Flawless

• Belfast Giants at Cardiff Devils, W 6-2
• Giants Goals: Pelle (3), LeBlanc, Mason, Keefe
• Devils Goals: Voth, Dobben

The Belfast Giants capped off a flawless five road game series by taking all the points in Cardiff against the Devils. A 6-2 demolition of last seasons Playoff and League runners up ended a run of games away from home that witnessed Doug Christiansen’s side take the maximum 8 league and 2 cup points available.

It was the surprise inclusion of Jon Pelle, making his league debut in Giants colours, that dominated headlines before and after the game. Pelle’s return was expected this forthcoming weekend against the Dundee Stars, but with Giants current leading points scorer Brock McBride sitting on a day-to-day assessed lower body injury, Pelle travelled to his former stomping ground to aid the Giants bid

It only took the debutant just over 5 minutes to announce himself to this season's title bid. In front of the crowds who last season poured their adulation toward him, he blasted a powerplay goal past Stevie Lyle and gave the Giants the lead. And not long into the second period his second retook the lead for the Giants after Brad Voth had drawn the sides level.

In a game that saw the Giants dominate in both attack and physicality, Adam Keefe was, once again, turned down by Voth when Cardiff’s former captain, one time considered one of the leagues toughest characters, was given the opportunity to go toe to toe with the Giants new hardman. Keefe displayed his amusement at this by giving the Devils fans a repeat performance of the Chicken Dance last seen when Voth turned similarly turned Keefe down weeks earlier. A poor reflection on the once feared Voth.

Scott Dobben once again took the sides level at the games midway point, but from there the Giants took hold as the Devils discipline fell apart. Powerplay goals from Jeff Mason and Pelle, his well deserved and appropriately celebrated hat-trick effort, alongside Derek LeBlanc and Keefe sealed the points for the Giants in impressive fashion.

The Giants are unbeaten on the road and still have only dropped a single point since the seasons beginning. The plaudits go to the entire team for one of the franchise's best ever starts to a season. But all the talk from Cardiff has been about the explosive man-of-the-match performance from Pelle, his 3+1 game statistics giving many Giants fans hope for the months to come.

The Giants return to the Odyssey Arena this weekend for the first time in almost a month with back to back games against the Dundee Stars and the Coventry Blaze

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