Second-placed Giants had to fight every step of the way on Thursday Night against a tough Hull Stingrays team who nearly got the better of the Belfast side for the second time in two weeks after taking a 2-0 lead.
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The crowd was immediately out of their seats when Adam Knight and the Giants Sean McMorrow dropped the gloves in this clash of the two toughest players in the league, with McMorrow getting the better of Knight and lifting the spirits of the home fans.
Despite a boisterous atmosphere at the Dundonald Ice Bowl, it was the Stingrays that silenced the home crowd when James Archer scored on the powerplay, with Mark Morrison in the sin bin for tripping, to go up 1-0 at 6:55.
There were some big hits all over the ice and Pat Bateman did not take kindly to Stephen Burns taking liberties with the Giants, dropping the gloves and teaching Burns a lesson at the nine minute mark of the first.
The second period saw the Stingrays double their lead when Konstantin Kalmikov scored to make it 2-0 just over a minute into the second frame.
The Giants pressed hard, but it took until 36:38 when Colin Shields banged in a loose puck after Jeffrey Szwez split the Hull defence and was nearly hauled down leaving Shields and the puck all alone in front of the Hull net.
Belfast got back on level terms at 44.41 as Graeme Walton netted his first goal of the season after a superb pass from Shane Johnson who had carried the puck deep into the Stingrays zone before finding Walton screaming for the puck in front of the net.
Another goal from the Giants third line at 50.17 saw Craig Peacock put the home side in front for the first time, with Walton picking up an assist along with Tom Walsh.
Defenceman Tim Cook made it 4-2 on the powerplay at 54.01 to keep the points at home as the Giants tied the Nottingham Panthers in the standings to go into second place behind the league leaders Coventry Blaze.
Period Scores: 0-1, 1-1, 3-0
Penalty Mins: Bel 14 Hul 20
Powerplay: Bel 1/5 Hul - 1/2
Shots On: Stephen Murphy 29 - Martins Raitums 49
Referee: Moray Hanson
(Match report from www.belfastgiants.com)
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