ELITE LEAGUE ICE HOCKEY: CLOSE CALL AS GIANTS PIP DEVILS

THE Belfast Giants survived a late rally from the Cardiff Devils to maintain their lead at the top of the Elite League table.

After going ahead early in the game the Giants didn't add to their lead until the final period and in the end the Cardiff comeback proved to be too little too late.

In front of the biggest home crowd of the season the Giants peppered the Devils goal early on, but had to wait until the 12th minute before breaking the deadlock.

With Jeff Burgoyne sent to the penalty box the Giants took advantage of the powerplay opportunity to take the lead. Todd Kelman's shot was pushed wide by Eoin McInerney and Sean Berens pounced to send the puck across him into the net from a tight angle on the right of goal.

The only real action of the second period saw Paxton Schulte hit the cross bar midway through and Jonathan Phillips miss a golden opportunity for Cardiff on a one-on-one with the last shot of the period.

Cardiff thought they had levelled the game two minutes into the third period only for the strike to be ruled out.

The Giants recovered from the near shock to double the lead three minutes later. Paxton Schulte fought for the puck against the boards, fed Paul Sample who found Brad Kenny and he sent a shot, again from a tight angle, into the far corner of the net.

Kenny looked to have made certain of the victory eight minutes from the end when Schulte set up Kenny for his second, but the Devils weren't dad yet.

Burgoyne made up for his earlier indiscretion by pulling one back, although at that stage it looked like being little more than a consolation.

However, the Devils gambled by swapping McInerney for an extra skater and the risk was worth it as Phillips shot high into the net.

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