The Giants hold on to a battling 2-1 win over the Manchester Storm in the first of the weekend doubleheader between the sides.

To be honest this isn't a game that will live long in the memory. For long periods it was a war of attrition and the effort and defensive work of both teams will please both coaches and Manchester can feel their efforts deserved at least a point.

The Giants will be relieved to get a win but it was a struggle. There are no easy games in the Elite League but scoring remains a concern for Adam Keefe's side.

Tonight they got great goaltending and strong defence and it was enough...just.

Back tomorrow night at 18:45 for the second game of the weekend.

Image source, BBC Sport

89 seconds left - the Storm getting pucks on net but Beskorowany turning them away.

Netminder pulled for extra skater

What a shot from Charlie Curti as he wrists the puck into the top corner from just inside the blueline.

It's just brightened up a poor final period so far as the Giants get momentum from killing 43 seconds of a 5-on-3 powerplay from the Storm.

Image source, Press Eye

Good start to the final period from the Storm and they now have a man advantage for two-minutes with the chance to retake the lead

Third period underway with a big two points up for grabs.

Image source, Press Eye

Wow did the home side need that. Just 4.4 seconds remaining in the second period when the Giants play a little tic-tac-toe and Bobby MacIntyre applies the finish.

Sigh of relief as much as anything from the home support.

Period over - it's a 1-1 hockey game.

Image source, Press Eye

Thankfully there's been a goal but not if you're a Giants fan.

On the powerplay a shot takes a couple of ricochets that pull Beskorowany out of position and Stephen Johnson has a tap into the empty net

Image source, Press Eye

The Giants may have had a let-off.

Storm appear to have scored as the puck squeezes between the pads of Tyler Beskorowany BUT the referee had already blown the play dead.

They check on instant replay and it's....NO GOAL

Not much to report so far in the second period.

The Giants had their second powerplay which was pretty awful and now they must kill a penalty.

11:13 remaining

Image source, Press Eye

It's the old cliché but this game needs a goal early in the second period to open it up a little.

The puck is dropped and we are underway again.

Image source, Press Eye

It's been a high tempo first twenty minutes with both sides playing a strong defensive game which has kept scoring chances to a minimum.

Both goaltenders making a double-save each in the closing minutes to keep the game scoreless.

Whichever side comes out on top tonight is going to have to earn it...

Image source, Press Eye

The first big save of the game goes to Tyler Beskorowany who denied Mitchell Martan.

The Giants then can't capitalise on the first powerplay of the game.

Better puck movement but no real clear cut chances created,

Image source, Press Eye

It didn't take long for this to get physical as the Storm's Will Merchant takes exception to a hit from the Giants Ara Nazarian on Cam Critchlow, who himself was trying to lay a big hit on the Giants forward

2 minutes each for roughing

So after a 25 minute delay the puck is dropped and the game is underway.

Tyler Beskorowany for the Giants and Evan Weninger for the Storm are the starting netminders

Welcome to the SSE Arena in Belfast for the first home doubleheader of the season for the Belfast Giants.

Manchester Storm make their first trip across the Irish Sea for tonight's game and then the two sides will meet again on Saturday.

The teams are part of a four-way tie on 17 points - the other two being Coventry and Dundee - ranked from fourth to seventh, with the Storm and Giants in the middle of that pack. Whoever wins tonight will go level in third.

The Giants, who have had a disappointing start to the season by their standards, find themselves .500 through 17 games.

They ended a two-game loss streak with last Friday's win over Nottingham, before going down to Coventry in overtime - a team they then tied with on Wednesday in the Challenge Cup. Manchester ended a lengthy losing run last Saturday with a shutout win over Fife.

Storm released forward Santeri Haarala midweek after a return of seven points in 16 fixtures this season. Belfast, meanwhile, were able to welcome Jackson Whistle back to the bench midweek after time out injured.

Just over a year ago, Storm ended their three-year wait for a win in Belfast by taking four points out of their double-header but it also proved the catalyst for the Giants to make changes that eventually propelled them to the Grand Slam

Image source, BBC Sport

Due to some traffic delays the face-off of tonight's game between the Belfast Giants and Manchester Storm has been delayed to 19:25

We'll be back with the drop of the puck