Elite League: Belfast Giants earn 12th straight win by thumping Manchester Storm 6-1

Ben Lake netted twice for Belfast Giants as they recorded a dominant win in Manchester

Belfast Giants maintained their Elite League title challenge as a thumping 6-1 win at Manchester Storm secured their 12th successive victory.

Ben Lake and Jordan Boucher both netted two goals for the in-form Giants.

Lake's two goals came either side of Zack Sullivan's Manchester equaliser but the Giants were in control after Scott Conway and JJ Piccinich strikes.

Boucher hit his two goals in the final period as Belfast's win saw them remain three points behind leaders Sheffield.

The Steelers now lead Cardiff Devils by two points at the top of the table - and have four games in hand on the Welsh side - with the Giants in third place having played the same amount of fixtures as Sheffield.

Lake gave Belfast an early lead but sixth-placed Storm were on terms in the fourth minute as Sullivan levelled and 1-1 remained the scoreline at the end of the first period.

However, the Giants regained the lead within 11 seconds of the restart as Lake netted his second goal.

Conway extended Belfast's lead on 31.19 with Piccinich adding a fourth goal five minutes later.

Leading 4-1 heading into the final period, Boucher's two strikes rounded off a thoroughly satisfactory evening for Adam Keefe's side, who secured a 1-0 home win over Cardiff on Friday evening.

The battle for the Elite League title looks a three-horse race with fourth-place Nottingham Panthers some 10 points behind the Giants having also played 23 games.