Elite League leaders Belfast Giants staged a stunning comeback to claim the extra point in overtime, edging the Genting Casino Coventry Blaze 4-5 at the Skydome Arena on Sunday night.
The Blaze welcomed back defenceman David Clements and forwards Jack Hopkins and Artie Buzoverya following international duty, while Dershahn Stewart got the start in goal with Mat Robson handed a rare night off.
Coventry flew out of the traps and opened the scoring at 3.52 through former Giant Elijiah Barriga, who netted his third goal in four games against Belfast. The centreman found space in front of the net and finished neatly from a Matthew Gleason feed.
Gleason then turned scorer himself at 15.55, skating almost the full length of the ice before beating Jackson Whistle with a backhand, assisted by Jordan Power. The play also saw Whistle injured, forcing the Giants to turn to new recruit Jake Kupsky in goal.
Another former Belfast player extended the lead to 3-0 at 16.41, as Grant Mismash continued his hot streak by stretching his points run to nine games. The forward hammered home a one-timer from Jere Vertanen, who picked up his second assist of the night.
That capped an outstanding opening period for the Blaze, but an early strike from Jordan Kawaguchi 3.18 into the second period gave the Giants a foothold back in the contest.
The visitors then cut the deficit to one at 30.17 through the dangerous Mike Lee, who jumped into the play from the blue line and finished from in tight to make it 4-2.
Belfast struck again less than a minute later at 31.10, with Jake Gaudet capitalising on a two-on-one rush. Assists went to Gabe Bast and Nicolas Guay, the latter collecting his second helper of the evening.
The Blaze took a single-goal lead into the second intermission, but sustained pressure from Belfast eventually told. At 50.36, JJ Piccinich’s speculative effort found its way through traffic on the Giants’ third powerplay opportunity of the night to level the score at 4-4, with Lee and Kawaguchi picking up the assists.
With both sides content to secure at least a point, the game moved into overtime, where Belfast completed the comeback with their fifth unanswered goal.
Scott Conway was the hero just 26 seconds into the extra frame, finishing from Piccinich and Lee, who ended the night with three points.
The victory moves Belfast four points clear at the top of the Elite League standings, while Coventry remain sixth but full of confidence, having not lost in regulation time in 2026.
Photo credit: Scott Stevens
