Elite League: Giants win first of Steelers home double-header

The Stena Line Belfast Giants defeated the Sheffield Steelers 5-3 on Friday night in an enthralling, action packed game in front of a capacity Pride Week crowd. The prolific Scott Conway showed no signs of slowing a momentous campaign, bagging a hat trick along with goals from Lewis Hook and Ben Lake.

The Giants had the upper hand early on and their pressure paid off when an angled shot from Josh Roach on the right, bounced favourably for Lewis Hook to finish. They doubled their lead a shot from Gabe Bast dropped to Scott Conway at the crease to double the lead before the end of the first period.

However, the Steelers halved the deficit in the second period when Danny Kristo capitalised on the power play with a shot from range which beat Giants goalie Jackson Whistle.

The Giants responded just 40 seconds later though, as a drop pass from Conway to David Goodwin was returned to restore the two-goal cushion. That didn't last long as Steelers made it 3-2 before the halfway stage, courtesy of Daniel Ciampini’s shot from range.

The visitors then got back on level terms with the returning Marc Olivier Vallerand tied it at three apiece in the third period.

But daylight reappeared for the hosts when Ben Lake tipped down Josh Roach’s shot in spectacular fashion to lead 4-3. It was a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Any hopes of a Steelers comeback were undone by the penalty box, as Brandon Whistle and Rob Dowd took cross checking penalties before Scott Conway sealed the deal with his hat-trick goal on the power play at 59:38. (5-3)

The Giants take on the Steelers again tonight at the SSE at 7pm.