Steve Thornton's Giants side have not made a good start to the Elite League

Belfast Giants' struggles in the Elite League continued as they let an early lead slip on the way to a 6-2 defeat by Nottingham Panthers on Saturday night.

Giants enforcer Sean McMorrow sustained an immediate five-man penalty after tangling with Kevin Bergin.

Morrow was then handed a game penalty before the end of the first period.

Two Colin Shields goals gave the Giants a 2-1 lead but braces from Kevin Bergin and Marty Gascon and a Sean McAslan goal helped Nottingham take the win.

McMorrow received his first five-minute penalty after only three seconds following a tangle with Bergin, who also was handed the same initial sanction.

Shields put the Giants ahead in the second minute and while Corey Neilson levelled, the visitors were in front by the 13th minute as Shields notched his second goal.

However, the Giants then lost their way as hardman McMorrow took centre stage as his second five-minute penalty for fighting was them immediately followed by his game penalty as he continued to vent to anger.

For good measure, McMorrow was handed a further two-minute sanction for boarding as he left the ice.

McMorrow's early sparring partner Bergin responded in the best possible fashion by levelling in the 19th minute and goals from Gascon and McAslan had Nottingham 4-2 ahead by the end of the second period.

As Evan Cheverie, Tim Cook and Shane Johnson were handed further penalties, Gascon and Bergin completed the scoring in the final period.

On Friday, the Giants let slip a two-goal lead to draw their second Challenge Cup group game at the Odyssey Arena.

Pat Bateman netted after just 51 seconds for the holders and he went on to complete his double and make it 2-0 after 33 minutes.

But the Vipers hit back three minutes later with Mike Berry scoring and Jason Tejchma equalised for Newcastle with 11 minutes left.

The Giants will be next in action in next Saturday's home game against Cardiff Devils.

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