Leicester had Aussie defender Patrick Kisnorbo dismissed in the second half but managed to see out the game for a well-earned point.
Leicester went ahead with their first meaningful attack of the game.
Iain Hume delivered a cross at the second time of asking and as Coventry scrambled to clear, young Richard Stearman got to ball ahead of Marcus Hall and rattled a shot past Marton Fulop.
It was just the start the game needed and Coventry reacted immediately. Barely two minutes later James Scowcroft played a hopeful pass forward.
It all looked fairly aimless but as the Leicester defence stood still, Stern John nipped in and managed to get there before Paul Henderson to score his ninth of the season.
The game may have had little bearing on the Championship but Midlands' pride was at stake and both sides were going in for every challenge with full intent.
Unsurprisingly Dennis Wise was the first player to be cautioned in the fifth minute but was then followed by Kisnorbo and Nils-Eric Johansson.
But while there was plenty of action, there was precious little in the way of meaningful football.
Leicester dealt well with the physical threat of Dele Adebola, while veterans Richard Shaw and Ady Williams were coping easily at the other end of the field.
Hostilities resumed after the break when Matty Fryatt was cautioned for a foul on Richard Duffy, who was later replaced with a neck injury.
Coventry tested Leicester with three corners in quick succession but Henderson coped with them well under pressure.
Kisnorbo, who had flirted with danger all afternoon, overstepped the mark when he took out Andrew Whing with a high and late challenge which saw him issued with a straight red.
Both sides made double substitutions in a bid to win the game with Micky Adams taking off leading scorer Gary McSheffrey for youngster Kevin Thornton.
Stearman proved his worth with 14 minutes remaining when he produced a superb block from John, who had brought the ball down very well inside the box.
The woodwork then came to the Leicester's rescue in the 85th minute when Wise tried his luck with an overhead kick only for the ball to hit the bar and bounce out.