Blaze stay in fifth in low-scoring win

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Coventry Blaze stayed fifth in the Premier Sports Elite League thanks to a hard-fought win against Fife Flyers on Saturday night.

Fife took a late first-period lead thanks to Matt Carter's high shot from a tight angle to somewhat shock the 1,800-strong crowd in the Skydome, giving the visitors the advantage after the opening 20 minutes. 

The Flyers, however, were their own undoing in the lead-up to the Blaze's equaliser at 28:35. Eric Naslund jumped into the play in the offensive zone to make a hit which allowed Mitch Cook and Nathanael Halbert to break on an odd-man rush, and the former set up the latter for the back-post finish to tie things up. 

3:52 into period three, John Curran shot from the point through a crowd of players which deceived Shane Owen and put the Blaze ahead for the first time on the night.

In general, the game stayed low-scoring down to Owen at one end and CJ Motte at the other who both kept their sides in their respective positions.

As the clock ticked down, Fife's lack of urgency only allowed them to get the puck deep and Owen out inside the final minute. The visitors failed to create any clear-cut chances with the extra attacker, and Coventry held on for the one-goal win.