Coventry started brightly, dominating possession through an early powerplay and keeping Manchester in their own zone for much of the opening minutes. Despite the pressure, it was the Storm who struck first during the course of the game, as Rais Francis scored his first ever professional goal with a clean shot straight from the face-off.
“It’s just the result of hard work over the years and everything that led up to that moment,” Francis said. “I grew up watching this competition and it was a very special moment for me. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given here in Manchester. My teammates have been incredible in encouraging and helping me since I came here.”
Fueled by the rookie’s milestone, Manchester built on their momentum and capitalized on a Blaze turnover shortly after. JD Dudek slid the puck through Dershahn Stewart’s legs to double the lead, before Brandon Cutler added a third with just over a second left in the period, sending Storm firmly in control heading into halftime.
The middle frame was more physical than clinical, with both teams throwing their weight behind the scenes. Manchester’s Loren Ulett went close with a smart effort between the legs, while Coventry had a dangerous battle in front of goal which they were unable to convert. The only goal of the period came from Gary Haden, the league’s October Warrior of the Month, who fired onto the ball to give Storm a commanding four-goal lead heading into the final twenty minutes.
Francis continued to impress with his energy and physical play, earning Man of the Match honors in his first EIHL season. “It was great,” he said. “Coach Critchlow has been working a lot with me and the other guys. It’s my first year in the league after spending a long time in North America, and this was one of those nights where it all came together. My hard work is paying off, and I’m just trying to use that to get more minutes and continue to improve the lineup.”
However, Coventry refused to go quietly and showed character in the closing stages. Sam Ruffin broke the shutout with 4:51 left, and just 13 seconds later Matthew Gleason converted on the power play to make it 4-2. The Blaze piled on the pressure in the final minutes but could not force a third, and Manchester held on to take both points.
Blaze defender David Clements reflected on a night full of missed opportunities: “I thought even our first period wasn’t really a 3-0 game. We competed and had plenty of chances, but we made three little mistakes and they all ended up in the back of the net. Sometimes you get away with it, sometimes you don’t, not tonight. It’s always a tough climb back into this building, but I thought we showed a lot of heart and character over the last period to keep pushing.”
Photo: Mark Ferris
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