Giants blow title race open with Blaze defeat

PAT Bateman's second period winner blew the Elite League title race wide open as Belfast Giants edged past leaders Coventry Blaze at the Odyssey Arena.

The Blaze have had the better of the Giants in each of their previous five encounters this season but the Northern Irish side closed the gap at the top to just three points with their victory.

Jeff Szwez put the home side ahead with his 27th strike of the season before Greg Chambers equalised just before the half hour.

But with the final period beckoning, Bateman popped up on the powerplay to notch his 24th goal of the season and hand his side the points.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Panthers missed out on the chance to move two points behind the Blaze as they fell at Sheffield Steelers.

The Steelers have shown a resurgence of form recently and after going into the final period tied at 2-2, the home side bagged another four goals to Nottingham's two to win 6-4.

Jonathan Zion and Joey Talbot both starred with double strikes for the Steelers as they moved out of seventh place for the first time in 2010.

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Cardiff Devils scored a 3-2 win at Hull Stingrays and Edinburgh Capitals edged out Newcastle Vipers 5-4 in the North East.