The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze continued their scorching start to 2026 with an impressive 2-5 victory over Glasgow Clan at Braehead Arena on Friday night.
Coventry wasted no time in taking control, opening the scoring just eight seconds into the game. Elijah Barriga won possession straight off the centre-ice faceoff and quickly fed William Boysen, who thundered a slap shot home from the right side to stun the home crowd and give the Blaze an early lead.
Glasgow responded strongly in the second period, flipping the game on its head with two quick-fire goals. Former Blaze forward Alex Forbes tied the contest at 23.11, batting the puck out of mid-air past Mat Robson, before Brett Neumann finished on the rush at 27.49 to put the Clan 2-1 ahead.
That momentum, however, was short-lived. Back-to-back penalties to Daniel Tedesco proved costly, as Coventry’s power play struck twice in quick succession. Jere Vertanen levelled the game with a point shot at 32.15 before Grant Mismash redirected another effort just 94 seconds later to restore the Blaze lead at 33.49.
Coventry then delivered a decisive blow moments later. Colton Saucerman sprung Grayson Constable on a breakaway at 34:27, and the forward made no mistake, picking his spot with a clinical snipe to make it 2-4 just two minutes after the Blaze had been trailing.
The Clan pushed hard in the third period in search of a way back, but Blaze netminder Mat Robson was in inspired form. The goaltender turned aside 37 shots, posting a superb 94.87 save percentage to keep Glasgow at bay.
Blaze captain Kim Tallberg put the result beyond doubt at 52.03, unleashing a blistering blue-line shot into the top corner to seal the 2-5 win and send the visitors back to the West Midlands with a deserved two points.
The defeat continues a difficult run for the Clan, who now have just one win from their last nine games. For Coventry, the victory extends an excellent spell of form, with 14 points taken from a possible 16, and lifts them above Glasgow in the standings.
Photo credit: Al Goold
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