by Jordan A Jones
CARDIFF Devils progressed to the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup after defeating Coventry Blaze 3-2 on penalties at the Viola Arena.
Andrew Lord’s side battled back from a three-goal deficit to knock out Coventry and claim their first win in three after back-to-back Cup defeats to Guildford Flames.
Andrew Johnston and Evan Bloodoff scored for Blaze in quick succession in the first quarter before Matt Pohlkamp scored on a power play.
Joey Haddad and Michael McNamee reduced the deficit for the Devils in the second before Bryce Reddick levelled things up. Stephen Dixon then cancelled out one-time Devils player Luke Ferrara’s effort to send the game to overtime.
Charles Corcoran missed the decisive penalty as McMonagle scored twice to secure victory for the hosts.
Coventry Blaze opened the scoring through Evan Bloodoff in the first quarter. The forward came in from the right to cut in and shoot past Bowns.
The visitors doubled their lead almost immediately after the restart. A lapse in concentration from the Devils defence allowed Andrew Johnston a free reign at goal, duly delivering past Ben Bowns.
Blaze furthered their lead as they made the most of the powerplay after the Devils’ Masi Marjamäki was sin-binned for interference. Matt Pohlkamp touching it in after turning it in from original shot.
The Devils pulled one back through Joey Haddad in the seventh minute of the second quarter. Sean Bentivoglio laid it off for Haddad to power past the flat-footed Jamie Phillips.
The Devils were disallowed a goal as Blair Riley touched in Sean McMonagle’s shot but a player was in the crease. The decision incensing the home crowd and Devils head coach Andrew Lord.
Chances were becoming a minimum for Blaze as Devils continued to pile on the pressure and eventually they buckled. Mike McNamee after two bites of the cherry scored on his third opportunity as the second quarter drew to a close.
The second quarter proved to be the Devils most attacking period as they scored twice, Blaze’s Ross Venus was sin-binned for raising his stick. Bowns did well to deny Johnston a second goal with the Devils under the cosh.
They withstood that barrage of Blaze attacks to complete an impressive comeback. The Devils went from defence to attack before Bryce Reddick bided his time to score.
The Devils’ tried to build on their equaliser and almost took the lead through the first time as the puck struck the post from Martin’s shot. Blaze were pushed in from the barrage of Devil attacks.
Bowns was untested until a shot from Johnny Curran had to be blocked away, but he was unable to keep out a further effort. Luke Ferrera scoring against the run of play as he snuck the Blaze ahead from a Johnston assist.
With less than two minutes remaining, Stephen Dixon equalised for the Devils after an assist from Matias Sointu to the delight of the passionate home crowd.
Devils’ Bowns denied Ross Venus in the dying sends to send the game into overtime. A goalmouth scramble almost resulted in a Devils win but Joey Martin was agonisingly denied.
Neither side could win in overtime and with nerves coming into overtime and both keepers in inspired form, it was a sudden death penalty shootout to decide the fixture.
Sean McMonagle and Blair Riley gave the Devils a two-goal lead in the shootout but Bloodoff and Johnston levelled up the penalties, but after McMonagle scored his second, Corcoran was superbly denied by Bowns to secure a much-needed victory for the Devils.