23 Mar 2024, 19:00 | Regular season | Altrincham Ice Dome |
Manchester Storm | 2-1 SO | Coventry Blaze |
Periods: Shots: | 1-0 (13-3) | 0-1 (5-12) | 0-0 (12-15) | 0-0 (5-6) | Total: 35-36 |
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Referees: Dalton/Neenan  |  Spectators: 2157 |
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Goals and assists
Manchester Storm's retro night was an enthralling game for the 1,941
fans in Altrincham, who saw just two goals across 65 minutes of hockey,
before the hosts beat Coventry Blaze in a shootout.
The only goal
of the opening period came quickly at the Storm Shelter. Just 26 seconds
into the game, Joe Morrow's shot from the point went all the way
through, off the iron-work, to put Manchester ahead. That turned out to
be enough to have Storm ahead by the intermission, although the Blaze
did well to prevent a second after Taran Kozun lost an edge - the
visitors' getting bodies in front of the net to prevent a puck getting
through.
There was only one goal in period two as well, and again
it came early. 3:56 had been played in the second when Danny Kristo
pulled a neat move to beat Evan Weninger high and tie the game. Coventry
had the better of the chances over the period, but it ended with the
teams all square.
Period three was no less tight than the two that
had proceeded it, and both sides taking a point with the game game
heading into overtime felt like a fair result. Both teams had late
powerplays to try and win the game without success, although the Blaze's
carried into overtime giving them 81 seconds of 4-on-3 to get the extra
point. No goals in bonus hockey saw the game decided in a shootout.
Tyler
Hinam scored as his stick snapped on the shot to put Storm ahead in
round three, but it took until Johnny Curran shooting in the final round
to level the scores for the Blaze. In sudden death, Zack Phillips beat
Kozun while JD Dudek couldn't get past Weninger for Manchester to take
the win.