Elite League: Cardiff Devils defeat Belfast Giants despite Piccinich's double
- Published
JJ Piccinich scored twice but the Giants fell to defeat in Cardiff
The Cardiff Devils beat the Belfast Giants at home for the second time this season with a 4-2 victory.
The Devils efficiently exploited their power play opportunities as two goals from Brandon McNally, one from Brodie Reid and a late empty-netter from Trevor Cox secured the win.
In-form forward JJ Piccinich scored both the Giants' goals.
The Giants are fourth in the Elite League table, three points behind the Devils in third.
Adam Keefe's side took the lead in Cardiff late in the first period with Piccinich's first score, on the power play, firing high into the net after the Devils' McNally had been called for holding.
However that lead lasted less than a minute as Reid then equalised, another power play goal, to ensure the sides entered the first intermission level at one-all.
Cardiff then went ahead with four minutes remaining in the second period, taking advantage of another power play after Belfast's Jeff Baum was sitting out two minutes for hooking. McNally tucked the puck home past Giants netminder Tyler Beskorowany after being fed a pass from fellow forward Justin Crandall.
The Giants hit the bar through Baum in the third period before Piccinich battled hard to grab his second goal of the night to level the game with eight minutes to play.
However, the forward was called for interference two minutes later and, yet again, Cardiff made their one-man advantage count, re-taking the lead through McNally.
With Beskorowany pulled in the final two minutes, the Devils completed their four-two win with an empty-net goal by Cox.
Elsewhere, the Nottingham Panthers' 5-4 overtime win away to the Sheffield Steelers in their Challenge Cup group clash, ensured that Belfast will enter the quarter-finals of that competition as the number one seed.