The Devils made a fast start and took the lead just 67 seconds into the game when Nolan Yaremko capitalised after Mat Robson failed to hold onto Gleason Fournier’s shot. Coventry grew into the period and levelled at 18:38, with Jordan Power firing from the point through traffic past Ben Bowns.
After a strong start to the second period, Coventry fell behind again at 37:06. The Devils, who had been denied several times by Robson, finally found a way through as Josh MacDonald’s slapshot squeezed past the Blaze netminder.
Robson kept Coventry in the game with a series of excellent saves in the third, and the Blaze were handed a major opportunity when Fournier was ejected for spearing, giving them a five-minute powerplay with under 10 minutes remaining. Cardiff’s penalty kill stood firm, however, to preserve their lead.
Coventry pulled Robson for the extra skater with 1:12 to play and called a timeout late on, but Kohen Olischefski won the final faceoff to secure the win for the Devils.
Photo: James Assinder
