Elite League: Coventry Blaze 6-1 Belfast Giants

An under-strength Giants proved no match for Coventry Blaze in Sunday's game

Under-strength Belfast Giants found Coventry Blaze too hot to handle as the home side clinched a thumping 6-1 Elite League win on Sunday.

Coventry were 2-0 up inside 38 seconds with Marc-Olivier Vallerand netting both goals.

Brendan Connolly replied for the Giants before the end of the first period but a Jordan Pietrus goal after the restart restored Coventry's two-goal advantage.

Ross Venus, Garrett Ladd and Gaelan Patterson added final-period goals.

Belfast were without injured injured Dustin Johner, Stephen Murphy and Jim Vandermeer while Jonathan Ferland was missing because of suspension.

Vallerand netted after after only 16 seconds and repeated the dose 22 seconds later after being set up by Brett Robinson.

As the Giants regrouped, Mark Garside and Sebastien Sylvestre went close before Connolly netted in the 15th minute after a sweeping move.

Vallerand turned provider to set up Pietrus' goal early in the second period and as the short-benched Giants tired, Venus and Ladd increased their lead to 5-1 in the closing period before Patterson's late goal.

With the Giants having secured two weekend points as a result of the 5-3 away win over Cardiff on Saturday, they now lie fourth in the table - four points behind leaders Manchester Storm.