Elite League: Belfast Giants hammer Sheffield Steelers in top-of-the-table clash

The Giants opened the gap at the top to four points

The Belfast Giants convincingly won the first of five showdowns over the next five weeks with the Sheffield Steelers that are likely to decide the Elite League champions.

In the eagerly-anticipated match-up the Giants comfortably skated to a 5-1 victory and opened the gap at the top of the standings to four points with 12 games remaining.

Mark Cooper scored twice with the Giants' top line of David Goodwin, Scott Conway and JJ Piccinich helping themselves to a goal each.

The two sides hadn't met since the start of November and had matched each other win-for-win since turning the title race into a two-horse race.

It was a play-off atmosphere inside the SSE Arena before the puck drop and, cheered on by a raucous home crowd, the Giants built a 3-0 lead after the first period.

It was a tense start to the game as the home side failed to capitalise on an early powerplay and Steelers' Justin Hodgman blazed wide with a point blank opportunity.

As the period wore on the Giants exerted control and just before the halfway point they took the lead. Piccinich dropped the puck to Goodwin and his effort from the left circle went through the wickets of Steelers goalie Rok Stojanovic and trickled over the line.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 after pressure in the Steelers' zone resulted in a shot from Sam Ruopp which was deflected in by Cooper.

On a late powerplay Goodwin fed the puck to Cooper and his one-timer found the back of the net to complete their dream start to the game.

Penalties would allow the Steelers to get on the board, two in quick succession called on the Giants, and with the two-man advantage Robert Dowd beat Tyler Beskorowany. It almost got worse on a Giants powerplay when after a giveaway Griffin Reinhart was adjudged to have held Marc-Olivier Vallerand in the process of shooting, giving the Steelers forward a penalty shot.

Vallerand missed, the Giants survived and the rest of the period played out without incident.

The next goal would be critical and it went the Giants' way early in the final period. A bouncing puck went off the knee of Nico Feldner straight into the path of Conway who tucked it beautifully under Stojanovic.

It was the top line again that put the game beyond Sheffield when Conway forced the turnover and found Piccinich and his shot was perfectly placed into the corner of the net.

The title contenders meet again on Saturday night with the Giants looking for another two points and a little more breathing space at the top.