Lake hits four as Giants extend streak to eight games

Photo: Panthers Images

Belfast extended their winning streak in the league to eight straight games with a comprehensive 7-2 win against Nottingham - their second of the season.

The opening period saw six goals fly in, but the bulk on them went in the Giants' favour. The visitors flew out of the blocks and were ahead after just 25 seconds when the Panthers left David Goodwin all alone on the off side to slot past Kevin Carr. 2:23 later Conway turned provider for Scott Conway to finish in close as the Giants doubled their lead, and they then went three up when Cam Knight's blueline shot went through a screen ay 6:07.

The Panthers needed to score the next goal to stay in the game and did so through Mark Matheson firing from the blue line through a screen in front of Tyler Beskorowany at 10:50. However, just 65 seconds later Ben Lake Ben Lake tidied up in front to make it 4-1 after Griffin Reinhart's shot was blocked. Matthew Myers deflected JC Brassard's wrist shot passed Beskorowany to ensure the Panthers were only within two at the end of the first period.

Period two was littered with penalties on both teams as the Panthers looked for a way back into the game. Kevin Carr made several excellent last-ditch stops to keep the Panthers within touching distance, but after the Panthers failed to take advantage of their third powerplay of the period Ben Lake slipped a shot through Carr's five-hole while falling to the ground to make it 2-5 with 3:06 left on the period.

Lake completed his hat trick at 47:42 with a nice slap shot form the slot off Tyler Soy's feed, and then rounded off the scoring just under ten minutes later on the powerplay converting a rebound from Conway's initial shot.

The win was the Giants' third over the Panthers this season, all of which have been by five goals.

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