Flames stay clear at top

Photo: John Uwins

Guildford Flames continued to stay clear at the top of the Viaplay Elite League standings with a 2-1 home win over Belfast Giants at the Spectrum, their third straight win over Adam Keefe's men this season.

There were no goals in the opening period where the Giants edged the shot count 6-5, but with the only powerplay of the period were unable to beat the league's best penalty kill. 

The visitors started period two the better team with some good chances in and around Eamon McAdam, but it was the hosts who would eventually break the deadlock. Good work from Bradley Lalonde kept the Flames in puck possession, and he fed Alex Yuill for the one-time finish at 34:19.

Colby McAuley had the Giants' best chance to level the scores in the opening five minutes of period three but a crowd of bodies and McAdam prevented the puck going over the line. The xFlames doubled their lead with with 11:55 left in the period - Brett Ferguson found Ben O'Connor on the other side of the zone, and the defenseman faked before feeding Ryan Tait for the finish at the top of the crease. 

Down by two, the Giants generated a lot of offensive zone pressure to try to find a way back into the game. McAuley had another excellent chance to get them on the board but McAdam again came up big. Eventually, the visitors' pressure told and a Darik Angeli one-timer from the slot halved the deficit at 57:51. Despite some further, late pressure, the Giants were unable to tie things up and the Flames held on for their fifth straight win.