COVENTRY Blaze were left stunned by Cardiff Devils before slipping to a home defeat against league leaders Sheffield Steelers.
Blaze were on course for an impressive victory against Cardiff at the Vindico Arena only for the Devils to score four goals in the final 15 minutes as Coventry suffered a 5-3 defeat.
And Blaze then lost 6-3 on home ice at the Skydome Arena against Sheffield as the Steelers scored two late goals to take the game away from Coventry.
The results mean Blaze sit fifth in the Elite League table.
Against Cardiff, Coventry made the perfect start as Blake Thompson opened the scoring with just 49 seconds on the clock.
And Blaze doubled their lead at 7.40 when captain Ian McNulty diverted Kobe Roth’s shot into the net to give Coventry a two-goal lead at the end of the first period.
Cardiff reduced the deficit at 25.11 through Cole Sanford only for Blaze to restore their two-goal cushion eight seconds into the third period when JD Dudek struck.
However, the Devils showed their class in the final 15 minutes of the game as Ryan Barrow’s redirect at 45.40 and Tyler Busch’s goal at 48.57 drew Cardiff level.
And veteran Joey Martin completed the turnaround at 57.28 after Coventry spurned a third powerplay opportunity.
Blaze pulled netminder and former Devil Taran Kozun in search of an equaliser only for Cardiff to seal the win when Sanford finished into an empty net at the death.
Against the Steelers, Coventry broke the deadlock at 1.23 as Danny Kristo deflected Thompson’s shot past Matthew Greenfield.
However, Sheffield equalised at 6.17 when Mitchell Balmas pounced to turn a loose puck past Nolan Kent in the Blaze goal.
And the Steelers turned the game on its head at 8.33 as former Coventry forward Marco Vallerand redirected Balmas’s pass into the net.
Sheffield extended their lead at 18.17 through defenceman Kevin Tansey before Blaze hit back when Roth struck at 21.39 in the second period.
However, Steelers defenceman Colton Saucerman registered the eventual game-winning goal at 36.52 to restore the away side’s two-goal advantage.
Blaze kept themselves in the contest through McNulty’s strike at 49.01 only for Tansey to score his second of the game at 54.45 on the powerplay.
The home side pulled replacement keeper Kozun for the extra skater late on and had a six-on-four chance following a Vallerand penalty but were unable to make the most of the opportunity.
However, Sheffield secured the points at 59.55 when Patrick Watling completed the scoring with an empty net goal.
Coventry are next in action at home to Glasgow Clan on Wednesday, February 14 with the face-off at 7.30pm at the Skydome.
The reverse fixture in Glasgow takes place on Friday, February 16 with the face-off at 7.30pm at Braehead Arena.
