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Four first period goals helped the Belfast Giants beat the Cardiff Devils 5-3 in another exciting chapter of this enthralling Elite League rivalry.

However the Giants were holding on at the end as the Devils dominated the final period and were close to mounting an incredible comeback.

JJ Piccinich bagged a hat-trick for the Giants with Lewis Hook and Slater Doggett getting their other goals.

Josh Batch, Brandon McNally and Jake Coughler were on target for the Devils.

It moved the Giants to within a point of their opponents for second place in the Elite League standings and three behind leaders Sheffield.

It was an astonishing first period with the Giants 4-0 up with only 11:19 on the clock and Piccinich had already helped himself to a hat-trick.

The game was only fifteen seconds old when he scored his first. His initial shot almost went through the pads of Mac Carruth but as the Cardiff goalie looked around for the puck, Piccinich retrieved it at the side of the net, skated around the other side and tucked it into the net.

The Giants doubled their advantage with the sides skating 4-on-4 an odd man rush was perfectly played by Ben Lake and his pass allowed Hook to drill home the one-timer.

Piccinich watched that goal from the penalty box but almost as soon as he stepped back not he ice he was sent clear on a breakaway and he made no mistake to make it 3-0.

His hat-trick came when he picked up a loose puck in front of the Devils not and roofed it on the backhand. It ended the game for Carruth as he was replaced by Taran Kozun.

The early momentum for the Giants was halted by the first goal for the visitors by Batch and as the period closed it was the Devils who were finally finding their game.

The middle session was scoreless but there was plenty of action. Sam Ruopp and Devils Sam Duggan went toe-to-toe at centre ice with the Giants defenceman receiving a standing ovation for landing a couple of heavy blows as the game became more and more fractious.

Even off the ice Giants coach Adam Keefe and Cardiff's Brodie Dupont were exchanging a bout of verbals on the benches as tempers flared.

The Devils however are one of the best teams in the Elite League for a reason and they weren't going quietly.

Brandon McNally's powerplay marker early in the final period pulled the Devils within and they crept closer with just under seven minutes left when Jake Coughler's one-timer from a tight angle beat Tyler Beskorowany.

It set up another tense finish as the Devils pushed hard for the equaliser but Giants nerves were settled when Doggett scored the empty netter.

The Devils will take a lot from the way they played in the second half of the game and will hope for a split when the two sides meet again for the final time in the regular season on Saturday night.