Challenge Cup: Belfast Giants round off group stage with 4-1 victory over Fife Flyers

Mark Cooper hit the fourth goal for the Giants

The Belfast Giants rounded off the Challenge Cup group stage with a 4-1 win over the Fife Flyers at the SSE Arena.

Goals by Scott Conway, Lewis Hook, Jourdan Boucher and Mark Cooper gave them their second win of the weekend.

The Giants went into the match already assured of a place in the quarter-finals but still provided the home crowd with plenty of entertainment.

The victory follows the Giants' 5-0 win over Nottingham Panthers on Friday.

It took a while for the Giants to find their feet after returning home from that Elite League win at Nottingham, but two quick goals in the last four minutes of the first period set them on their way.

Conway continued his hot scoring streak to start the new season by opening the Giants' account while Hook deflected in Mark Garside's shot to make it 2-0.

Hook missed a penalty shot in the second period but his team-mates added two further goals when Boucher scored on the powerplay and Cooper was on the doorstep to knock the puck home from close range.

The only blemish for the Giants was a goal for Fife halfway through the final period when James Anderson's back-hand shot beat goalie Jackson Whistle.

With a last-eight place secured for later in the season, the Giants' attentions will turn to a first meeting of the year with the early Elite League pacesetters on Saturday night when they travel to take on Sheffield Steelers.