08 Mar 2025, 19:00 | Regular season | SkyDome Arena |
Coventry Blaze | 3-4 OT | Cardiff Devils |
Periods: Shots: | 1-2 (13-9) | 0-1 (7-13) | 2-0 (8-8) | 0-1 (1-4) | Total: 29-34 |
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Referees: #3 Tom Pering,Miller  |  Spectators: 2345 |
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Goals and assists
Cardiff Devils booked their place in the playoffs, and moved four
points clear in fourth, with an overtime win in Coventry over the Blaze.
A crowd of 2,345 saw the game go beyond 60 minutes.
"It feels
good to score the winner. It’s always tought to come into Coventry but
we’re happy with the two points" said game-winner Cole Sanford after the
game. "It's important for us to find out game, especially with the Cup
Final coming up. The standings are tight and with us playing Nottingham
tomorrow we need to find a big two points."
Both sides skated well
throughout the opening 10 minutes and created some decent chances. The
scoring started at 10:19 with a Ryan Barrow goal putting the Devils
ahead.
Coventry have the league’s best powerplay and needed just 28
seconds of a Joey Martin slashing minor to level – Chase Gresock firing
home form the point at 12:49. The Devils went back ahead on a powerplay
of their own with three seconds left in the period through Kohen
Olischefski to lead 2-1 at the break.
In a second period heavy with penalties, the Devils extended
their lead at 27:06/ The Blaze thought Nick Seitz's shot had hit the
safety netting, but the Devils played to the while and broke 2-on-1 the
other way with Sam Duggan jamming the puck over the line past Robson.
That was the only goal of the middle period.
3:49 into period three, Alessio Luciani deflected David Clements'
shot past Mac Carruth to make it 2-3. The play was review for a
combination of a high stick or a kicking motion, and awarded after
checking the video. 27 seconds later, the game officials were back in
the box looking at a Michael Regush shot which appeared to hit the
crossbar. The officials came back out and awarded the goal, although the
replays shown on the game feed suggested otherwise - though with no
clear overhead angle provided by the Blaze to tell definitively. That
put things at a tied game with over 15 minutes to play, although the
league's hottest couldn't take advantage of Josh MacDonald being called
for hooking and then taking another two minutes for arguing it.
With
both sides taking a point after 60 minutes, the Blaze saw Mike Kennedy
called for slashing 2:27 into overtime. 40 seconds later, Cole Sanford
crashed a one-time through Robson to earn the Devils the extra point
which they probably deserved.