COVENTRY Blaze will face Cardiff Devils in the Elite League play-offs after ending the regular season with successive defeats.
Blaze lost 2-1 to play-off foes Cardiff in their penultimate game of the regular season at the Vindico Arena.
And Coventry ended the regular season with a 5-4 home defeat against champions Belfast Giants at the Skydome Arena.
The defeats meant Blaze finished the campaign in seventh place with Coventry to face runners-up Cardiff in the play-off quarter-finals.
The winners of the tie will advance to the play-off finals weekend at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on April 18 and 19.
Blaze faced the Devils in what proved a dress rehearsal for the play-offs in their penultimate game of the regular season.
And the Devils stunned Blaze at 1.07 as Nolan Yaremko marked his return from injury with a goal.
Blaze netminder Mat Robson then produced two fine saves to keep the visitors in the contest which included a stretch stop to deny Brandon Estes.
Coventry spurned a glorious chance to draw level at the end of the first period following a two-on-one opportunity.
However, Blaze did equalise at 18.38 when Jordan Power jumped up from defence to beat Ben Bowns with a quick wrist shot.
Robson kept the scores level midway through the second period with a stunning glove save to deny Evan Mosey with the latter wide open in the slot.
However, Cardiff reclaimed the lead on the powerplay at 37.06 when Josh MacDonald found the net after the Devils spurned an earlier penalty.
Coventry killed another Devils penalty early in the third period and had a chance of their own to equalise but could not capitalise on the opportunity.
Robson made another double save in the closing minutes to finish with an impressive rate of 42 saves from 44 shots.
The Devils had Gleason Fournier ejected following an extended review for a spearing incident on Blaze’s Matthew Gleason.
The offence handed Blaze a five-minute powerplay with 9.27 left on the clock with Coventry unable to find an equaliser despite sustained pressure and with Robson pulled for an extra skater.
Coventry ended the regular season with a narrow defeat against champions Belfast despite a spirited performance from Kevin Moore’s side.
Blaze’s Artie Buzoverya was called for high-sticking at 2.04 and the Giants capitalised 45 seconds later on the powerplay as Scott Conway opened the scoring.
And Belfast doubled their lead at 13.03 when Ben Lake produced a neat finish after the visitors killed a penalty.
Coventry responded at 16.54 as Alessio Luciani rifled home from a tight angle to halve the deficit.
However, the Giants restored their two-goal cushion at 23.10 when Nicolas Guay found the net.
Blaze had a goal ruled out for offside late in the second period as Adam Robbins saw his smart finish chalked off.
However, Coventry did manage a goal at 36.26 when Gleason converted on the rebound from Luciani’s initial effort.
The Giants struck again just 58 seconds into the third period as Jordan Kawaguchi put Belfast into a two-goal lead.
Blaze refused to go away as Grant Mismash scored against his former club at 49.13 to keep the home side in the contest.
However, Conway’s second goal of the game at 52.20 put Belfast back in command with the goal awarded following a lengthy video review for a potential kicking motion.
Blaze struck again at 57.25 as Power scored a goal on the powerplay with Belfast’s Twarynski called for slashing.
However, Coventry could not find a leveller in the remaining minutes despite pulling Robson for an extra skater.
Coventry host Cardiff in the first leg of the play-offs on Saturday, April 11 with the face-off at 7pm at the Skydome.
Blaze then travel to the Devils on Sunday, April 12 with the face-off at 5pm at the Vindico Arena.
