Frustrated Fife Flyers ended up pointless from back-to-back Elite League ice hockey jousts with Coventry Blaze.
The Kirkcaldy club, edged 1-0 at home on Saturday thanks to a Rory Rawlyk goal, were undone by two third period goals.
Battling Flyers went behind early in the final session and then lost an empty net goal in the final 20 seconds after they gambled by taking off their netminder.
Mike Egener had fired the home side ahead after four minutes only to see Jordan Fulton cancel out the advantage in the 22nd minute.
Kyle Bochek put Blaze 2-1 ahead on the power play four minutes later but Kyle Haines levelled again in the 30th minute with Fife having a man advantage.
Ben Arnt edged the Midland side ahead for a third time three minutes into the final session. And left-wing Russell Cowley, one of the club’s assistant captains, secured the points with the late goal.
Former Dundee Stars defenceman Rawlyk had broken Flyers’ hearts on Saturday but coach Todd Dutiaume vowed: “We’ll bounce back.”
The Canadian-born 30-year-old, who claimed eight goals for Dundee last season, fired home with seven minutes gone in the second period to claim the points.
And Dutiaume blamed a split second mistake as the puck was lost on Fife’s blueline as the problem.
The frustrated coach admitted: “The players are pretty down but we will bounce back, I have no doubts about this team.”
The experienced campaigner, who led his side into the final four at Nottingham for the first time last season, said: “We reacted to the puck rather than anticipating where it was going but it was a great crowd and good to see at the Fife Ice Arena.
“We didn’t give them a chance to cheer. System wise they were tight and our guys did not have a lot of room out there. A turnover on the blue line cost us a goal and the game.”
Dutiaume added: “Our three lines need to settle in but Coventry were a good example of the teams we will face.
A Kevin Saurette double for Belfast Giants, who were beaten 4-3 by Braehead Clan on Saturday, sunk Edinburgh Capitals 2-1 at Murrayfield with Greg Collins netting the consolation after 31 minutes.
Results: Edinburgh Capitals 1 Belfast Giants 2, Cardiff Devils 2 Sheffield Steelers 3, Coventry Blaze 4 Fife Flyers 2, Hull Stingrays 6 Braehead Clan 8.