Captain Brady Norrish scored Genting Casino Coventry Blaze’s winner in overtime for the second successive game in a 3-2 road victory over Guildford Flames on Wednesday night.
The Flames came into the league fixture looking to move up to second place after losing just once in their last seven games.
Blaze, meanwhile, had their sights set on fifth place after coming from 3-0 down on home ice to beat Fife Flyers in overtime on Sunday.
Defenceman James Shearer gave Blaze a lead at the Spectrum, finding space and time to pick his spot through traffic for 0-1 at 10.18.
Three minutes later the Flames levelled the game when American Matt Tugnutt scored his third in seven games since joining from the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays.
The home side then went ahead at 14.28 when creative forward Matt Alvaro tipped a Kyle Locke shot past Taran Kozun to make it 2-1.
Tugnutt was called for tripping late in the first period, which gave Blaze a second powerplay chance which they were unable to convert.
The same penalty was called on both Danny Kristo and David Clements in the opening ten minutes of the second period, putting Coventry’s strong penalty kill and Kozun to work to keep the deficit at one on the half-way mark.
Blaze again got on the man advantage to end the second period, but the Flames were able to kill the minor penalty for a third time to take a one goal lead to the locker room after 40 minutes of play.
Shortly after Coventry couldn’t find the equaliser on their fourth powerplay, Canadian forward Mitch Cook stepped up again to score his second in as many games to make it 2-2.
Guildford’s penalty troubles continued late into the game as Bradley Lalonde was called for tripping in the final five minutes and them Steven McParland for boarding on the final hooter of regulation time.
After Norrish finally made Blaze’s man advantage pay for the game winner at 61.24 both McParland and Alvaro were given game misconduct penalties for abuse of official.
Photo credit: John Uwins
