The first meeting of the two sides since that infamous bench clearance, saw all the goals come in the final period and it was Dan Carlson who fired Coventry ahead on 46.48 with a short handed goal.
Neilson levelled for Nottingham on 53.23 but the Panthers struck again through Heerema on 54.33 and Clarke, who scored an empty net goal with seventeen seconds of the match remaining to send The Blaze to defeat.
The Blaze are away to Belfast Giants on Friday and Saturday night before taking on Hull Stingrays at home on Sunday.