Jets beaten by Blaze

This weekend saw the Jets travel to the Coventry Skydome for the first time to face the high flying Coventry Blaze ENL side. Three weeks earlier Blaze soundly beat the Jets 8-2 at Hull Arena, with only 11 skaters making the trip to Coventry the Jets faced a daunting task.

First Period
The opening period saw the Jets get off to the worst possible start, conceding within the first 17 seconds of the period through a Lukas Szabo goal. The Jets terrible start was further compounded when Tom Ledgard doubled the Blaze lead just 7 seconds later, leaving the Jets trailing 2-0 after just 24 seconds.

Blaze extended their lead to three half way through the first period with Joe Henry adding the Blaze third goal at 10.13. Jets already short bench then received a blow then Jamie Cobley was assessed a 5+game penalty for an accidental high stick at 10.30.

Many at this point expected the game to resemble a cricket score come the 60 minute mark, however in true Jets fashion the team gave its all and battled on regardless. Three minutes before the end of the period Jets persistence paid off with Ben Lowe reducing the deficit assisted by Matty Jeffcock at 17.20.

Period shots: Blaze 15 Jets 10
Penalty Mins: Blaze 4 Jets 27

Second Period
The second period saw just two penalties assessed and as such end to end hockey ensued as the Jets searched for another goal. Dan Sayer finally beating Hartley at 34.31 to bring the Jets within one goal, while at the other end of the ice Karl Holmes kept the Jets in it turning away 21 shots in the period.

Period shots: Blaze 21 Jets 11
Penalty Mins: Blaze 2 Jets 2

Third Period
After 24 seconds of the opening period not many people would of expected the third period to start with the Jets just one goal behind. However Andy Daintith’s team have proved in the past they never quit and came out looking to take the game to the Blaze in the third.

Both sides had chances at each end before Joe Henry took a 2 minute minor for high sticking at 53.38 and Jets looked to add the game tying goal. However Tom Ledgard had other ideas extending the Blaze lead short-handed at 53.57.

Andy Daintith called a time out in an effort to rally his troops however a further two Blaze goals followed from Henry (55.54) and Szabo (56.46) as the Jets short bench began to run out of steam.

James Maughan added a late consolation for the Jets (57.59) assisted by Matty Jeffcock and almost completed a Gordie Howe hat trick in the dying seconds when a scuffle broke out between Jones and McWilliams from the Blaze and Cooper and Maughan from the Jets.

Period shots: Blaze 15 Jets 10
Penalty Mins: Blaze 42 Jets 20

Post Game
Andy Daintith: “We were missing a lot of guys today through work commitments and injuries, losing Jamie (Cobley) early on left us with just ten skaters however the lads came here and battled throughout causing the Blaze problems. Coming into the third period a goal behind we were looking to take something from the game, in the end though our tired legs caught up with us.”

Notes
Images used in this article were kindly supplied by Mark Tredgold. Please visit his site: http://www.tredders.com for more images.