Giants extend lead at top

Belfast Giants continued their excellent run of form and made use of results elsewhere to go five points cleat at the top of the Viaplay Elite League with a road win in Manchester.

David Gilbert only needed 67 seconds to open the scoring for the Giants, who were then denied a second for Storm goalie Jeremy Brodeur’s helmet having come off before the goal. With 10:52 on the board, Mark Cooper banked one in off Brodeur from below the goal line to double the visitors’ lead.

Josh Roach made it 3-0. just 2:41 into period two, while Henrik Eriksson’s goal at 27:26 put the Giants comfortably ahead. Only a late Tyler Barrow goal denied Tyler Beskorowany a second shutout of the weekend, although the Giants goalie had made some excellent breakaway saves with the game at 3-0 to keep his team on top.