Coventry Blaze collected a hard-fought 2-1 away win at Planet Ice Altrincham on Friday evening, ending a run of four straight defeats with a performance that required real resilience in the final ten minutes as Manchester Storm pressed for an equaliser they ultimately couldn't find.
The result ends a difficult week for Coventry — who were beaten 6-1 at Nottingham on Sunday — on a much better note, while Manchester's wait for a second league win continues. The Storm have now lost three of their last four, with two of those defeats coming in overtime.
Constable breaks the deadlock
The first period and most of the second passed without a goal, with neither side finding a way through despite a succession of penalties. Brandon Cutler was penalised for holding at 29:15, William Boysen for high sticking at 27:14, and David Clements for interference at 40:48 as both sides spent time killing penalties — but none of the power plays converted.
Grayson Constable finally broke the deadlock at 22:53 in the second period, Kim Tallberg assisting, to give Coventry the lead heading into the final twenty minutes.
Nick Welsh was penalised for roughing at 42:49 to open the third period, and Matthew Gleason made Coventry's power play count at 44:34 from Alessio Luciani's assist to make it 2-0. It looked like that might be enough to settle the match comfortably.
Manchester had other ideas. Harrison Caines pulled one back at 47:37 from J.D. Dudek and Welsh, and the Storm began to push hard for an equaliser. Tyler Hinam's tripping penalty at 48:59 briefly halted momentum, but after killing the box the home side resumed their search for a second goal.
At 52:49, Storm called their timeout with just over seven minutes left and Coventry's Connor Russell in the box for a delay of game penalty — but couldn't convert the power play chance. The home side were then awarded what looked to be an equaliser around 54 minutes, only for Coventry to challenge it successfully on review, the officials ruling goaltender interference. No goal.
Storm pushed on. At 58:34 they pulled DeRidder for an extra skater, then brought him back at 58:37 in a rapid tactical shift before going to the empty net again at 58:55 — but Coventry held firm, and the final buzzer confirmed the 2-1 scoreline.
Elijiah Barriga's late slashing penalty at 56:11 and Michael Pelech's at 51:31 had also tested Manchester's power play in the closing stages, though neither produced a goal. Mat Robson in the Coventry net was solid throughout; DeRidder worked hard for Storm but couldn't prevent the loss.
A win Coventry needed
For a Coventry side that came into the weekend with just one win in their last six, this is a significant result. The discipline to hold a two-goal lead, successfully challenge a disallowed goal, and see out a determined late push from the home side shows a resilience that had been absent in recent weeks.
For Manchester, the performance showed character — particularly Caines' goal and the sustained third-period pressure — but the coach's challenge going against them and an inability to convert their late power plays ultimately cost them the points.