COVENTRY Blaze responded to defeat on the road at Manchester Storm with a home win against Fife Flyers.
Blaze lost 4-2 against Manchester at Planet Ice Altrincham as the visitors threatened a late comeback in vain.
However, Coventry recovered to win 4-1 against Fife at the Skydome Arena as Blaze won back-to-back league games at home for the first time this season.
The results mean Blaze sit seventh in the Elite League standings.
Coventry’s struggles on the road continued in Manchester as Blaze head coach Kevin Moore opted to start Dershahn Stewart in net in place of Mat Robson.
And British forward Rais Francis put the home side ahead at 6.26 to open his professional account with a shot straight from the face-off.
Francis then teed up former Blaze forward JD Dudek who doubled Manchester’s lead at 10.26 as Blaze faced an early two-goal deficit.
Storm struck again with just two seconds remaining in the first period when Brandon Cutler found the net to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb.
Manchester all but sealed the points at 29.16 as Gary Haden added a fourth goal for the home side on the powerplay.
Storm almost made it five in the third period as Manchester hit the post following consecutive powerplay opportunities.
Blaze eventually troubled the scoreboard at 55.09 when Sam Ruffin fired home on the powerplay after good work from Connor Russell and Grant Mismash.
And Coventry struck again just 15 seconds later as Matthew Gleason capitalised on a powerplay rebound to further reduce the deficit.
The visitors hit the crossbar as they pressed hard in the closing minutes as Manchester held on to claim the points.
Coventry responded to the defeat with a comfortable win against bottom club Fife on home ice.
The game kicked-off following a poignant Remembrance ceremony, observed impeccably by the Coventry crowd in a moment of reflection and respect.
Stewart remained between the poles for Blaze and the Canadian made a number of early saves to keep Fife at bay.
However, Blaze broke the deadlock against the run of play at 6.36 when Gleason won and converted a penalty shot.
Coventry doubled their lead less than a minute later at 7.15 as William Boysen pounced on a loose puck after a Fife defenceman failed to control a cross-ice feed from Russell.
The home side almost struck again in the first period only for Elijiah Barriga to rattle the underside of the crossbar.
Fife threatened to respond early in the second period when Giordano Finoro broke clear as Stewart produced a fine save.
And Blaze’s defence stood firm to kill a Fife powerplay just past the half-hour mark after Russell was called for roughing.
Fife wasted another powerplay chance soon after with Mike Pelech penalised for cross-checking and Blaze punished the visitors on the counter attack.
Just 20 seconds into the powerplay, Ruffin broke down the wing on a two-on-one with Gleason and opted to shoot and finish past Christian Purboo in the Flyers net.
Purboo denied Mismash on a breakaway early in the third period before Stewart made another stunning save to keep out Garrett Hunt’s effort at the back post.
Finoro eventually found a way past Stewart at 47.50 before Mismash sealed the points for Blaze at 52.30 with a penalty shot.
Coventry are next in action against Nottingham Panthers on Saturday, November 15 with the face-off at 7pm at the Skydome.
Blaze then travel to Glasgow Clan on Sunday, November 16 with the face-off at 4pm at Braehead Arena.
