Overtime goal gives Giants road win over Blaze

• Coventry Blaze 4 - 5 Belfast Giants (after OT)

The Belfast Giants took a win in overtime against the Coventry Blaze on Saturday night, to start their 10-game road swing off on the right note.

The Giants were looking to put their last trip to Coventry behind them, after falling to a 6-1 defeat in a disastrous weekend for the side.

They started on the right note, taking the lead inside the first five minutes with a powerplay goal from Brendan Connolly, from assists by Spiro Goulakos and Darcy Murphy.

However, a penalty shot awarded to Coventry saw Marc-Olivier Vallerand score to tie things back up.

And, barely a minute later, Gaelan Patterson’s unassisted effort put the Blaze into the lead for the first time in the game.

But the Giants ensured they ended into the second period all square, with Jonathan Ferland scoring just about five minutes before the first buzzer.

Seconds after the restart, Coventry were back in front though at 3-2 – Brett Robinson getting their third goal past Giants netminder Jackson Whistle.

However, the Giants then forged ahead with two quick goals from John Kurtz – both assisted by captain Blair Riley - to lead 4-3.

Robinson was back though to get his second of the night though, tying the sides back up at 4-4.

With the game going into sudden death, it was the Giants who found a way to get that extra point with an unassisted goal from Connolly just 20 seconds into overtime.

Having gritted out the win, the Belfast side are next in action on Sunday when they face the Cardiff Devils in another road game.