Powerplay goals can’t save Blaze

THREE powerplay goals were not enough to save the Coventry Blaze from a 5-3 defeat by the Sheffield Steelers in a top-of-the-table Elite Series clash on Tuesday night.

After Tanner Eberle was called for cross-checking on Luke Ferrara after just 51 seconds, the Blaze took the lead with a powerplay goal from Tristan Keck in front who fired home his series leading tenth goal at 2.12.

The Steelers came back strongly, applying a lot of offensive pressure, and found themselves on a powerplay taking advantage of the fiveon-three with Brendan Connolly scoring at 9.50.

The second period saw Sheffield continue to dominate possession and their pressure finally paid off when a shot from Kevin Schulze was deflected past netminder Shane Owen and into the net by Matthew Myers at 32.18. And just over 90 seconds later Sheffield went 3-1 in front when Connolly picked up the puck after Nicolai Bryhnisveen lost an edge and fired high past Owen at 33.49.

The Blaze began the third period on a five-on-three powerplay and made the two-man advantage count almost immediately when Janne Laakkonen squeezed the puck past the netminder at 40.23.

Coventry then had a golden opportunity to draw level when they got a full two-minute fiveon-three powerplay, after Connolly and Robert Dowd were called for penalties, but they couldn’t find a way past Curtis Warburton.

Sheffield increased their lead when Connolly broke away and found Liam Kirk for a delayed penalty goal at 47.24 and, despite Owen’s best efforts, made it 5-2 when Dowd fired home at 51.49.

With Connolly back in the penalty box, the Blaze scored their third powerplay goal of the night when Keck picked up a rebound off Warburton from a shot from Laakkonen and scored his 11th goal of the series at 58.16.

Coventry then pulled Owen for the extra skater but struggled as the Steelers picked up two points to remain top of the Elite Series table.

Blaze and Steelers meet again tonight in the Elite Series at 7pm.