Coventry Blaze suffered another narrow defeat to Belfast Giants as they went down 4-3 at the Odyssey Arena.
Clarke wins it for Belfast; Stingrays shut out Edinburgh
Coventry Blaze suffered another narrow defeat to Rapid Solicitors Elite League leaders Belfast Giants as they went down 4-3 at the Odyssey Arena.
Three goals in a manic 133-second spell in the first period from Darryl Lloyd (powerplay), Jeremy Rebek and Robert Dowd saw Giants take control.
After a time-out by coach Paul Thompson, Blaze clawed their way back into the game with two goals inside 134 seconds from Mike McLean and Shea Guthrie (short-handed), his 21st marker of the season.
Bryan Jurynec and Giants enforcer Adam Keefe were then assessed five-minute fighting majors before Owen Fussey, his 24th of the season, scored on the resulting powerplay to make it 3-3.
After a scoreless second period, Aaron Clarke put Belfast back in front with eight minutes remaining which proved to be the winner.
Brilliant
Elsewhere, man of the match Christian Boucher registered his first shut-out of the season as
Hull Stingrays posted a 3-0 win over
Edinburgh Capitals at Hull Arena.
The Canadian goaltender, who has been one of Stingrays' stand-out players this term, made 38 saves as his side snapped a four-game losing streak.
Player-coach Sylvain Cloutier - his first goal in seven matches - put Stingrays ahead in the eighth minute with a short-handed marker.
Martin Ondrej then claimed his first goal of the campaign to double Stingrays' lead 127 seconds into the middle session.
Jereme Tendler made it 27 goals for the season as Stingrays stretched their advantage at 56.40.
Capitals pulled netminder Nathan Craze following a late powerplay but they could find no way past the brilliant Boucher.
Saturday's remaining Elite League fixture saw
Cardiff Devils come away with a 3-1 victory at bottom club
Fife Flyers.
Fife have now lost four successive matches in the competition.
