Giants go top of table with win over Flames

Photo: Darren Kidd

Belfast Giants went top of the Premier Sports Elite League tale thanks to a comfortable 5-1 home win over Guildford Flames, and thanks to Dundee's shootout win in Sheffield.

As they had done 24 hours earlier, the Giants racked up a two-goal lead in the opening period to take full control of the game. JJ Piccinich beat Flames goalie Liam Hughes from a very tight angle to open the scoring at 12:48 on the powerplay, and while the Flames were much more in the period than they were on Friday night, Ben Lake doubled the hosts' advantage at 17:14.

Mark Cooper slotted home from the top of the crease on a rebound with Hughes unsure where the puck was to put the Giants three up 72 seconds into period three. Jamal Watson fired home from the point to get the Flames on the board with a powerplay goal at 38:17 to break Jackson Whistle's shutout.

Lake grabbed his second goal of the game 4:39 into period three, while Tyler Soy added the Giants' fifth inside the final ten minutes with the game's final goal. 

The Giants now lead the table by a point ahead of a crucial double home series with Sheffield next week.