Elite League: Giants make it five-in-a-row with win over Clan
- Published
Watch: Belfast Giants edge out Glasgow Clan in nine-goal thriller
Belfast Giants secured their fifth straight victory with a 6-3 win over Glasgow Clan at the SSE Arena.
Scott Conway bagged a double for the hosts with Mark Cooper, Lewis Hook, Ben Lake and Ciaran Long also on target.
Stephen McParland scored twice - one a penalty shot - for the Scots along with a Jordan Cownie strike.
The victory, in front of a season-best 6,500 crowd, sees the champions remain fourth in the Elite League with Glasgow staying firmly rooted to the bottom.
The Giants made a bright start with Jeff Baum testing Clan goaltender John Muse before Darik Angeli almost completed a mazy dribble with a goal five minutes into the contest.
Glasgow weathered that early storm and Stephen Dixon rattled the Giants post before the home side took the initiative.
Cooper finished at the far post, set up by fine approach play by David Goodwin and Conway, to give the Giants the lead heading into the first interval.
Celebration time for Scott Conway after scoring one of his two goals against Glasgow
The Clan equalised midway through the second period after McParland was hooked back by Will Cullen. The Glasgow forward got up to convert the ensuing penalty shot past Jackson Whistle.
Two penalties called against the Clan - Andrew McLean for holding and Mitch Jones for cross checking - were to prove very costly for the visitors.
Belfast's leading goalscorer Conway slammed home while the Giants were on the five-on-three power play.
Still with a man advantage, the Giants swiftly made it 3-1, carving open the beleaguered Clan defence as Hook scored with a simple finish in front of the net.
Lake then added a fourth before the second break, cleverly delaying his shot before finishing past Muse.
McParland broke free to reduce Glasgow's arrears nine minutes into the final period. Cownie then added another for 4-3 to set up a tense finish to the match.
Conway settled the home crowd's nerves with a cool finish with a little over two minutes remaining before Long's empty-netter sealed the points.