Coventry Blaze beat Cardiff Devils 5-4 at the Skydome Arena on Sunday afternoon in one of the most dramatic EIHL matches of the weekend, surviving a Cardiff comeback from 0-4 down to level at 4-4 before Saucerman's unassisted empty net goal at 59:40 sealed the result — only for Estes to score a Cardiff power play goal at 59:55, 15 seconds after the empty netter, to make the final score 5-4.

Four goals for Coventry in the first period, none for Cardiff. Four goals for Cardiff in the second and third periods combined, none for Coventry. Then Saucerman. Then Estes. The Skydome had barely settled after the empty netter when Cardiff scored from the subsequent power play — but by then it was 15 seconds too late.

Mismash assisted all four of Coventry's first-period goals — a remarkable individual contribution that was central to Coventry's dominant start and is reflected in a match that felt settled long before Cardiff's second-period response.

Four goals in the first period — Cardiff's goalkeeper changed at 18:47

Coventry opened with a fight at 2:39 — Saucerman and Ferguson both receiving five-minute majors — before Constable scored at 10:05 from Mismash and Saucerman. Mosey was penalised for tripping at 12:38, and Pelech converted the resulting power play at 13:08 from Mismash and Constable to make it 2-0. Martin received two simultaneous penalties at 15:34 — holding the stick and unsportsmanlike conduct — and Pelech scored his second power play goal at 16:44 from Robbins and Mismash to make it 3-0. Power scored at 18:47 from Mismash to make it 4-0 — at which moment Cardiff changed their goalkeeper, Bowns replacing Stoever — and the first period ended 4-0.

Four goals in the first period. Mismash with four assists. Cardiff had conceded four without reply.

Cardiff score four in the second — level at 4-4 heading into the third

The second period was entirely Cardiff's. Perlini scored at 29:34 from Ferguson — Cardiff's first goal of the match — before Boysen was penalised for slashing at 30:36. MacDonald converted the resulting power play at 30:55 from Sanford and Kontos to make it 4-2. Boysen was penalised again for holding at 32:53 — giving Cardiff a second consecutive power play — but they couldn't score. Lacroix was penalised for elbowing at 39:14.

With Cardiff making every penalty count, the second period ended 2-0 to the visitors and 4-2 on aggregate.

Third period — Cardiff level, chaos in the final minute

Perlini scored his second at 47:36 from Brandt and Ferguson to pull it to 4-3. Ferguson was then penalised for tripping at 56:04. Cardiff called their timeout at 58:25 — simultaneously as Russell was penalised for slashing — giving Cardiff a power play with under two minutes remaining and the score still 4-3.

Cardiff did not immediately convert. They pulled their goalkeeper at 59:12. Saucerman scored the unassisted empty net at 59:40 to make it 5-3. Cardiff's goalkeeper came back on at 59:40 — Bowns incoming — before Cardiff's net went empty again at 59:45. Estes then scored on the power play at 59:55 from Oligny — 15 seconds after Saucerman's empty netter — to make it 5-4 as the final buzzer sounded.

Coventry held on. Four wins from four across this weekend.

Result: Coventry Blaze 5 – 4 Cardiff Devils
Coventry Blaze scorers: Constable 10:05 (A: Mismash, Saucerman) — Pelech 13:08 PP (A: Mismash, Constable) — Pelech 16:44 PP (A: Robbins, Mismash) — Power 18:47 (A: Mismash) — Saucerman 59:40 EN unassisted
Cardiff Devils scorers: Perlini 29:34 (A: Ferguson) — MacDonald 30:55 PP (A: Sanford, Kontos) — Perlini 47:36 (A: Brandt, Ferguson) — Estes 59:55 PP (A: Oligny)
Goaltenders: Mat Robson (COV) | Christian Stoever / Ben Bowns (CAR)