Belfast Giant suffer fourth straight defeat as Cardiff earn 5-3 win

Chris Higgins scored twice but his goals couldn't prevent another Belfast defeat

Belfast Giants suffered a fourth straight Elite League defeat as leaders Cardiff Devils earned a 5-3 win in Saturday's game in Wales.

Chris Higgins gave Belfast an early lead but strikes from Ryan Russell, Carl Hudson and Joey Martin put Cardiff 3-1 up after the first period.

Goals from Higgins and Mike Wilson levelled proceedings before Chris Culligan restored Cardiff's advantage.

Guillaume Doucet's late empty-net goal ensured Cardiff's victory.

The result rounded off another miserable weekend for the Giants after Friday's 4-2 defeat by Nottingham Panthers.

The two weekend defeats leave Belfast a distant nine points behind the Devils although Derrick Walser's side do have two games in hand on the leaders.

However, the Giants have now dropped to fifth in the table and their title hopes are beginning to look remote.

Giants bosses have reacted to the slump by signing forward David Rutherford from Edinburgh Capitals and he is set to make his debut in Wednesday's Challenge Cup game in Manchester.

Belfast will next be in league back at home to Coventry on Friday night.