The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze hit the Guildford Flames for six to collect a valuable two points in the Challenge Cup at Skydome Arena on Sunday.
After being beaten 5-0 in Cardiff on Friday, Blaze bounced back with a 6-1 victory over the Flames with Brit Nathan Ripley scoring a first professional hat-trick.
Ripley’s first came at 7.41 when he intercepted a Flames defenceman’s pass from behind his own net and shot past Eamon McAdam for 1-0.
Guildford’s Man of the Match Ryan Tait levelled the scoring at 12.52 but that was as good as it got for the visitors as the Blaze went on to score five unanswered.
Former Flames forward Ian McNulty gave Blaze a 2-1 lead on 13.44 blasting home Brady Norrish’s feed on the powerplay which was ultimately the game-winning-goal.
Ripley’s second came on 22.01 and just over a minute later Cole Donhauser registered his first professional goal to make it 4-1 at 23.11.
Donhauser then had the primary assist on Ripley’s hat-trick goal at 25.48 and Alessio Luciani was also awarded a well-deserved helper.
Blaze Captain Norrish scored a fifth unanswered at 38.20 with Coventry’s second powerplay marker, with assists again going to Donhauser and Luciani.
Tempers flared in a third period which saw Blaze’s British pair Jack Hopkins and Archie Hazeldine drop the gloves with Flames’ Anthony Petruzzelli and Matt Alvaro respectively.
No further goals were scored, though, as Coventry held on to a convincing win.
Photo credit: Scott Wiggins
After four games in the Challenge Cup group, the Cardiff Devils hold top spot with six points, Blaze are second with four and Flames bottom with two.
