Giants complete eight-point week

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants completed an excellent week with their fourth win out of four to take the maximum eight points that put them at the top of the Viaplay Elite League.

The hosts had the better of period one and were deservedly ahead early on. With 8:32 on the clock, Matt McLeod swatted the puck home after the Panthers couldn't clear a loose puck on a rebound in front of Peyton Jones. The visitors' best chance to level came with 8:55 to play but Niko Lahtinen missed the puck with a gaping net in front of him.

The Panthers were very much in the game in period two and were unlucky not to level the scores. Tyler Beskorowany made two excellent saves the keep the out, the best of which came off a drop pass to Fabrizio Ricci from point-blank range.

Nottingham started period three well but missed chances came back to haunt them when Henrik Eriksson beat Jones short side with a laser 4:04 into the third. David Goodwin made it 3-0 90 seconds later to give the Giants an extra cushion, the Stephen Anderson's powerplay goal scored 6-on-4 got the Panthers on the board. 

Steven Owre pulled a lovely drag on Jones to make it 4-1 with 3:36 to go before the floodgates opened in Belfast for the second time this weekend. Lewis Hook and McLeod both added late goals to make a final scoreline of 6-1, perhaps an unfair reflection on the game overall.