Belfast Giants jumped the Flames early with a pair of goals, including a shorthanded goal, before the game was 6 minutes old then added a later period strike for a 3-0 lead through 20 minutes to set the stage for a 5-1 win over Spectrum’s men.
Ben Lake started it at 3:52 and Ara Nazarian while a man short at 5:57 doubled their edge. Quinn Preston in the 14th minute ensured they would be 3 goals to the good after the 1st.
Late in the middle set, Jeff Baum extended it to 4, but a last-minute Kyle Locke strike got Flames on the board and returned the 3 goal difference to start the 3rd.
There was no further scoring until the final minute of the last set when Baum’s 2nd of the contest finalised the result.
Eamon McAdam made 26 saves on 31 shots while Tyler Beskorowany went 24 for 25.
“That is a very, very good Giants team,” said Paul Dixon. “It is a team that you cannot give any time and space because if you do, they will make you pay, and they did that tonight.”
“We have some moments, but we need to find ways to string together consistent stretches so that we give ourselves a much better chance at an outcome we like.”
“We have to figure out a way to work out way out of this, and that is where are minds will be at this week as we get ready for Cardiff and Coventry in next weekend’s Cup action.”
