Coventry Blaze edged a wild, back-and-forth game in South Wales, defeating Cardiff Devils 6–5 in regulation on Saturday night.
Tyler Barrow got in between the two Blaze defencemen and finished past Mat Robson to open the scoring with five and a half minutes played. The home side’s explosive start continued when Brett Perlini doubled the lead at 9:41 through a screen, before Brandon Estes made it three from the point at 13:51. Alessio Luciani pulled a goal back for the Blaze just 40 seconds later to keep the visitors in it.
The middle period was nothing short of chaotic. Matthew Gleason bundled the puck over the line at 27:14 when Ben Bowns thought he had it covered, though the Devils’ bench opted not to challenge the play. Sam Ruffin then levelled the game at 28:39 with a tip on a Colton Saucerman shot, but Cardiff were back ahead just 32 seconds later — Barrow again finding space behind the Blaze defence to make it 4–3 at 29:11.
Coventry thought they’d tied things again at 33:14, but this time the Devils challenged for goaltender interference — and won — with contact made on Bowns before the shot. However, just six seconds after the restart, Jack Hopkins did equalise for real, redirecting an Ivan Chukarov point shot to make it 4–4.
Saucerman fired the Blaze into the lead only 44 seconds into period three, prompting a goaltending change for Cardiff as Christian Stoever replaced Bowns. The Devils responded strongly and levelled through Sam Duggan, who converted Mark Richardson’s feed in front with 16 and a half minutes to play.
With ten goals scored in just over 43 minutes, overtime seemed unlikely — and it didn’t come to that. Cole Sanford took a tripping minor with 5:55 left, and on the resulting powerplay Grant Mismash tipped Saucerman’s shot past Stoever to put the Blaze back ahead. Coventry survived a late penalty on Kim Tallberg as the Devils came within inches of equalising, but the puck rolled just wide and the visitors held on for a memorable win.
Photo: James Assinder
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