Giants beat Coventry 5-2 in Belfast

Summary

Belfast Giants v Coventry Blaze (19:00 GMT)

Live Reporting

Final score - Giants beat Blaze 5-2published at 21:24 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
It was an exciting game and the 5-2 win for the Giants flatters them on the scoreboard.
It was closer than that with three late goals in the last seven and a half minutes making the difference.
The game was overshadowed by the injury to Jack Hopkins. He is receiving treatment in a local hospital and everyone wishes him a speedy recovery.
The Giants solidify second place but make no ground on Sheffield who beat Nottingham.
They'll travel to Guildford on Sunday before returning home to face the Cardiff Devils in a doubleheader next Saturday and Sunday.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Belfast Giants v Cardiff Devils
GOAL! Tedesco gets a second goalpublished at 21:17 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 5-2 Coventry Blaze
Giants turning it on in the closing minutes and Daniel Tedesco, who has replaced the injured Greg Printz on the Ben Lake line, scores his second goal on the backhand wrap- around.
GOAL! Giants make it a two-goal gamepublished at 21:12 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 4-2 Coventry Blaze
Brilliant from Ben Lake. Wins the puck at centre ice, sets off towards the Blaze net and saucers a pass to Daniel Tedesco who makes no mistake.
That might be enough for the Giants...
GOAL! Giants score go-ahead goalpublished at 21:09 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 3-2 Coventry Blaze
Patience from the Giants on a delayed penalty call.
They passed the puck around looking for the opening and Bobby MacIntyre found it, burying the puck in the top corner.
7 minutes left....
Image source, Press Eye
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Giants third goal
Game set for tense finishpublished at 21:02 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 2-2 Coventry Blaze
Giants killed a Blaze powerplay after a too many men on the ice call. Game could go either way.
It's tense and Ciaran Long and Tyler Kirkup just dropped the gloves - 5 each for fighting.
Third period coming uppublished at 20:48 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 2-2 Coventry Blaze
These two sides have played some close games this season and this one is no exception.
The four previous encounters have all been one-goal games or OT/shootout wins and the first leg of the Challenge Cup quarter-final ended 1-1.
So this could go either way.
Image source, Press Eye
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Second period action
End of the second period - tied gamepublished at 20:31 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 2-2 Coventry Blaze
Awful goal late in the period for the Giants to give away and it sets up a final twenty minutes where either side could skate away with the points.
Image source, Press Eye
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Second period action
GOAL! Blaze level the game againpublished at 20:29 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 2-2 Coventry Blaze
Seemingly in control the Giants give up a clean breakaway with 30 seconds left in the period.
Ian McNulty makes no mistake
Image source, Press Eye
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Blaze celebrate
GOAL! Giants retake the leadpublished at 20:18 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 2-1 Coventry Blaze
After Kohei Sato forces Nolan Kent into a good save the Giants score from the resulting face-off.
From a clean win Josh Roach fires home through traffic from just inside the blueline.
Image source, Press Eye
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Giants score
Second period underwaypublished at 20:05 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 1-1 Coventry Blaze
The second period is well underway with no further scoring in the game but the Blaze gaining some momentum.
Coventry player taken to hospitalpublished at 20:04 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
The Coventry player involved in the first period incident, Jack Hopkins, is reported to be responsive and has been taken to a local hospital for further assessment.
We wish him well
Game will resumepublished at 19:57 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 1-1 Coventry Blaze
Both teams are back on the ice and the game will resume.
There is 1:18 to play in the first period and then the game will continue immediately with the second period.
Coventry player hurt and receiving medical treatmentpublished at 19:43 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 1-1 Coventry Blaze
The first period will finish with 1:18 remaining on the clock with medical treatment continuing on the ice to a Coventry player.
Both teams have headed to the locker rooms and the Coventry player was stretchered off the ice.
Not much to choose between the sidespublished at 19:25 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 1-1 Coventry Blaze
Pretty even game so far. The Giants have had some good shifts but their shooting has been wayward.
The Blaze forecheck has caused the Giants a few issues defensively.
Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,
Giants Jeff Baum
GOAL! Blaze tie the gamepublished at 19:13 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 1-1 Coventry Blaze
It's a bit scrappy in front of the Giants net and Tyler Beskorowany is prone and out of the play.
Coventry scramble the puck over the line although the play is reviewed and....it is a goal and we have a tied game with 12:58 remaining in the first period.
The goal credited to Kobe Roth.
Image source, Press Eye
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Coventry score
GOAL! Perfect start for the Giantspublished at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 1-0 Coventry Blaze
68 seconds on the clock and Ben Lake sweeps home the opening goal after a great interchange with Greg Printz.
Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,
Ben Lake
First period underway....published at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants 0-0 Coventry Blaze
Giants Tyler Beskorowany and Nolan Kent for the Blaze are the starting netminders this evening.
The puck is dropped and we are underway....
It's Hockey Night in Belfastpublished at 18:47 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January
Belfast Giants v Coventry Blaze
Welcome to the SSE Arena in Belfast for the Elite League clash between the Belfast Giants and Coventry Blaze.
It's the first meeting in Belfast since the Blaze knocked the Giants out of the Challenge Cup shortly before Christmas.
Since then the Giants have racked up seven wins in ten games, and were on a three-game winning run util they were defeated last Sunday in Coventry.
The Blaze have won four straight in the league, and seven of their last eight games, but were brought back down to earth with a bump on Wednesday night with a 6-0 thrashing by Sheffield in the Challenge Cup semi-final first leg.
The Giants are currently second in the standings but 13 points behind Sheffield.
However a win for the visitors tonight would draw them within a point of the Giants with a game in hand.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Belfast Giants v Coventry Blaze