Elite League: Belfast Giants beat Fife Flyers in penalty shootout

The Belfast Giants moved into second place in the Elite League table after taking a maximum two points in a 3-2 win over the Fife Flyers following a penalty shootout in Kirkcaldy.

Belfast twice came from behind to level thanks to goals from David Goodwin and Slater Doggett.

Overtime didn't produce a goal before successful penalties from Scott Conway and Goodwin helped Belfast triumph.

The Giants now trail leaders Sheffield Steelers by three points.

After a scoreless first period, the Flyers broke the deadlock three minutes into the second - Canadian defenceman Kyle Thacker beating Belfast netminder Jackson Whistle with a shot from the left circle.

The Giants responded with an equaliser five minutes later, Goodwin converting a power play opportunity from an astute pass from Mark Cooper after Fife's James Isaacs was called for holding.

But the period ended with penalties mounting for the Giants, as Conway sat out two minutes for tripping, followed by Ben Lake on a Delay of Game call.

The Flyers exploited the five-on-three advantage within a minute of the restart, Chris Lawrence jabbing the puck home from the crease for the home side's second goal of the evening.

Chasing an equaliser in the final minutes of the game, leading scorer JJ Piccinich rattled the pipes before the Giants were afforded a man advantage with just over two minutes remaining after Lawrence was penalised for hooking.

Doggett grabbed the Giants' second equaliser with little over a minute remaining to force the match into sudden death overtime.

After overtime failed to produced a winner, both sides could only score one of their first four penalty attempts, Conway for the Giants and Matthew Carter for the Flyers.

Goodwin then converted the fifth for Belfast before Whistle's save to deny Tommi Jokinen secured the visitors a vital two points.

The Giants move above Cardiff after the Devils' earlier 4-1 defeat by Nottingham Panthers.

In addition to their three-point advantage, leaders Sheffield have also played two games fewer than the Giants.