The Flyers followed up an emotional defeat against the Devils the night before with the chance reduce the considerable deficit on the Blaze who along with Glasgow are the two teams in their sights to overtake to secure a playoff place. Mat Robson was the Blaze starter in net who were without Archie Hazeldine, Alessio Luciani and Ivan Chukarov. The Flyers made one change from the previous night with Simon Despres coming back onto the blueline and Jonas Emmerdahl dropping out. Christian Purboo, Mason Alderson were also scratched and Garet Hunt served his final game of suspension.
Just inside the 2nd minute David Booth showed some neat stickhandling to burst his way through the slot and force Michael Pelech into a hooking penalty to send the visitors onto the first powerplay of the game. The Flyers were quick to take advantage as Booth again stripped the Blaze defence for pace and went in alone on Robson to beat the keeper with a cool finish inside the post at 01:53. A shot from the high slot by Logan Neilson in the 3rd minute brought a pad save from Robson and in the 5th minute a shot from the blueline by Ben Brown was labelled for the top corner before Robson got his blocker on it. It was a bright start for the visitors and the Blaze had their first shot on goal in the 6th minute when Colton Saucerman from the high slot forced Owen to blocker the puck away. In the 7th minute Anton Karlsson was called for a high stick to send the Blaze on the powerplay. Elijiah Barriga tried to go short side but Owen was alert and Justin Ducharme had a big shot block in the slot as the Flyers completed the kill. David Clements was denied by Owen in the 10th minute and the Flyers went down ice with a Neilson shot resulting in a rebound that was wouldn’t fall for Milan Lucic and Robson scrambled the puck away. The Blaze were down a man after 11 minutes as Sam Ruffin went to the dressingroom and would not return. At 12.34 the Blaze levelled the contest as Clements fired a shot from the point through a crowd of players who parted and the puck found the top corner on the blocker side of Owen. Grayson Constable then found space in the slot in the 14th minute but he couldn’t hit the target with the Blaze going back on the powerplay a minute later as Keaton Jameson was called for a slash in the neutral zone. The closest the Blaze came was a one timer from Jere Vertanen that Owen smothered but just as Jameson stepped back on the ice the Blaze took the lead when Jordan Power beat Owen with a top shelf finish from below the left circles at 16:29. Booth had a deflected shot on the 17th minute that Robson had to react quickly to but at 17:19 the visitors were back on terms as Neilson fed the puck into the slot from the right wing and Jameson going to the net stuffed the puck past Robson. The Blaze were back on a powerplay before the end of the period as Josh Winquist was binned for a trip and on the delayed call Owen made a huge pad save on Connor Russell. The home side however got their noses in front before the break as a pass through the crease by Jack Hopkins was missed by everyone but William Boysen at the back door was able to convert from a sharp angle.
In the 21st minute Matthew Gleason from the circles saw his shot swallowed by Owen and a couple of minutes later Grant Mismash stickhandled his way through the Flyers defence and Owen had to be at full stretch to make a left pad save. Owen deflected a Gleason shot over the crossbar in the 24th minute before the Flyers went back on the powerplay in the 26th minute as Kim Tallberg was called for interference. Booth went to the net and he slid his shot just wide but midway through the sides were at even strength as Ian Scheid was sent to the box for a hook as a giveaway in the neutral zone presented a breakaway for the Blaze. The home side extended their lead on the 4 on 4 play as Vertanen from the right wing fired the puck into the slot area and it hit Jeremy Masella on the glove to bounce behind Owen. The Blaze returned to full strength and a short powerplay but Owen shut down Power on the short side as the Flyers completed the kill. Blaze added another at 28:45 when Vertanen on a down low play found Gleason at the back post and he was strong on his stick to knock past a helpless Owen. The visitors were at sixes and seven every time ethe Blaze entered their zone and at 31:00 the home side added another as Gleason was allowed to waltz around the slot area and his blind backhand pass found Boysen at the far post and again Owen had no chance. A heavy shot from Despres in the 33rd minute caused a rebound from Robson and he followed that up by scrambling a shot from Giordano Finoro away. A scrum ensued with Zaine McKenazie and Saucerman for Blaze and Flyers Winquist and Finoro each receiving double minors for roughing and delay of game. The Blaze were back on the penalty kill in the 34th minute as Pelech slashed the stick from Booth who had the early chance on the Flyers man advantage but again his shot was just wide. The powerplay was over after 30 seconds as Neilson got the gate for a slash as the teams skated 4 on 4 before a short powerplay for the Blaze that the Flyers killed. The Flyers conceded a 7th at 38:46 with another move that saw the Blaze go to the net and Mismash from close range converted Hopkins pass.
The Flyers brought Andy Little in in relief of Owen for the third period and within 15 seconds he was in the game making a fine save on Gleason from close range. In the 42nd minute Little dealt with a shot on a breakaway by Vertanen and moments later Robson covered up as Lucic crashed the net. In the 45th minute Despres was tripped by Tallberg to put the Flyers on the powetplay. Robson was sharp as he made saves from one timers by Johan Porsberger and Karlsson and then Booth came in one on one from the neutral zone but the Blaze keeper shut the wickets to take away the five hole as the penalty expired but Blaze were down a man again on the play as Clements was called for a slash. Karslson again had a one timer that Robson deflected high into the netting and the Blaze threatened with a shorthanded bid as Little made a save from Vertanen from the high slot as the Blaze completed the kill. In the 50th minute Litte recovered the puck in a scramble and a minute later the replacement goalie made a big pad save on a slapshot from Saucerman. The Blaze were on a powerplay again in the 53rd minute with Scheid going to the box for a hook and it was a two man advantage 24 seconds later as Andrew McLean got the gate for a cross check. The Flyers kill was strong and the three skaters even managed to conjure up a shorthand effort as Jeremy Masella got a shot in on Robson who made an easy glove save. The Flyers returned to full strength with Little denying the hattrick for Boysen. The penalty box parade finally ended in the 55th minute when Pelech was the last visitor of the night but the Flyers couldn’t get a consolation with the man advantage as Blaze ran out the clock and pushed themselves up the table and 15 points above the playoff drop zone.
Pic Credits – Coventry Blaze
Fife Flyers are next at home on Saturday 31st January when they entertain the Guildford Flames – tickets can be bought online here: Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.
