Coventry Blaze made it a five-point week and moved to within a point of the league-leading Sheffield Steelers thanks to a 3-1 win over Glasgow Clan, their second by that scoreline this season.
Captain Kim Tallberg hit the Blaze’s game-winner was was the team’s Man of the Match. “It was a really strong week for the team. Cardiff is a hard place to win which gave us a lot of confidence,” explained the Swede. We got a point in Dundee which we weren’t totally happy with, but it was good to come home with something. Then back home we executed and got what we wanted against Glasgow.”
Both teams began the game by drawing both Mat Robson an Landon Bow into good saves in close, although it was a more defensive game thereafter as caution took precedence. The Clan opened up the scoring of the game just shy of the 10-minute mark with a close range shot from Tyson McLellan hitting Robson’s net at 9:21. Alessio Luciani rang a shot off the crossbar in the closest the Blaze came to tying the game,
It took the hosts until the final five minutes of the middle period to draw level. Chase Gresock’s shot was saved by Bow but the rebound deflected straight off Jackson Cressy to bring the Blaze level at 34:05.
Period three saw the Blaze the quicker out of the blocks – 14 seconds in fact before they were ahead. Jacob Stridsberg’s shot was blocked by Simon Despres but the loose puck fell kindly to Kim Tallberg to beat Bow and put the hosts 2-1 ahead.
“Most importantly is that we win as a team, it was nice to put that one in an give us the lead but the bigger thing is we won and all of the guys are buzzing in the locker room now” added Tallberg.
Penalty killing was excellent from both teams in the third. Clan killed off over four minutes of a major on Despres that saw him ejected for Elbowing, plus an additional call Chris McKay that meant they were down to just three skates for two minutes. A pair of quick penalties on the Blaze gave Clan a 5-on-3 opportunity, but this time it was the home side’s kill that came out on top.
Bow left the net with two goals to go, but Michael Regush hit the empty net from his own zone to settle the game with 70 seconds to play.
Photo: Scott Wiggins