The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze were edged out 4-5 in an offensive firefight by the Dundee Stars at the Skydome Arena on Saturday.
The Stars opened the scoring at 5.34, with Matt Berry firing a shot through traffic on their hot powerplay to beat Dershahn Stewart in the Blaze net.
Blaze responded well, and defenceman Jere Vertanen’s first goal of the regular season levelled the game at 11.53. His low drive from the blue line eluded Dundee goalie Emil Kruse, with assists to David Clements and Kim Tallberg.
A fight broke out between Blaze’s Mack Stewart and Dundee’s Yamamoto at 12.16 before the scoring resumed.
The Stars regained the lead at 13.08 when Ben Almquist pounced on a loose puck in front and finished clinically – again on the powerplay – to make it 1-2.
Coventry then used their own powerplay to tie the game once more, with Vertanen blasting home his second of the night from an Ivan Chukarov feed at 17.35, with Mike Pelech also assisting.
The only goal of the second period arrived at 37.03, Jonathan McBean giving Dundee a 2-3 advantage against the run of play.
Blaze tied it again just 1.04 into the third period, using the powerplay for a third time. Matthew Gleason continued his impressive scoring form, tipping home a Grant Mismash shot to make it 3-3.
But the Stars hit back only 36 seconds later, taking a fourth lead through Otto Nieminen, who buried a rebound from a Griffin Luce effort.
Elijiah Barriga came agonisingly close to equalising for Coventry, but his effort with 14 minutes remaining rang off the pipes behind Kruse.
Dundee grabbed what proved to be the game-winner at 49.26 – Berry’s second of the night – when he put home a rebound for 3-5.
Blaze refused to go away, and Gleason cut the deficit to one at 52.15, battling in front to poke the puck home for his second of the game.
Despite continued pressure, Coventry couldn’t find the leveller, and the Stars held firm to take home the two points.
Photo credit: Scott Wiggins
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