Coventry Blaze took it 3-1 over Manchester Storm in regulation, and they did it by winning the last two periods outright. After trading goals early, the Blaze scored the only tally of the second and the only tally of the third.
The opening period finished 1-1, with both sides trading strikes before the first intermission. Coventry edged ahead 2-1 in the middle frame and that single-goal cushion held until they closed it out 3-1 with the only goal of the third — the Storm never found the equalizer after the first period.
The number that defines it: 2-0 across the final two periods. Coventry's shutout of the scoresheet after the opening frame did the work, with Manchester held to one goal across 60 minutes.