HIGHLIGHTS: Panthers 2-4 Giants

The Stena Line Belfast Giants bounced back in style on Sunday, following Saturday’s loss in Coventry, with a 4-2 away win against the Nottingham Panthers.

Blair Riley, Brandon Benedict, Jim Vandermeer and Michael Forney were the four Giants goalscorers with Jackson Whistle facing 26 shots in an important Elite League win that moves the Belfast side into fourth place.

The Giants began the game with Jackson Whistle as the starting netminder and Alex Foster missing out through injury.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring, taking advantage of their first powerplay opportunity of the game, with Blair Riley slotting the puck into the back of the Panthers net at 13:27, assisted by Jim Vandermeer and Michael Forney.

The Giants’ lead doubled at 21:22 as Brandon Benedict scored his side’s second of the game with another powerplay goal, assisted by David Rutherford, as Brian McGrattan sat in the Panthers Penalty Box.

Nottingham posted their first goal of the game at 22:32 as Alex Nikiforuk netted, assisted by Matt Carter, to bring the hosts to within one of the Giants. However, little over four minutes later, the Giants had restored the two goal advantage as Jim Vandermeer scored at 26:38, assisted by Jeff Mason and Steve Saviano.

The Panthers made it a ‘one goal game’ again at 42:50 as their Captain Brad Moran scored on the Powerplay after the Referee had sent James Desmarais to the Penalty Box for a Holding call.

The Giants killed off a 5-on-3 Panthers Powerplay mid-way through the final period as the visitors continued to frustrate the home side.

The Panthers outshot their opponents 11-6 in the final period, however the visitors stood strong and completed an important away win at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.

The Giants rounded off the win with Michael Forney’s empty net finish at 59:42, assisted by Steve Saviano, with the Panthers having pulled their netminder.

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