Coventry Blaze 6-4 Belfast Giants

Todd Kelman scored the first but the Giants lost 6-4

Coventry Blaze are the early Elite League leaders after a 6-4 win over defending champions Belfast Giants.

The Giants stormed into a two-goal lead through Todd Kelman and Jason Ruff but Reid Simonton and Dan Carlson levelled.

Two goals from Curtis Huppe put Belfast 4-2 ahead but Coventry hit back with two strikes from Sylvain Cloutier and one each from Carlson and Ashley Tait.

Nottingham beat Basingstoke 9-4, while Manchester won 3-1 at Hull, and Newcastle edged Sheffield 5-4.

Nottingham turned on the style in their home opener, coming from behind as Bison suffered their second weekend loss.

Basingstoke lead 2-1 at the first break but the Panthers stuck six times between the 25th and 48th minute to lead 7-3, with two more goals late on.

Sean McAslan and GB international Dave Clarke both notched hat-tricks.

Manchester won the battle of the Elite League new boys at Hull despite going behind in the first minute.

Phoenix player-coach Tony Hand levelled early on, and Simon Mangos scored in the 34th minute to set up the win which was sealed by Robin Gomez 12 minutes later.

Newcastle completed a double winning weekend, taking both points in a tight struggle against Sheffield, who lost for the second night in a row.

An explosive start saw Jeremy Cornish (Vipers) and Brett Clouthier (Steelers) sin-binned for fighting after just five seconds.

Two goals from David Longstaff put the hosts ahead, but Sheffield fought back before the Vipers edged into a 4-3 lead.

Rod Sairach levelled for the visitors early in the final period but Jonathan Weaver hit the winner.