The Belfast Giants came from 0-2 down to beat a tenacious Fife Flyers side 5-3 in an entertaining clash in front of 7278 fans at the SSE Arena.

In the end a solid second half to the game for the Giants once they’d scored the equaliser it looked like they would go on and win and they duly did.

Fife should take plenty of encouragement from this game. For thirty minutes they were very good - defending well and capitalising on the counter attack.

The win for the Giants means another against the Dundee Stars on Sunday will clinch a semi-final place in the Challenge Cup.

Back tomorrow from 4pm for that one.

Credit to the Flyers for not giving up on this one Phelix Martinaeu scores what looks like a late consolation.

It comes after Giants Ben Lake was thrown out of the game for boarding.

Sticks flying everywhere in the Flyers crease and the puck crosses the line and after review the goal counts.

As to who the last Giants player was to touch the puck because it bounces of two or three Flyers and Giants players, we’ll have to let you know who is getting the credit.

It’s Elijah Barriga

Even before the arena announcer can tell us who the penalty was called on, Elijah Barriga finds Scott Conway for the one-timer from the right circle.

Giants buzzing, Flyers looking fatigued.

Image source, Press Eye

Giants looking for a bit of daylight and they have a second powerplay of the game.

Turnover by Kyle Osterberg at the Flyers blueline.

He loses his stick but kicks the puck forward to Scott Conway and with the Flyers changing, he sets up Mark Cooper for the go-ahead goal.

Twnety minutes to decide this one (or overtime after that and a shootout) but one of these teams will get the two points.

If it’s the Giants they’ll have one skate in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

Off we go…

Gabe Bast walks the blueline, waits for a screen to be set and fires the puck into the roof of the net.

Tied game as the buzzer goes to end the second period, the goal coming 11.8 seconds from the second intermission.

All to play for when we return shortly…..

Image source, Press Eye

First powerplay of the game goes the way of the Giants for a hook by Martin Latal.

After a period of sustained pressure from Fife a rebound from Jackson Whistle falls to his team mates and Scott Conway heads up ice and finds JJ Piccinich at the side of the net and he fires home the one-timer.

Game on….5:49 left in the period

Image source, Press Eye

Few more shots on goal for the Giants but they’re from distance with no traffic and Janis Voris hasn’t had a difficult save to make to this point of the game.

Fife, meanwhile, look dangerous on the counter attack and are defending well.

11:30 to go in the second period

I would have thought Giants coach Adam Keefe had a few choice words to say in the locker room during the break.

Let’s see if they have the desired effect….

Second period is underway….

Image source, Press Eye

The Giants have 12 official shots in the first period. I’d say they’ve had 30 in total but as an official shot is one on net you can see how they haven’t hit the target when in the position to do so.

It’s the perfect road game by the Flyers. Absorb the pressure, ride your luck and then take advantage of a couple of bouncing pucks to score.

Now the visitors have something to hold on to, it will be up to the Giants to wrestle this game back.

Image source, Press Eye

Ryan Foss has a breakaway that Jackson Whistle saves.

Could have been 3-0. Giants final pass not connecting and Fife picking up the pieces and converting them into chances.

Snatch and grab but the Flyers are good value for their 2-0 lead.

Shot is saved by Jackson Whistle but the puck comes of a Giants defenceman and onto the stick of James Spence who has a tap-in.

This wasn’t in the script for the home side.

It had been all Giants for the first six minutes of the game although a lot of shots didn’t hit the Flyers net.

Fife then take advantage of a bouncing puck in front of Jackson Whistle and Phelix Martineau tucks it into the net.

11:55 to go in the first period

Image source, Press Eye

Jackson Whistle is back between the pipes for the Belfast Giants tonight while Janis Voris gets the start for the Fife Flyers.

All set to go…the puck is dropped

Welcome to the SSE Arena In Belfast where the home town Giants face Fife Flyers in Challenge Cup action.

The Giants lead Group B and are in pole position to secure a place directly to the Semi-Finals.

A win tonight and another against Dundee on Sunday would secure that last four place.

Fife are all-but eliminated from the competition but will be mathematically out with defeat tonight.

Image source, BBC Sport