Blaze snap streak with big home win

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Coventry Blaze ran out comfortable winners over Dundee Stars on Saturday night, with a four-goal middle period doing the damage.

Dundee were the quicker starters in period one at the Skydome, and should have made more of their early pressure on the Blaze net including an early powerplay. Having not taken advantage of their chances, the visitors then watched on as David Clements, playing his 500th EIHL game, threw a shot on net that was tipped past Richard Sabol by Alessio Luciani at 8:20.

“It’s very strange, on Friday in practice I got told I need to get more pucks to the net, so we worked on that after practice with assistant coach Zach Vinnell,” revealed Clements. “I managed to see some sticks and found the lane, and it was nice to get an assist that early in the game.”

Having been somewhat hard done by to b a goal down through the opening 10 minutes, the Stars were deservedly level at 12:44 with Cole MacDonald beating Mat Robson high.

Level after the first period, it took the Blaze just 87 seconds to go back ahead in the second. A broken play saw the puck passed from Grayson Constable to Luciani in front to make it 2-1. Just over three minutes later, Nick Seitz put the Blaze 3-1 ahead when he faked to pass and instead shot past Sabol.

It got better for the hosts when Chase Gresock finished from a Michael Regush pass at 30:33 to extend the lead to 4-1, while Zach Heinz finished on a rebound from a Kim Tallberg shot with 100 seconds left in the period.

Two goals inside the final five minutes of the period settled a 7-1 win for the home side - Kim Tallberg making it 6-1 before Terrance Amorora's shot was tipped in front, likely by Nick Seitz, to round off the scoring with 2:05 to play.

“We played three really tough teams over the last week, and we have beaten them before, but I don’t think we were up to our standard against Sheffield and Belfast compared to what we have been all year. To get another win in the league puts us in good stead before Christmas,” continued Clements, who will visit Fife on Sunday with his Blaze side.

“We’ll be back on the bus around 6.30am going up to Fife so it’s all about getting fluids and rest before going again tomorrow.”