Elite League: Giants beat Blaze to claim first win of 2021-22 season

Scott Conway was in inspired form for the Giants

Scott Conway hit a hat-trick as Belfast Giants notched their first points of the new Elite League with an exciting 5-3 victory away to Coventry Blaze.

The Giants took the lead courtesy of Kevin Raine's goal midway through the first period.

Coventry responded at the start of the second period but the Giants prevailed thanks to forward Conway.

The win came after the Belfast side lost their season opener to Cardiff Devils on Saturday.

Defenceman Raine fired the Giants ahead when he blasted the puck in from distance before Curran's equaliser.

Conway re-established the Giants' lead, scoring a goal from the slot with six minutes left in the middle period only for Blaze to level things up a second time, as Curran scored his second of the night.

The game swung back Belfast's way in the third period with Conway grabbing his second goal of the evening from close range for 3-2.

A dogged Coventry equalised for a third time in the game through Evan Bloodoff, only for Conway to complete his hat-trick with four minutes remaining, tipping Raine's pass into the net past Blaze netminder CJ Motte.

Raine then completed the scoring with an empty netter in the dying seconds of the contest to secure the Giants a 5-3 win on the road and their first league win of the campaign.