A very smart road performance from Coventry Blaze, well backstopped by Robson, saw them take two points back down the M6 with a 2–1 victory.

Two of the league’s premier goaltenders were evidently dialled in from the puck drop, turning away all attacking efforts with ease in a goalless opening period, as a packed Storm Shelter was made to wait unusually long for the game’s opener.

The second period started in a similar vein, with DeRidder making a remarkable stop on Constable inside the first thirty seconds. The American shot-stopper extended his leg to repel the low effort from just outside the blue paint, leaving the Blaze forward evidently dismayed. The Blaze man did find a way to solve the DeRidder puzzle moments later, though, as Constable smartly disguised the pass on a 2-on-1 breakaway before finishing low between the pads of the Storm netminder.

The visitors could have quickly doubled their advantage when Luciani found himself bearing down on goal, but a good blocker save by DeRidder kept his side in the contest. A smattering of minor penalties for each side followed later in the period, with neither attacking unit evidently firing on all cylinders.

The final twenty presented the Storm with an early power-play chance that saw them come close, with a long-range effort from Welsh ringing off the iron in the 43rd minute. That missed opportunity came back to haunt the hosts when Gleason scored on the man advantage in the 45th minute of play. The Blaze maintained the zone well before an excellent seam pass from Luciani found Gleason with ample time to pick his spot from the slot.

A sustained phase of possession then saw Dudek set free Caines, who raced in and finished neatly between the wickets of Robson to halve the deficit with more than ten minutes remaining in regulation. A brief 5-on-3 chance for the Storm soon followed, but a solid penalty-killing effort from the Blaze — quickly becoming the story of the night — denied the hosts once more.

Manchester did think they had drawn level shortly afterwards, only for it to be wiped out after a video review for goaltender interference, denying both Ulett and the Storm a leveller. Another fruitless power play came and went for the hosts as both units looked out of sorts throughout the evening.

The netminder was eventually pulled in one final throw of the dice by Critchlow, and it nearly paid dividends, with Ergang somehow denied by a sprawling Robson with less than five seconds remaining on the clock, ensuring it was the Blaze who took the victory on this occasion.

Words by: Callum Schora