Elite League: Belfast Giants beat Fife Flyers 4-1 at SSE Arena to close on leaders

The Belfast Giants moved to within three points of the Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils at the top of the Elite League with a 4-1 win over the Fife Flyers at the SSE Arena.

It was a ninth straight victory for the Giants with goals from David Goodwin, Ben Lake, Lewis Hook and Slater Doggett.

The Giants took a while to get going but two strikes before the end of the first period set them on their way.

Carson Stadnyk scored for the visitors.

The sizzling hot play of the top line continued when JJ Piccinich and Scott Conway combined to find Goodwin, all alone cruising through the slot, and the captain slipped the puck between the pads of Flyers netminder Shane Owen to open the scoring.

The second goal came on the powerplay when Lake's shot from the right circle beat Owen at his near post.

It didn't take long for the home side to move further ahead at the start of the middle period when Griffin Reinhart's shot was deflected in by Hook.

Fife got on the board when they capitalised on a scramble in front of Jackson Whistle's goal and Stadnyk slammed a loose puck into the roof of the net.

While dominating the final period it took almost eight minutes for the Giants to extend their lead when Doggett skated straight down centre ice and using a Fife defenceman as a screen, fired a wrist shot beyond Owen.

The two sides will meet again on Saturday night in Kirkcaldy.