Giants too strong for Blaze

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants won the first of two meetings against the Coventry Blaze with a comfortable 6-1 victory on Saturday night.

The Giants took complete control of the fixture with three goals in the opening period. Slater Doggett got the home side rolling with a nice fake and shot just 4:12 into things, and it got worse for the Blaze when they allowed Jordan Boucher to deke his way past CJ Motte shorthanded at 8:38.

Mark Cooper made it three with 63 seconds left in the period as he converted from close range off a perfect pass from Doggett, who won the puck on the blue line to start the Giants' rush.

JJ Piccinich scored the Giants' second shorty of the game 9:26 into period two thanks to an inch-perfect feed from Scott Conway, while Evan Bloodoff got the Blaze on the board just over three minutes before the middle period was out.

Mark Cooper hit both of the Giants' goals in period three to complete a hat trick, and deliver the Giants an emphatic 6-1 victory.