REPORT: Coventry Blaze 3 Glasgow Clan 2 (After Overtime)

Report by Sam Scouller; photos by Scott Wiggins

It was déjà vu for the Aspray Glasgow West sponsored Glasgow Clan as they suffered a second consecutive overtime loss to Coventry Blaze, this time at the Skydome.

Clan were edged out when the teams met at Braehead Arena on Saturday and had to contend with being second best again, although another point was added to the league tally.

Alessio Luciani got an early opportunity to put the Blaze on the boards when he found himself on a breakaway, but he couldn’t beat Clan netminder Antti Karjalainen.

Karjalainen excelled throughout the opening period in the away net as he batted away 18 shots in the first 20 minutes alone, including stopping a breakaway.

Robert Lachowicz came agonisingly close to putting Glasgow ahead later in the period when he slammed a rebound towards net, but Blaze goalie Taran Kozun managed to tip it over the bar.

Blaze fans thought Aidan Spellacy had given Coventry the lead, but realisation dawned after the puck had hit the post.

Kim Tallberg then gave up an easy chance when Ian McNulty found him free at the backdoor in front of an empty net and he fanned the shot.

Haden almost scored shorthanded at the start of the second period when the Blaze turned the puck over in their own zone and allowed the #23 in on net all alone, but Kozun gloved his shot.

Clan’s danger man was given another chance shortly after and didn’t pass up the opportunity as he rifled the puck past Kozun to give fire Glasgow in front.

McNulty quickly responded for the Blaze though as David Clements fired a shot from the face-off and Coventry’s man got enough on it to direct it past Karjalainen.

The Blaze forward nearly scored again on the following play when he got two whacks at the puck in close but he couldn’t push it over the line.

In the third period, the Blaze got off to an offensive start as Tyler Kirkup struck the bar with a close-range wrist shot before Clements tested Karjalainen with a slapshot from the blue line.

Bryce Reddick later restored the Clan lead as he finished off a silky-smooth coast-to-coast move initiated by Jake Bolton and carried up through the zones expertly by Charlie Combs.

But Coventry saw a chink of light when Kim Tallberg grabbed a deflating, equalising goal with just 90 seconds left to send to the tie to overtime.

Danny Kristo’s overtime winner two minutes into the extra period was to be Clan’s undoing as they took a second victory in the double header.