The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze couldn’t recover from an early two-goal deficit, falling 3-1 to the Cardiff Devils at Vindico Arena on Saturday in the Elite League.
The game marked the second meeting between the two teams in as many days, with Coventry having triumphed 5-2 at the Skydome Arena on Boxing Day.
Both sides entered the game with key absences. The Blaze were again without former Devil Brandon Alderson, while Cardiff continued to miss Ben Bowns, Ben Davies, and Zach O’Brien. However, the Devils were bolstered by the return of Reid Duke.
Determined to avenge their Boxing Day loss, Cardiff started with relentless intensity and were rewarded with a two-goal lead inside ten minutes. Josh MacDonald opened the scoring at 6:16, redirecting a Gleason Fournier shot past Blaze netminder Mat Robson. Robson protested the goal, claiming a high stick, but the officials dismissed his appeal.
Just under two minutes later, Joey Martin doubled the Devils’ lead at 8:03, with Fournier providing his second assist of the game. Cardiff continued to dominate the opening frame, outshooting Coventry 23-11 and hitting the post twice.
Despite the Devils’ pressure, the Blaze managed to regroup late in the first period. With seconds remaining, they were awarded a powerplay, which they capitalized on early in the second. At 21:08, Jackson Cressey finished a well-executed play, rounding Devils goaltender Mac Carruth in close. Assists went to Terrance Amorosa and Alessio Luciani.
However, Coventry’s momentum was short-lived. During their next powerplay, a costly turnover allowed Evan Mosey to score shorthanded at 23:30, restoring the Devils’ two-goal cushion. Martin and Cole Sandford assisted on the decisive goal.
The game grew increasingly physical as the Blaze fought to close the gap. They tested Carruth repeatedly, but the Cardiff goaltender stood firm. At the other end, Robson delivered a stellar performance, making several outstanding saves to keep his team within striking distance.
With just under ten minutes remaining, Coventry had another powerplay opportunity but failed to convert, as Carruth continued to frustrate the Blaze offense which ended by outshooting the Devils 39-43.
Coventry managed to find a second goal, but it came too late to alter the outcome. With just two seconds remaining, Grayson Constable struck, assisted by Chase Gresock and Terrance Amorosa.
Tensions that had been simmering throughout the game finally boiled over at the final buzzer. Morten Jurgens, in a desperate attempt to poke the puck loose from Carruth, provoked an immediate reaction from the Devils players.
Chaos erupted on the ice as gloves were dropped and tempers flared, with players from both teams engaging in heated scrums. Meanwhile, the benches joined the fray, furiously shouting across at each other in a dramatic conclusion to a fiercely contested game.
Photo credit: James Assinder
