GAME RECAP: Glasgow Clan 3 Coventry Blaze 4 (After penalty shots)

GAME RECAP

Glasgow Clan saw their hopes of taking full points against Coventry Blaze dashed as the visitors took the victory after a tense penalty shots contest.

The game got off to a muffled start on the scoring front as neither side’s forwards could find a way to the net front for the majority of the opening period.

Cole Ully led a three-on-one odd-man-rush late in the period alongside Liam Finlay and Tyson McLellan but Blaze netminder Mat Robson was quick to cut out their cross-crease pass.

Eventually, Finlay found the breakthrough as he made a physical burst along the right-side wall through a crowd of Blaze defenceman before slicing the puck into the top corner on the powerplay.

In the second period, that low-action narrative quickly disappeared as Matt Berry doubled the Clan’s lead after Chris Martenet sauced a pass to the #14 who coolly dispatched his shot.

A boisterous Berry then snagged a second goal shortly after on the powerplay as he fizzed a shot from the slot under the glove of Robson to give Glasgow a three-goal lead.

Brandon Alderson quickly responded for Coventry by opening the scoring for the visitors before the half-way point in the game with a sharp-angle finish in close.

Chase Gresock then cut the deficit down to one for the Blaze as he sent home a first time shot all alone in front of net after a melee behind Landon Bow’s goal.

In the dying minutes of the third period, Kim Tallberg found a gap in the Clan defence though and slipped an equalising goal into the net with under 90 seconds left on the clock to force overtime.

Darien Kielb came agonisingly close to securing a win in overtime when his shot trickled just wide of the post after Robson tipped it past the target.

Clan survived a nervy penalty as Mitchell Heard was boxed for tripping before returning to action and earning a penalty shot after Zach Vinnell threw his stick in a desperate attempt to prevent the home #13 from getting a clean effort on net.

Heard lost control of the puck on the penalty shot which saw the game go to penalties, only for Coventry to take the extra point after Tallberg converted the chance to clinch the victory.

GOALS RECAP

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FACT OF THE DAY

• The last Clan game to go all the way to penalty shots at Braehead Arena was a year and a day ago when they edged Guildford Flames 3-2 after the shootout on 21st February 2024.

GALLERY

Photos by Al Goold