Coventry Blaze 4 Dundee Stars 3 (after OT)
Blaze completed a 4-point weekend but were made to battle all the way by a Stars side given little chance before the off with only a David Phillips strike in overtime claiming the extra point for the home side, who had to come back from an earlier 3-1 deficit.
Bus legs clearly had no effect on the Scots side as John Dolan fired them into the lead after only 1.29 and it got better for Dan Ceman’s men at 10.34 when Jeff Hutchins was on hand to make it 2-0. Blaze did respond before the opening period break however and at 16.38 Ross Venus pulled his side back into the game.
Stars regrouped in the second period to frustrate the home side while at the other end Dolan nabbed his second of the night at 33.33 to shoot his side 3-1 ahead – this being the only counter of the period.
A big Blaze response was required and indeed it came. The shots were 19 to 7 in the period and it took the hosts only 32 seconds to reduce the leeway as Luke Fulghum fired home. Stars continued to hold on but fell foul of a 5 on 3 Blaze powerplay opportunity which saw Owen Fussey tie the game at three at 50.10.
No further scoring in regulation time but overtime saw the Blaze comeback complete as Phillips struck with the game winner at 61.09.
Period Scores: 1-2, 0-1, 2-0, 1-0
Penalty Mins: Cov 4 – Dun 16
Powerplay: Cov 1/8 – Dun 0/2
Shots On: Peter Hirsch 31 / Chris Whitley 47
Referee: Tom Darnell
