second intermission.
Early in the third, Coventry were handed another 5-on-3 powerplay and this time made it count. With 12:05 remaining, Jackson Cressey fired home the equaliser, assisted by Chase Gresock and Brandon Alderson, after penalties to Josh Batch and Evan Mosey.
With no further scoring in regulation, the game headed into overtime.
As the extra period wound down, it was Cressey again who made the difference. Collecting the puck with seconds remaining, he circled the net and found Nick Seitz at the back door. Seitz made no mistake, burying the winner with just seven seconds left on the clock to give Blaze a dramatic and vital win.
The result confirms a fifth-place finish for Coventry, who now face the Devils again in the Elite League Playoff Quarter-Finals next weekend.
Elite League Playoff Quarter-Final Fixtures:
First Leg: Saturday 12th April – Skydome Arena, Coventry (7.00pm)
Second Leg: Sunday 13th April – Vindico Arena, Cardiff (6pm)
