The DPD Coventry Blaze added two crucial points to their Challenge Cup tally, defeating the Sheffield Steelers 4-2 at Skydome Arena on Sunday. Sisu Heikkeri got the start in net for Coventry and was again outstanding, turning away 34 of Sheffield’s 36 shots, while Brit Lucas Brine started between the pipes for Sheffield in place of American Matthew Greenfield. Playing their only game of the weekend, Coventry raced into a four-goal lead before Sheffield could respond. Ryan Richardson opened the scoring at 1:53, finishing from a pass behind the net from Jack Hopkins. Brett Perlini then doubled the Blaze lead on the powerplay at 17:54, finishing off a passing move at the back post from Matthew Gleason and Marko Csollák. Coventry continued to pull away early in the second period. Jaxson Ezman made it 3-0 at 21:18 when a loose puck rolled to him in front, before Man of the Match Artem Buzoverya added a fourth at 23:39, beating Brine on a breakaway with a backhand finish over the glove. Sheffield finally responded at 28:23. Mitchell Balmas held onto the puck before firing home to get the Steelers on the board and reduce the deficit to three. The visitors added a second at 53:23, shortly after having a powerplay, as Robert Dowd snapped a shot upstairs to make it 4-2. That was as close as Sheffield got, with Coventry seeing out the remainder of the game to claim the two Challenge Cup points and avenge their 0-6 defeat to the Steelers on the opening night of the competition.