Not one Giants player can score in the shootout and JD Dudek's successful effort for Coventry means the back-to-back defending champions crash out at the quarter-final stage.

It is no understatement to say that was a horrific evening for Adam Keefe's men. A collapse of monumental proportions in the third period saw them surrender a 4-0 lead within five minutes.

There is s a stunned silence around the SSE Arena as the players make their way off the ice. The lone Coventry trumpeter and the small band of away supporters are delighted to my right but this will be an extremely bitter pill to swallow for the Belfast Giants.

They return to league action at home on Friday night against the Fife Flyers and will be hoping to erase this one from the memory bank.

Thank you for following along tonight and goodnight from the SSE Arena

Image source, Press Eye

Both sides had chances and Kozun kept the Giants out with a sensational double-save but, for the second game in a row, the Giants are heading for a shootout.

They won on Saturday- can they do it again?

Incredibly, the Giants led by four goals in the third but they have thrown it away, meaning this Challenge Cup quarter-final will be decided in overtime.

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I can't believe what I am seeing. In less than five minutes the visitors have overturned a four goal lead.

Just as the home crowd was beginning to look forward to a semi-final, Clements has got his second and we are tied with five to go.

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Well, well, well... Alessio Luciani scores and we are back to a one goal Giants lead. Incredible resilience from the visitors and we really do have a gamed on our hands here in a bonkers third period.

Seven to go. Who'd have thought it?

Surely we don't have a comeback on our hands?

David Clements shoots the puck through a crowd of bodies in front of Tyler Beskorowany and, with eight to go, the Blaze are not going away quietly.

A scrappy goal ruins the shutout as, after a puck deflected off Charlie Curti, Kim Tallberg pokes it home.

That means that Swedes have now scored three of the five goals tonight.

Henrik Eriksson with his second of the night and it's an absolute rasper off Johnny Curran's layoff.

A pretty sizeable midweek crowd inside the SSE Arena are really starting to get into party mode now with 15 remaining.

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What a start to the third period as Quinn Preston smashes home a wrister from close range after less than 90 seconds

Is that the goal goal that seals it?

A goal in each period so far for the Giants. Another one like that would do just nicely as they are 20 minutes away from the last four of the Challenge Cup.

A much more dominant display in the second from the hosts and they are rewarded with another goal.

Henrik Eriksson is the man who got it and the Blaze had precious little going the other way.

Adam Keefe will be satisfied but will be hoping to kill the Blaze off early in the third to stop any late nerves.

So far, so good though for Belfast.

This has definitely been coming and certainly alleviates some nerves around the SSE.

After a scramble in front of the Blaze goal, Henrik Eriksson scoops the puck into the roof of the net from the right.

Giants lead 3-1 on aggregate with six remaining in the second.

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All of the action midway through the second has been in front of Taran Kozun's net and Ben Lake came close to doubling the Giants' lead but just couldn't force it in from close range.

For those of you worried, Bobby MacIntyre is ok.

Quinn Preston and Travis Brown have had half-chances here in the opening five but couldn't force the puck over the line.

Meanwhile, Bobby MacIntyre appears to have taken a blow and is slow to leave the ice. He has stayed on the bench so hopefully he is ok.

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The Giants edged ahead at the tail end of the first. Can they extend the lead or will the Blaze come back into the game?

Both defenses were on top for the majority of the first period but the Giants took the lead with just over three minutes remaining through Ara Nazarian.

That is the American's fourth Challenge Cup goal this season and his tenth overall.

The Giants lead 2-1 on aggregate and certainly grew into the game after a bit of a slow start.

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With just over three minutes left in the first, the home side break the deadlock. A goal bound effort from Cameron Pound is tipped in by Ara Nazarian.

The Giants had been on top for the previous few minutes and make it count before the break.

The assist from Pound is not only his first point as a Belfast Giant but as a pro hockey player.

Still not much to write home about here but the home side have managed to get some shots on goal.

Greg Printz flashed one across the face while Ara Nazarian was thwarted by Kozun in a one-on-one.

Goalmouth action at a premium however.

Image source, Press Eye

The Giants started brightly forcing Kozun to pounce on a puck in the opening phases but Beskorowany has been forced into a couple of saves, most notably from David Clements.

Otherwise, a quiet opening five as the two sides feel their way into the game.

The puck is dropped and we are underway.

Tyler Beskorowany is between the pipes for the Giants while Taran Kozun is the starting goaltender for Coventry.