Coventry Blaze coach Chuck Weber said that his side did not have enough energy as they went down to a 7-2 defeat at Cardiff Devils on Boxing Day.
"I thought it came down to momentum plays," Weber told the Blaze website.
"They scored on the first shift through a mistake but we pulled it back a couple of times and had a bunch of powerplays in the second which was the turning point.
"We did not have enough energy on them to capitalise, their goalie made a big save and then they go down and make it 3-2 from another mistake.
"It quickly became 4-2 and we started to chase the game and we are not a good team chasing. We will need to win our one-one-one battles at home and be a little more direct."