Coventry Blaze were beaten 8-3 at home by Cardiff Devils in Steve Goertzen's first game in charge of the Blaze.
The Blaze were a goal down on 2.44 through Jake Morrisette but on 11.23, Coventry levelled through Jerome Tendler on the powerplay, assisted by Craig Cescon and Ashley Tait but Cardiff led at the end of the first period when Joey Haddad scored on 17.55 with a powerplay goal.
Cardiff scored a third on 20.55 thanks to Chris Culligan finding the net before Ryan O'Marra pulled one back, assisted by Ross Venus on 26.19.
The South Wales hit the Blaze with three goals in less than two minutes when Andrew Holman scored on 27.44, Josh Batch netted on 28.48 and Joey Martin scored a sixth with a powerplay goal on 29.38.
A seventh goal for Cardiff came on 37.13 through Doug Clarkson and although Steve Chalmers scored a third for the Blaze on 54.13, assisted by Cale Tanaka and Kyle Bochek, Cardiff sent the Blaze to a heavy defeat when Brent Wilson scored goal number eight on 57.37.