The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze collected two points from their 2024/25 Elite League opener with a 4-2 victory over Glasgow Clan at Skydome Arena on Sunday.
Blaze welcomed back British defenceman Archie Hazeldine into the line-up after injury ruled him out of the pre-season campaign.
Canadian Mat Robson started in net and he and his countryman Landon Bow at the other end were kept busy during the opening twenty minutes.
Despite both teams enjoying plentiful time on the powerplay, neither were to be beaten.
Robson pulled off a stunning save at 26.28 before Blaze went on to score the opening goal through Canadian centreman Mike Regush.
Chase Gresock’s drop pass set up Grayson Constable, who charged up the ice. Regush then capitalised on his effort to beat his defender to the net, converting the cross-ice pass into the goal.
The Blaze extended their lead 2 minutes and 30 seconds later. Alexander Kuqali made a smart clearance to Jackson Cressey, who broke in on a shorthanded two-on-one. Cressey’s pass was expertly finished by Nick Seitz at the back post for his first professional goal.
With Deven Sideroff in the penalty box for a high-sticking double minor which required Kuqali to receive medical attention, Alessio Luciani showed remarkable patience to fire in a third for Coventry on the resulting powerplay at 48.49.
A couple of minutes later, Glasgow got on the board when Cole Ully went one-on-one with Robson, and he beat the Blaze’s man of the match to make the score 3-1.
At 57:41, Luciani received a game misconduct penalty for spearing. With the Clan pulling goalie Bow to create a two-man advantage, they capitalised on the opportunity. Sideroff was the scorer, with an assist going to Mitchell Heard, narrowing the deficit to one goal.
With the major penalty to Luciani continuing, Clan again pulled their goalie in attempt to find a dramatic equaliser.
Instead, with 31 seconds remaining British defenceman David Clements, celebrated the beginning of his Testimonial season by firing the puck the full length of the ice and into the empty net for a final score of 4-2.
Photo credit: Scott Wiggins
