COVENTRY Blaze made the perfect start to pre-season with a 7-4 victory against NIHL champions Milton Keynes Lightning. Coventry took to the ice without captain Kim Tallberg with forward Artie Buzoverya left out as a precaution. Lightning raced into a two-goal lead as Jordan Cownie opened the scoring at 1.45 before Cownie struck again at 2.26 on the powerplay. And Blaze scored another short-handed goal at 47.14 as former Lightning forward Stewart capitalised on a loose puck to stretch Coventry’s lead. However, Blaze had the last laugh at 58.45 as Mismash punished a turnover to slide the puck into an empty net.