Giants burnt against by the Flames but edge out Coventry

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The Guildford Flames continued to stay clear at the top of the Viaplay Elite League standings last weekend with a 2-1 home win over heavily depleted Belfast Giants at the Spectrum, their third straight win over Adam Keefe's men this season.

There were no goals in the opening period where the Giants edged the shot count 6-5, but with the only powerplay of the period were unable to beat the league's best penalty kill.

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The visitors started period two the better team with some good chances in and around Eamon McAdam, but it was the hosts who would eventually break the deadlock. Good work from Bradley Lalonde kept the Flames in puck possession, and he fed Alex Yuill for the one-time finish at 34.19.

Colby McAuley had the Giants' best chance to level the scores in the opening five minutes of period three but a crowd of bodies and McAdam prevented the puck going over the line. The Flames doubled their lead with with 11.55 left in the period - Brett Ferguson found Ben O'Connor on the other side of the zone, and the defenseman faked before feeding Ryan Tait for the finish at the top of the crease.

Down by two, the Giants generated a lot of offensive zone pressure to try to find a way back into the game. McAuley had another excellent chance to get them on the board but McAdam again came up big. Eventually, the visitors' pressure told and a Darik Angeli one-timer from the slot halved the deficit at 57.51. Despite some further, late pressure, the Giants were unable to tie things up and the Flames held on for their fifth straight win.

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Meanwhile on Sunday evening Steve Owre helped the Giants edge out the Coventry Blaze at the Skydome.

Owre put Belfast Giants ahead for the first time in the game with 7.33 to play which was enough to give his side a Sunday evening win over Coventry Blaze.

The home side had an excellent opening period and were deservedly two ahead at the first intermission. Nathan Ripley forced the puck over the line in close for the game's opening goal at 7.12, with Colton Yellow Horn digging out a rebound from a Marly Quince shot just before the 12-minute mark.

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Belfast Giants' foward Lewis Hook pictured during Belfast's victory against the Coventry Blaze. It was Hook's first game back with the Giants after returning from Austria and it saw him score his first goal or Belfast this season Picture: Scott WigginsBelfast Giants' foward Lewis Hook pictured during Belfast's victory against the Coventry Blaze. It was Hook's first game back with the Giants after returning from Austria and it saw him score his first goal or Belfast this season Picture: Scott Wiggins
Belfast Giants' foward Lewis Hook pictured during Belfast's victory against the Coventry Blaze. It was Hook's first game back with the Giants after returning from Austria and it saw him score his first goal or Belfast this season Picture: Scott Wiggins

The Giants were level thanks to two goals in 97 second-period minutes. Will Cullen picked the puck up at the blue line, pulled a nice move around the on-rushing forward and wristing home at 27.08, before Lewis Hook slapped home a fortunate bounce to tie things up - his first goal since returning to the team.

All square heading into period three, Kim Tallberg but the Blaze back ahead 59 seconds after the restart by excellently gloving down a rebound and volleying the puck home. The Blaze could and should have extended their led but were unable to find another goal on a 90-second five-on-three advantage.

That missed opportunity came back to haunt Danny Stewart's men in the last 12 minutes of the game.

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Darik Angeli levelled at 48.36, before Owre got the final touch after a Cullen slapshot to get the puck over the line as the Giants skated with a two-man advantage at 52.27.

Belfast Giants' foward Lewis Hook pictured during Belfast's victory against the Coventry Blaze. It was Hook's first game back with the Giants after returning from Austria and it saw him score his first goal or Belfast this season Picture: Scott WigginsBelfast Giants' foward Lewis Hook pictured during Belfast's victory against the Coventry Blaze. It was Hook's first game back with the Giants after returning from Austria and it saw him score his first goal or Belfast this season Picture: Scott Wiggins
Belfast Giants' foward Lewis Hook pictured during Belfast's victory against the Coventry Blaze. It was Hook's first game back with the Giants after returning from Austria and it saw him score his first goal or Belfast this season Picture: Scott Wiggins

Tallberg thought the Blaze had equalised in the dying stages but the puck was shovelled away from Jackson Whistle's net before Owre scored on the empty net to finish the game off with 25 seconds to go.

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