Coventry Blaze 5, Cardiff Devils 7

Layne Ulmer led Cardiff Devils to a dramatic away win against Coventry Blaze.

Elite League leaders Devils had top scorer Joey Martin thrown out on a checking to the head call, a penalty which led to Blaze scoring twice, but they held on to collect the points.

Belfast Giants are now one point behind Devils in the table, but the team from Northern Ireland have played two more matches.

Sheffield Steelers – who the Devils face at home on Sunday night – suffered another blow when they went down 3-2 in overtime against Braehead Clan in Glasgow.

Player-coach Andrew Lord returned to the line-up for the first time in a month with David Brine ruled out by injury, while Patrick Bordeleau was back after serving a one-match suspension last weekend.

After five minutes the score was 2-2, Ulmer and Lord hitting the target for Devils and that’s how the first period ended, but there were five more goals in the second.

Martin gave the Devils a 3-2 lead one minute into the period and Ulmer completed his hat-trick, netting on the powerplay after 26 minutes 43 seconds before Matthew Myers made the pass of the night.

He picked out Ulmer, who had an easy tap-in at 29-07 to put Devils 5-2 ahead.

It was then referee Stefan Hogarth made a decision which changed the game after 32 minutes when Blaze forward Ross Venus attempted a hit on Martin, who bumped him back.

It looked an insignificant moment, but Hogarth stopped play and Martin was thrown out on a five minute major penalty for checking to the head.

Blaze scored two goals during their five-minute powerplay, one during a 5v3 spell, with Shawn Boutin (35-14) and Marc Cantin (36-50) the scorers.

Captain Jake Morissette scored from Bordeleau’s perfect pass to give Devils a 6-4 lead, but Blaze hit back again on another 5v3 powerplay when Brett Robinson fired home.

Blaze pressed hard in their bid to level the scores, but Devils scored the last goal of the game when Morissette fed the puck to Scott Hotham, who hammered it past Brian Stewart to make it 7-5 for the Devils at 56-44.

Ulmer scored three goals, while linemate Sean Bentivoglio had three assists in a hard-earned victory.

Devils play Sheffield Steelers at home on Sunday in front on a 3,000-plus capacity attendance at Ice Arena Wales (6pm).

Match stats:

Scorers, Blaze:T Syner 1+0, A Tait 1+1, M Cantin 1+0, B Robinson 1+1, S Boutin 1+0, R Venus 0+1, L Stewart 0+2, R Bergman 0+1.

Devils: L Ulmer 3+0, J Martin 1+1, S Hotham 1+0, A Lord 1+1, J Morissette 1+2, M Myers 0+1, G Fournier 0+1, A Hotham 0+2, G Doucet 0+1.

Period scores (Blaze first): 2-2; 2-3 (4-5); 1-2 (5-7).

Shots on goal: Blaze 14+10+8=32; Devils 14+10+15=39.

Powerplays: Blaze 3/5; Devils 2/7.

Referee: Stefan Hogarth.

Attendance: 2,631.

Men of the match: Blaze, S Bowtin; Devils, L Ulmer.