Will Cullen double gets Belfast Giants back into way of winning

But at last the losing streak has been broken and the Giants are back to winning ways thanks from a superb double from defenceman (and Giants' man of the match) Will Cullen.

On Saturday night, the Cardiff Devils kept themselves joint third in the Viaplay Elite League standings with a home win over Belfast at Ice Arena Wales, moving six points clear of the Giants in the process.

The Devils scored the first goal of the game early in the second period as Cole Sanford capitalised on a 5-on-3 powerplay at 22.21. The Giants, however, did not take long to respond: Ciaran Long took a nice pass from Steven Owre and beat Ben Bowns a mere 21 seconds after the Devils had opened the scoring. Marcus Crawford took the lead back for the Devils when he blasted a one timer past Jackson Whistle at 37.15.

Cole Sanford grabbed his second goal of the night with a quick wristshot at 47.45 to put the Devils up 3-1, however the final stages weren't comfortable for the hosts. Long added his second of the night with a deflection on Owre's pass to the front of the net with 2.31 to play. The goal was subject to a video review but stood with no conclusive angle to review it. The visitors then threw pucks at Bowns' net in the final minutes, but home nerves were calmed when Sanford completed his hat trick with a blast into the empty net with 19 seconds to play.

The Giants responded to three straight losses with a tight home win over Dundee Stars on Sunday at the SSE Arena.

Philippe Sanche converted Romans Semjonovs feed in close to open the scoring at 8.19, and that was a lead the Stars held until 14.45 when Will Cullen finished high after good work from Ben Lake. Cullen neatly finished in the slot off a Lewis Hook pass to put Belfast ahead at 28.52, before Lake beat Anton Svensson 1-on-0 with a nice deke at 33.47 to give the hosts a two-goal cushion. That lead, however, was cut down to one down through Johan Eriksson at 35.02.

Hook's goal at 46.10 put the Giants 4-2 ahead at 46.10, some minutes after the home side had seen a goal washed out after video review for goaltender interference. Eriksson's second of the game with 67 seconds remaining gave the Stars the chance to tie things up inside the final minute, but the home side held on for the win.