Jackson CresseyCOVENTRY Blaze romped to a 5-2 Boxing Day win against Cardiff Devils before slipping to a 3-2 defeat against the same opponents in the return fixture.
Blaze produced a stylish performance to overcome the Devils on home ice at the Skydome Arena only to suffer a narrow defeat at the Vindico Arena a couple of days later.
That came after Blaze lost 5-1 against Manchester Storm and 3-2 at Guildford Flames following a shootout in their final games before Christmas.
The results mean Coventry sit third in the Elite League table, eight points behind leaders Cardiff with a game in-hand.
In front of a bumper crowd on Boxing Day, Blaze fell behind at 9.47 as Joey Martin found the net.
However, Coventry drew level at 13.40 when David Clements fired a slapshot past Mac Carruth.
And just 13 seconds into the second period, Chase Gresock put Blaze ahead.
The home side extended their lead at 32.41 as Grayson Constable turned heavy pressure into a goal.
Cardiff reduced the deficit at 45.13 as Josh MacDonald converted Martin’s wrap-around.
However, Coventry restored their two-goal lead at 51.15 when Nick Seitz pounced a rebound to score on the powerplay.
And Mike Regush scored the goal of the season contender at 54.20 as he skated from his own end, juggled and deked the puck through the Cardiff defence before finding the net.
However, Cardiff exacted revenge on Blaze two nights later in Wales as the hosts raced into a two-goal lead.
MacDonald broke the deadlock at 6.16 before Martin doubled the home side’s advantage at 8.03 to leave Blaze stunned.
Blaze halved the deficit at 21.08 courtesy of Jackson Cressey’s powerplay goal.
However, Cardiff restored their two-goal cushion at 23.30 as a turnover allowed Evan Mosey to score shorthanded.
The visitors struck with just two seconds left to play when Constable found the net as league leaders Cardiff held on to claim the points.
However, tempers boiled over at the final buzzer as chaos erupted on the ice between the two sets of players while the two benches shouted across at each other.
Coventry are next in action away at Nottingham Panthers on Tuesday, December 31 with the face-off at 4pm at Motorpoint Arena.
Blaze then host the Panthers on Wednesday, January 1 with the face-off at 6pm at the Skydome.
