League champions Belfast Giants had too much for beaten Challenge Cup finalists Coventry Blaze, running out 7-4 winners at the SSE Arena on Wednesday night.
While the Giants hit a post early on and the Blaze had a puck sitting on the goal line they couldn’t capitalise on during a 5-on-3, the visitors eventually took the lead once the game returned to at full strength. Alessio Luciani’s shot from the point went through traffic and found the net to make it 1-0 at 11:57.
Belfast responded with two goals in under three minutes to turn the game around. Jake Gaudet equalised at 16:58 after being left alone in the slot, before Scott Conway put a loose puck home 37 seconds before the end of the period to give the hosts the lead.
The Giants extended their advantage early in the second period through Nicolas Guay, whose quick release beat Mat Robson at 5:25 to make it 3-1.
Shorthanded, the Blaze pulled one back. On an odd-man rush, Jack Hopkins set up Mike Pelech, who worked the puck back into the crease for Hopkins to finish and reduce the deficit.
David Goodwin restored Belfast’s two-goal lead on the powerplay at 10:04 of the third period, before Conway completed his hat trick with goals at 51:30 and 54:08 to put the game beyond reach.
Dershahn Stewart replaced Robson in the Blaze net, while Andrew Dickson came into the Giants goal for his first minutes of the season. Luciani added a late consolation for the visitors with 33 seconds remaining.
Photo: William Cherry
