Coventry thoroughly deserved to win this game. They were better than the Giants from the opening face-off winning puck battles all over the ice against a home side that were nowhere near their best.

No one expected the Giants to win every game between now and the end of the season but at home this was a big loss.

Next for the Giants a massive road trip to Sheffield and Manchester next weekend.

They will have to be better but they will know that....

The Giants not playing like a side two goals down, not as much urgency as you would like to see, In fact the Blaze look more likely to add to their lead with a lot of pressure in the Giants defensive zone....

The puck drops for the third period with work to do for the Giants.

As it stands the Blaze are going to cause an upset to a teams title hopes for the second weekend in a row - can they hold on?

Image source, Press Eye

A huge 5 on 3 penalty kill from the Giants looked like it might have switched the momentum in the favour of the home side.

However, Blaze quickly grabbed a third meaning that going into the third period, the visitors are in control.

Image source, Press Eye

So any momentum from the penalty kill was short lived. Skating 4-on-4 Tyler Kirkup gets a second goal of the game to increase the Blaze advantage.

Image source, Press Eye

Giants kill the two-man advantage for the Blaze and then the rest of Bast's major penalty - huge momentum shift as Giants now go on powerplay which lasts 4 seconds as Conway gets called for a high-stick - crowd not happy with officials

Blaze now have a two-man advantage for 1:22 - huge penalty kill for the Giants coming up - and it's going to be a long one as Bast gets a 5 minute major

The puck is dropped and the action is back underway here at the SSE Arena!

The visitors made a bright start to the first period and tested Beskorowany from the get go, will they do the same this period?

The Blaze dominated the beginning of the period, grabbing two early goals through a Jack Bilings' rebound and Tyler Kirkup's wrist shot.

However, Gabe Bast made it a one goal game when he found the top corner just before the break.

It's all to play for in the second period which the Giants will begin on the powerplay- can the home side find an equaliser?

Image source, Press Eye

Frustration was beginning to build from the fans as the Giants struggled to get a good look until Gabe Bast went top corner - Giants still on the powerplay

Image source, Press Eye

Giants now have a full two minutes of a 5-on-3 advantage

Blaze Kim Tallberg gets a 5-minute major for boarding so the Giants go to work on the powerplay looking to get back into the game

Well this is interesting....and not in a good way for the Giants. Their sluggish start continues and on an odd man rush Tyler Kirkup's wrist shot gets through Beskorowany to make it 2-0 Coventry.

Image source, Press Eye

Not the start the Giants wanted - all Blaze from the opening face-off and after Tyler Beskorowany makes a couple of early saves, Jack Billings pockets a rebound after only 47 seconds

Image source, Press Eye

The puck is dropped and another huge two points on the line for the Belfast Giants in the title chase.

Coventry has secured a play-off place and are locked into the fifth seed but they can play spoiler as they did last weekend against Sheffield

Here we go.....

Belfast Giants

G Tyler Beskorowany

D Gabe Bast

D Sam Ruopp

RW Steve Owre

C Scott Conway

LW David Goodwin

Coventry Blaze

G Miklos Rajna

D Nathanael Halbert

D Brady Norrish

RW Jack Billings

C Marly Quince

LW Ross Venus

The Giants are looking for a 13th straight win in the league tonight.

The Giants beat Coventry 6-1 last night - below are the goals and hear what both coaches Adam Keefe and Danny Stewart thought about the game...

It's been quiet a week here in Belfast with the Giants winning the Elite League Challenge Cup on Wednesday night over the Fife Flyers and then maintaining their four-point lead at the top of the league standings with a 6-1 victory over the Coventry Blaze in the first of the weekend doubleheader last night.

The chase for the title saw all four teams - Belfast, Guildford, Cardiff and Sheffield - all win and all four are in action again this evening.

The Giants lead is four points over Guildford, five ahead of Cardiff and seven in front of Sheffield.

Guildford are at home to Nottingham, Cardiff travel to Fife and Sheffield are also at home to Manchester.

After tonight there are only eight games left in the championship chase....

Image source, BBC Sport