Blaze send Cup Group A down to the wire

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Coventry Blaze ensured that the final two games in Challenge Cup Group A will stay live fixtures with an important 6-4 win over Manchester Storm at the Skydome.

The Blaze's win puts them third in the group and sets up a crunch encounter with Cardiff Devils on 11 December for a place in the next round. The result of that will also affect who out of the Devils or Panthers needs a result on 22 December in the final game of the Group Stage.

"It was a good team win for us tonight," . "It was nice to get off to a hot start and it was a win we needed in the Challenge Cup" said Chase Gresock, who scored two on the night for the Blaze who found themselves 4-2 down in the second period. "We take pride in knowing that no matter the score, we can come back and win a hockey game."

75 seconds into the game the Blaze were ahead through Chase Gresock's shot into the top corner of Evan Weninger's net. A Loren Ulett powerplay goal tied things up at 4:14, but the Blaze led again at 6:28 thanks to Gresock's second of the game.

Storm scored three goals in under four second-period minutes to seemingly take control of things, but somehow still ended the period behind. Grant Hebert had the puck bounce off him and into the net at 22:46, some 20 seconds after Mat Robson had come up with a huge glove save to keep the Blaze ahead.

Joe Morrow then put the visitors ahead at 24:07, while Craig Martin hit the roof of Robson's net at 26:13 to make it 4-2.

Zach Heintz pulled one back for the Blaze with a powerplay goal at 27:41, and the home side were level at 32:33 thanks to Mike Regush. They then went back into the lead with Heintz's second of the night at 34:05, some eight minutes after finding themselves two behind. 

Jackson Creesey converted 5-on-4 with 11:53 left on the click in the final period to put the Blaze into a two-goal lead that they'd hold onto until the final buzzer.