Giants score seven unanswered to cruise past Flyers

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants scored seven unanswered goals to come form a goal down and eventually cruise past the Fife Flyers at the SSE Arena.

Despite being outshot by the Giants 12-6 through the first period, the Flyers scored the only goal in the opening 20 minutes to lead at the first intermission. Carson Stadnyk scored the Flyers' goal with an excellent tip off Tommi Jokinen's shot with 15:22 played.

The Giants turned things around in period two with a pair of goals that the flyers would want back. First, JJ Piccinich won the foot rage to a loose puck to skate through on Shane Owen shorthanded, getting on the rebound to his own shot to level the game at 25:27. Just over three minutes later, a terrible giveaway from Kyle Thacker set up Scott Conway for an excellent short on the turn past Owen to put Belfast ahead. Owen prevented the hosts from going further ahead with an excellent low pad save.

The game turned firmly in the Giants' favour with two goals in 36 seconds at the start of period three to put them 4-1 ahead thanks to Slater Doggett and Tyler Soy, with Mark Cooper's powerplay marker at 45:43 capping an excellent three-goal spell for the hosts. Conway bagged his second of the game with just under ten minutes to play, while Cooper then secured his double on the night 4:50 from the final buzzer. 

The win keeps Belfast second in the standings, three points off leaders Sheffield.