Glasgow Clan head coach Pete Russell joked his team should play tired every week after they whitewashed Elite League title challengers Belfast Giants 5-0 following a ruthless performance by his team.

His weary battlers had lost twice in the Northern Irish capital on Thursday and Saturday but turned form on its head to produce a result that keeps them in the frame for a third-place finish, something that left Russell delighted afterwards.

“We looked tired on Thursday and I think the travel had got to us a little,” he said. “Saturday was a bad start and we never recovered against a good team. But we had the start and put them on the back foot.

“We had a big crowd and make sure we put in a good display. When you’re tired, less is more. Maybe they should be tired every week.

“We played our game and it worked out for us. Due to the fatigue, I made

a point of making things simple. I didn’t do any video and kept everything short. I just simplified five or six things and encouraged them to battle through.

Three minutes after the restart was all it took for Vaclav Stupka to poke in a rebound from Scott Pitt’s shot that had been thwarted by

Belfast’s impressive netminder Tyler Beskorowany.

A further three minutes passed and the Clan doubled their lead as Rasmus Bjerrum smashed in a short-handed effort with the Giants looking shaky and a little unsure of themselves.

Gerard Hanson was on target with a third, getting the slightest of touches on a Zach Sullivan shot then Stupka turned provider for the fourth as his burst forward down the right, set up Scott Pitt, who reached out to poke it into the Giants net.

Brendan Connolly’s blast in the final session secured the victory with the fifth goal as Russell’s men maintained their hold on third place, with four tough trips on the road to come.

Russell spoke of the importance of getting the results at home as they started to pack the bus for the trip to Sheffield Steelers on Wednesday.

“We now go into a stretch of four games in four tough venues and that’s why your home games are important,” he added. “It was a huge two points and good to bounce back from two performances that weren’t

the best, but the players got back on track here.”