BLAZE head coach Danny Stewart says the defensive solidity of his side played a huge role in a four-point weekend after wins over Manchester Storm and Fife Flyers.
Fifth-placed Coventry claimed a 5-2 win away to the rock-bottom Flyers in Saturday’s encounter at Fife Ice Arena, before comfortably seeing off Manchester Storm 4-0 at the Skydome Arena on Sunday night.
Stewart felt his side did well to recover from the lengthy excursion to the East of Scotland, and heaped praise on his troops for the way in which they navigated the Storm.
“I am really happy, it was a tricky weekend making the journey up to Fife and getting back at five in the morning, but I was really pleased with the performance.
“For the most part we limited their [Manchester Storm] chances and our powerplay and penalty-kill were good – which was probably the difference this weekend.”
C.J Motte was the standout performer in the second game of the weekend, keeping out 31 shots for a deserved clean sheet in front of the Coventry faithful.
The hosts were off to a fast start and took the lead four minutes and 37 seconds into the game when Matt Pohlkamp fired into the net during a powerplay.
It was followed by Evan Bloodoff’s well-struck effort at the beginning of the second period (22.39), leaving Manchester goalkeeper Matt Ginn with no chance.
Justin Hache joined in the party on 35.54, followed by Elite League top scorer Luke Ferrara’s strike to wrap up victory at 42.30.
It took Coventry all of three minutes and seven seconds to take the lead in Saturday’s away day, courtesy of Charles Corcoran. Ferrara then notched minutes later (7.09) to double the Blaze advantage.
Fife pulled a goal back when Paul Crowder got the best of Motte (13.26), though the two-goal cushion was restored when Ferrara swept home during a powerplay at the start of the second period (22.40).
Again, the Flyers came back and reduced the deficit back to one when Mike Cazzola rippled the net with a sweetly-struck effort (23.31).
But the Blaze reassumed control after Dillon Eichstadt scored at 27.37 to knock the wind out of Fife’s sails.
The scoring was completed in the dying seconds when Hache beat Flyers netminder Adam Morrison a final time to seal the points at 59.31.
Coventry host Guildford Flames, who are sixth, in their sole fixture of the week on Friday night (7.30pm).
