Elite League: Giant beat Stars to go four clear at top

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JJ Piccinich celebrates scoring against Dundee in Saturday's league gameImage source, Press Eye
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JJ Piccinich celebrates scoring against Dundee in Saturday's league game

The Belfast Giants have opened up a four-point lead at the top of the Elite League after a 4-1 win over Dundee Stars at the SSE Arena.

JJ Piccinich's double and goals from Jordan Boucher and Mark Cooper secured the vital victory.

Sebastian Bengtsson scored the Stars' only goal on Saturday evening.

Second-placed Sheffield Steelers lost 3-0 away to Nottingham Panthers in what could prove to be a crucial weekend in the title race.

The Giants were two goals up inside the first five minutes - Boucher opened the scoring, pouncing on a rebound after Stars' netminder Brython Preece blocked out a shot from Lewis Hook.

The hosts doubled their advantage with a power play goal after Dundee's Kalvis Ozols was called for tripping. Cooper was fed at the back post by David Goodwin and blasted the puck home.

Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,

Tyler Soy on the attack for Belfast Giants in the SSE Arena win over the Scots

Five minutes before the first interval it was 3-0 as Piccinich broke clear up the ice and finished neatly past Preece.

The Giants had a golden chance to extend their lead further after the break, going on a five-on-three power play after Philippe Sanche was called for goalkeeper interference and was joined by team-mate Gabriel Desjardins for abuse of the officials.

But the Stars held out and would go on to score the only goal of the middle period as Bengtsson shot past Tyler Beskorowany with just under three minutes to go until the second break.

Piccinich got his second of the night early in the third period, breaking down the right wing, cutting in and firing high past Preece's stick side as the Giants maintained control in the contest.

Belfast now travel to Manchester Storm on Sunday with that four-point cushion although they have played one more game more than the Steelers. The two sides will still meet three times before the end of the season.

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