Elite League: Giants edge Blaze for fifth win in a row
- Published
Belfast Giants on the attack at the SkyDome Arena in Saturday night's league encounter
Belfast Giants fought back from two down to beat Coventry Blaze 3-2 and clinch their fifth straight Elite League win.
The Giants goals at the SkyDome Arena came from Lewis Hook, Sam Ruopp and Kevin Raine, all in the second period.
The hosts thought they equalised in the final seconds but the officials ruled the puck had not crossed the line.
Belfast remain second and two points behind leaders Sheffield Steelers, who also won on Saturday night.
Netminder Tyler Beskorowany was back from injury for the Giants but he conceded less than a minute into the game as the puck deflected off Blaze forward Johnny Curran and into the goal.
Coventry extended their lead on seven minutes as Finnish wing Janne Laakkonen pounced on a rebound to steer into an open net for 2-0.
Launching comeback
The Giants pulled one back midway through the second period as Hook grabbed his ninth goal in the league this season, with another rebound chance converted.
Momentum in the game then swung in the visitor's favour in dramatic fashion as Belfast scored twice in just sixteen seconds through two of their defencemen. Ruopp levelled things up after 34 minutes, firing a one-timer low into the corner of the net.
It's celebration time after the Giants find the net the Blaze in the Elite League
Just moments after the restart, Raine hit a screamer from the blue line that flew past CJ Motte in the Blaze goal to give the Giants the lead for the first time in the contest, an advantage they maintained heading into the second interval.
Tensions boiled over early in the third period as Coventry's Joey Raats and Belfast's Ciaran Long dropped the gloves and both sat out five minutes for fighting. The Giants then had to weather three penalty kills in the remainder of the game.
Coventry thought they had equalised with seven seconds to go as Curran's shot hit the bar and bounced on the goal line but the officials waved off Blaze's protests.
The Giants kept pace at the top with the Steelers, who earned a 7-3 away win over Nottingham Panthers. Belfast now return to the SSE Arena for Sunday's contest with Manchester Storm.