Mirror.co.uk — THE Belfast Giants split the first two games of the new Elite League season, beating the Nottingham Panthers 4-3 after a penalty shoot-out in front of a crowd of over 4,800 at the Odyssey Arena on Saturday night before losing 6-4 on the road to the Coventry Blaze.

The big talking point of the opening weekend was the change to the rules this season.

The zero tolerance approach to clutching and grabbing saw referee Michael Hicks make 26 minor penalties in last night’s game.

The same official called a whopping 36 in the game between the Giants and Panthers on Saturday night.

But the turning point in last night’s game, according to Giants coach Ed Courtenay, had nothing to do with the new rules, just bad refereeing.

With the Giants trailing 5-4, new signing Mark Dutiaume looked liked he’d equalised.

The goal was ruled out by referee Hicks after the Giants player crashed into the Blaze goalie Trevor Koenig, dislodging the net.

“I want to know when the referees are going to be accountable when they make a mistake,” said Courtenay.

“The puck was clearly in the net before Dutiaume falls into the goalie. I have a picture of it from the photographer here.

“That would have made it 5-5, and that was the turning point.

“When are the referees not going to be a factor in the game?”

He added: “I’m not saying anything about the new rules’ this has nothing to do with that.

“Just because they clean up one part of the game doesn’t mean they can continue to be bad refs.

“I have no problem with what they are calling but there’s no excuse for missing that call.

“Everytime a coach says something in the papers the league is looking for an apology’ well I and my players want an apology from Hicks for making a bad call and changing the outcome of the game.

“Even the Blaze coach said it was a goal.”

On the ice, the Giants blew a two-goal lead twice.

Todd Kelman and Jason Ruff put the Giants 2-0 up within 10 minutes of the start of the game, but by the six minute mark of the second period strikes from Reid Simonton and Dan Carlson had tied the game up.

Then came a scoring spree with five goals in a span of nine minutes.

The first two went to Curtis Huppe, who put the Giants 4-2 ahead only for Sylvain Cloutier to score twice either side of Carlson’s second of the game.

A late goal from Ashley Tait sunk the Giants.

All the penalty calls led to a less than spectacular opening game on Saturday, saved only by the thrills of the penalty shots after a 3-3 tie.

Dutiaume scored the only penalty of the shoot-out, Mike Minard saving all the Panthers efforts.

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