Belfast Giants leapfrogged over Sheffield Steelers again following their victory in no-holds-barred game in Nottingham on Tuesday night.

It keeps the Superleague race wide open as last season's champions take a one-point lead over the Steelers who have a match in hand.

Giants took the lead on 3:52 when Paxton Schulte fired home following assists from Kevin Riehl and Rob Stewart.

The Giants doubled their lead on 7:48 when Stewart this time found the target after good work by Ryan Kuwabara and Kory Karlander.

But after 43 seconds of the second quarter, the Panthers stormed back when John Purves tucked away a pass from Mark Cadotte.

The second period, however, was scrappy and the game descended into violence with both sides involved in fisticuffs and roughing.

Panthers' Briane Thompson also received 10 minutes for abusing the officials.

Not unexpectedly, Schulte was involved in a fight, and his team-mate Lee Sorochan was ordered off for a misconduct call.

But it was the Giants who got away in the third period with two goals in a minute.

First Schulte banged in number three and then Dave Matsos made it four on 52:09.