Blaze and Giants locked at one each after first leg

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Coventry Blaze and Belfast Giants put on a cracker of a Challenge Cup Quarter-Final first leg on Wednesday night at the Skydome, which will see a 'winner takes all' return leg in Belfast next week.

Tyler Kirkup could have put the home side ahead early on a 3-on-2 rush but couldn't beat Tyler Beskorowany. With 10:55 played, Ara Nazarian's pass out of his own end was intercepted by Kim Tallberg on the blue line, and the Swede needed only a couple of steps before firing past Beskorowany to put the home side ahead.

The sides continued to be well-matched in period two with chances at both ends in what was a tight and intense game, but with very few penalties. As the period ticked down, Taran Kozun made an excellent pad save sliding across his crease to deny Quinn Preston at the far post and keep his side ahead heading into the final 20 minutes.

The Giants' pressure told early in period three, however. While killing off a Daniel Tedesco penalty, the visitors broke forward 2-on-1 but Matt McLeod chose to shoot himself and beat Kozun high to tie the game - the goal being scored even-handed as the penalty had expired by the time the shot was taken.

There were chances for each team, including a couple of scrambles in front of Beskorowany, but the deadlock wasn't to be broken.

This Quarter-Final series will now come down to the second leg on 20 December in Belfast - whoever wins advances, it's as simple as that.