Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey Club were beaten 5-1 by Nottingham Panthers tonight at the Sky Dome.
Needing a result to try and make the play-offs, The Blaze got off to the worst possible start when David Beaugard opened the scoring with an even handed goal on 3.38.
A second followed on 5.58 through Jeff Hereema and fifty six seconds later, David Clarke added a third.
The Blaze fans were fuming and a fourth goal by Stephen Lee on 13.27 did little to calm the supporters.
Luke Fulghum pulled one back on 37.26, assisted by Brad Zanon and Greg Chambers, just before Matt Soderstrom incurred seventeen penalty minutes for Roughing, Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Fighting with Rob Bellamy who received seven minutes.
With two minutes remaining, Nottingham hit a fifth when Jeff Hereema banged in his second goal of the night.
On Saturday night, the Blaze take on Nottingham again, this time away and on Sunday they face Braehead Clan at the Sky Dome.