After weeks of playing catch-up to the Cardiff Devils, the Belfast Giants finally overtook their rivals and claimed sole possession of top spot in the Elite League, although they were made to work for it by a dogged Manchester Storm at the SSE Arena.
Adam Keefe’s side roared into a deserved three-goal lead at the first intermission thanks to powerplay goals from Bobo Carpenter and J.J. Piccinich and what would prove to be the game winner from Gabe Bast, but they were surprisingly off-colour from there.
That allowed Manchester back into it as Alexis d’Aoust scored just before the second intermission and Craig Martin struck on the powerplay 48 seconds after the restart, but the Giants would hold on for the two points.
That, in turn, improves their record to 21-6-3 and takes them one point ahead of the Devils in the standings have now matched the Welsh side – who were inactive this weekend due to their participation in the Continental Cup – for games played.
Having so comfortably dispatched of the Sheffield Steelers a night prior, it looked like Adam Keefe’s side were going celebrate hitting top spot in similar fashion as they dominated the first period and raced into a three-goal lead.
After killing off a Bo Hanson slashing penalty, a tripping call on Loren Ulett allowed some tic-tac-toe hockey from David Goodwin and Grant Mismash to set up Carpenter for the finish for his 15th goal of the season at 10:31, before a double-minor for high-sticking on D’Aoust resulted in Piccinich snapping in from the right circle off some good passing by Jordan Kawaguchi and Mark Cooper at 15:27.
On another night the winger could have had a hat-trick as he hit the frame of the goal twice in the opening period alone, but instead Bast would grab the game winner with 29.1 seconds left to the first intermission, rifling in from the slot for his fifth of the year.
Storm netminder Evan Weninger would need replaced after a collision with Carpenter early in the second period, bringing in his replacement Alexander Oldale, but from there it seemed like the momentum switched firmly to the visitors as a result.
Having weathered a barrage for most of the second period, the Giants were hit by a double blow either side of the second intermission as firstly D’Aoust batted in a bouncing puck off Dallas Ehrhardt’s long-range shot 3:35 before the end of the period and, after Ciaran Long was called for cross-checking, Grant Hebert set up Martin for the back door finish on the powerplay shortly after the restart.
Despite the visitors pushing, though, Belfast was able to close things out to secure the two points as Jackson Whistle – 26 saves – closed the door, making a smart glove save on D’Aoust on the final buzzer to ensure there wouldn’t be a late sting in the tail.