SUNDAY’S 3-1 comeback win over the Cardiff Devils has kept Coventry Blaze’s EIHL Challenge Cup hopes alive.
Three goals in the final period of the game were enough to win the contest, after Blaze had trailed to an early goal in the second period, in a result that helped atone for a disappointing 4-2 defeat away to Guildford Flames the previous night.
Cardiff skipper Joey Martin was the man to finally break the deadlock after a quiet opening, striking on 23.08, before the Devils twice had goals disallowed at 30.23 and 30.53 to hold a narrow advantage going into the final 20 minutes.
The hosts found a leveller through Janne Laakonen’s (45.04) breakaway goal, which was almost ruled out instantly when Devils found the back of the Blaze net, only to be denied once again by the officials.
With seconds remaining on the clock, Charles Corcoran sent the Skydome into raptures with the game winner at 59.19, following which the Devils threw netminder Thomas Murdy forward.
After retaining the puck from a Cardiff attack, Justin Hamonic (59.37) then fired the puck home from long range to confirm the two points.
The previous night, Owen Griffiths’ (7.55) strike was cancelled out by Corcoran (23.17) early in the second period, before Hamonic (31.18) put the visitors in front.
But that was as good as it got for Blaze, as Cam Braes (39.30), Griffiths (45.30) and Brett Ferguson (59.44) secured the points for Guildford.
Blaze visit Manchester Storm on Saturday (7pm) before hosting Cardiff Devils on Sunday (5.30pm) in an Elite Ice Hockey League double header.
