The Belfast Giants made their intentions known that they will not give up in their chase for the league title with a 9-0 win over the Hull Stingrays.
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They blanked Hull for a second time at home this season and have now netted 21 goals with the loss of only four.
Belfast know they must win all their games from now to the end of the season and hope that Coventry slip up somewhere along the line.
The Giants quickly piled on the pressure and found themselves propelled into an early lead.
With 6.45 on the clock Pat Bateman spun around a Stingrays defenseman and walked in 1 on 1 slotting the puck past Martins Raitums to net the opening goal of the game and then added his second at 9.52 this time converting a 3on2 involving Colin Shields & Jeffery Szwez.
Szwez then added his name to the score sheet as the 1st period was coming to a close.
The Giants playing with a man advantage were setup in the Stingrays end trying to create an opening when Szwez cycled the puck around the half boards and found a shooting lane to beat Raitums high on his glove side giving the Giants a comfortable 3 goal lead going into the intermission.
A further three goals in the second period from Belfast ended the game as a contest.
A second powerplay goal this time from Evan Cheverie at 23.18 took the score line to 4-0 as he picked up the left overs from Batemans wrap around attempt.
Two goals just over a minute apart put the Giants on easy street.
Pierre-Luc Faubert's slapper was deflected off a Stingrays player and trickled across the line on the powerplay at 32.27 and then Michael Jacobsen added his 12th of the season at 33.45 as his wrister found the bottom corner stretching the lead to 6-0.
It was a case of damage limitations in the third period for Hull.
Goaltender Martins Raitums although beaten another three times, turned away 18 of the 21 shots he faced.
Sean McMorrow at 46.07 made it seven rounding off some nice work down low by Craig Peacock, before Peacock added a goal of his own spinning off a check and smashing the puck home at 49.51.
With the time ticking down man of the match Pat Bateman rounded off his hat trick.
Szwez banked the puck around the last Stingrays defenseman which lead to a 2on0.
Szwez un-selfishly squared the pass and Bateman found the 5 hole of Raitums to complete a comprehensive win for the Giants which also included yet another shutout for Stephen Murphy turning away 24 shots, and Belfast's final goal was their 800th competitive EIHL goal scored at home
Period Scores: 3-0, 3-0, 3-0
Penalty Mins: Bel 6 Hul 8
Powerplay: Bel 3/4 Hul - 0/3
Shots On: Stephen Murphy 24 - Martins Raitums 43
Referee: Tom Darnell
(Match report courtesy of www.belfastgiants.com)
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