Flames edge through in low-scoring affair

Photo: John Uwins

Guildford Flames moved level with Coventry in second, beating the Blaze 2-1 in an excellent game at the Spectrum on Saturday night.

Fans at the spectrum had to wait a long time to see an opening goal between the teams who headed into the game in third and second respectively. The Blaze had the best chances in the opening period, a Brett Ferguson drop pass in his own zone backfiring but Jake Kupsky bailing his captain out to keep the game level. Indeed, Kupsky was the difference between the sides in the opening period as the visitors were unlucky not to be ahead.

If Coventry were stronger in the first, Guildford were certainly busier in the second. Amorosa got in a mix-up with Robson, but thankfully for the visitors the netminder was able to get a glove on the puck before the on-rushing Flames forward.

Robson made an excellent right-pad save off Jacome in the final minute of the second period to keep things scoreless through 40 minutes.

Ultimately it took a goaltending error to lead to the game’s first goal. Robson mishandled the puck behind the net and put the puck on the stick of Daniel Tedesco, and the Flames forward fed captain Ferguson in front to slot into the unguarded net 3:20 into period three.

Kupsky made a decent save off an Archie Hazeldine shot but Jackson Cressy saw the rebound fall straight to him at the side of the net to tie things up at 48:43. The shock of being back level didn't trouble the Flames - Josh Waller broke 1-on-0 and finished high into Robson's top corner to put the hosts back ahead just 24 seconds later.

"I don't think anything changed between periods, but we were confident in ourselves," said Flames Kyle Locke. "A 0-0 game going into the third period, it's fun at that point, you're playing with more on the line and guys like to show up. Credit to Coventry, they did a great job but we were able to get the two goals to secure the win."

Robson was pulled within the final 90 seconds as the Blaze pressed for an equalizer, but it was the final 15 seconds that almost saw an equalizer. Chaotic scenes in front of Kupsky’s net saw Alessio Luciani hit a post just before the buzzer as the Flames held on for the one-goal win.