Summary

  • Belfast Giants 4-1 Coventry Blaze (result)

  • Jordan Kawaguchi, Mark Cooper and Mike Lee with first period goals for Giants

  • Chase Gresock pulls one back for Coventry in second period

  • Bobo Carpenter added empty-netter for Giants' fourth late on

  • Giants now unbeaten in their past six games

  1. Thanks for joining us!published at 21:11 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    FT: Belfast Giants 4-1 Coventry Blaze

    That's all from us tonight as the Giants close the gap to league leaders the Cardiff Devils to just four points with two games in hand.

    Adam Keefe's side, who are now six games unbeaten, are next in action on Saturday night when they travel to play the Fife Flyers with the two sides facing each other at the SSE Arena on Sunday night.

    Thanks for your company. Enjoy the rest of your evening!

  2. Watch: Bobo Carpenter adds a fourthpublished at 21:11 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    FT: Belfast Giants 4-1 Coventry Blaze

    Watch how Bobo Carpenter ended the night with an empty netter and extended the Giants lead in the final two minutes of the game.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Bobo Carpenter scores for Belfast to make it 4-1

  3. The Belfast Giants win!published at 21:05 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 4-1 Coventry Blaze

    It was an electric first period from the home side with Jordan Kawaguchi opening the scoring and firing into the top left corner on the powerplay after 8 minutes.

    Just five minutes later the Giants took advantage of an extra skater once again with Mark Cooper sending a shot past Mat Robson before Mike Lee added a third.

    There was just the one goal in the second period and it was the away side who got on the scoresheet when Chase Gresock netted on the breakaway.

    The home side dominated the final period and grabbed an empty netter in the final two minutes to secure the two points.

  4. Goal - Belfast Giants 4-1 Coventry Blazepublished at 21:01 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Bobo Carpenter- 59mins

    Bobo Carpenter with the empty netter to restore the Giants three goal cushion!

  5. Postpublished at 20:59 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    The Coventry Blaze have called their time-out with 2:39 to go.

  6. Giants pushing for another goalpublished at 20:58 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    Bobo Carpenter is inches away from steering home Bo Hansen's shot through traffic as the Giants start to pile on the pressure.

  7. Not much action as we enter the final 10 minutespublished at 20:52 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    Chances have been at a premium since the restart with Bobo Carpenter shooting just wide before Mat Robson is forced to tip JJ Piccinich's effort over the top.

  8. Postpublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    Gabe Bast's pass hits the skate of Elijiah Barriga and bounces awkwardly when the forward was trying to control the delivery just outside the crease.

    The powerplay comes to an end seconds later.

  9. Early powerplay for the Giantspublished at 20:42 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    Coventry's goalscorer Chase Gresock is called for holding and the home side are back on the powerplay.

    The Giants took advantage of the extra skater during the opening 20 minutes but failed to in the second period. Can they make the man advantage count now?

  10. Final period gets startedpublished at 20:36 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    20 minutes to go in Belfast!

  11. The Giants lead after 40published at 20:17 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    A late spell of pressure from the Giants comes to nothing as the buzzer sounds.

    As I said earlier, it's been a much more even second period with both sides enjoying spells of possession.

    A big final period to come.

    Bobo Carpenter shoots for the GiantsImage source, Press Eye
  12. Two chances for the home sidepublished at 20:07 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    Grant Mismash's slapshot is denied by Mat Robson before the Coventry netminder denies another effort from Mismash seconds later.

    Seven minutes to go in the second period.

  13. Watch: Coventry get on the boardpublished at 20:05 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    A better second period from Coventry so far. Watch how Chase Gresock got their first goal of the night.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Chase Gresock scores for Coventry to make it 3-1

  14. A much more even second periodpublished at 19:58 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blaze

    There's been a change in tempo since the restart with the Blaze looking more dangerous and asking questions of Tom McCollum.

    The Giants have had chances of their own and a powerplay but haven't been able to restore their three goal cushion.

  15. Goal- Belfast Giants 3-1 Coventry Blazepublished at 19:51 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Chase Gresock- 22mins

    The Blaze get on the scoresheet!

    Brandon Alderson breaks away and passes across to Chase Gresock whose first effort is denied by Tom McCollum, but Gresock makes no mistake with the rebound.

  16. Second period gets under waypublished at 19:50 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-0 Coventry Blaze

    The action resumes in Belfast!

  17. Watch: Number three from Leepublished at 19:36 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-0 Coventry Blaze

    Here's how Mike Lee put the Giants in charge with their third goal of the period.

    Can they keep it up when the action resumes?

    Media caption,

    Watch: Mike Lee scores for Belfast to make it 3-0

  18. First period comes to an endpublished at 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-0 Coventry Blaze

    An impressive opening period from the Giants.

    Goals from Jordan Kawaguchi, Mark Cooper and Mike Lee give the home side a comfortable lead after 20 minutes.

    Jordan Kawaguchi celebratesImage source, Press Eye
    Image caption,

    Jordan Kawaguchi got things started for the Giants

  19. Watch: Giants double uppublished at 19:29 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Belfast Giants 3-0 Coventry Blaze

    It didn't take long for the Giants to double their lead - here's how Mark Cooper finished off their second goal of the night.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Mark Cooper scores for Belfast to make it 2-0

  20. Goal - Belfast Giants 3-0 Coventry Blazepublished at 19:25 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December

    Mike Lee- 17mins

    The Giants pressure pays off as they extend their advantage!

    Nice build-up play from Mark Cooper and Grant Mismash leaves Mike Lee in a good position with Mat Robson trying to grab Lee's close range shot before it crosses the line, but failing to.

    Not a goal that the busy Blaze netminder will want to see back.