Flames stay well in title race

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Guildford Flames got the win in their game in hand that they needed to cut the gap on Belfast Giants down to two points as both sides head into their final four fixtures of the season. The Flames were made to work hard for a 4-2 win in Coventry by a strong Blaze performance, especially in the opening period.

The Blaze came out excellently in period one and dominated both the possession and chances in the opening 20 minutes. They were deservedly ahead at 5:51 as Peyton Frantti unleashed a wicked wrist shot into the far corner of Eamon McAdam's net. 

The Blaze were unlucky not to be further ahead with McAdam denying them on several further occasions, although at the other end Sam Marklund somehow managed to miss from in front of the net when it looked easier to score.

Guildford needed a quick response in period two, and after a better start they got it. Just 2:34 had been played when an Ian McNulty stretch pass found Levi Cable clean through to finish over over Miklós Rajna to tie the game. Nathanael Halbert shot, off a Blaze faceoff win, through McAdam's five-hole to put Coventry back ahead at 28:39, but some six minutes later a Robert Lachowicz pass into the crease deflected off Rjana and over the goal line to level things up again. 

The Flames took their first lead of the night as no one picked up McNulty in the slot to fire home Cable's feed 2:58 into period three. Coventry were a constant threat the other way and had a couple of Colton Yellow Horn, he himself returning from injury, chances sail just wide of the post. With the clocking ticking down, Rajna was pulled and after two attempts on the empty net it was McNulty who sealed the win for the Flames.

This win means that there no is no mathematical possibility for Belfast Giants to win the league title this weekend unless the Flames drop points in their fixtures.