The Belfast Giants coach told the men whose job it is to put the puck into the net that if they don't start doing what they are paid to do then they will be looking for a new club during the summer.

Courtenay is growing increasingly frustrated at his team's lack of firepower - particularly on the powerplay - and is demanding an improvement.

"My big guys aren't doing it night in and night out," said Courtenay.

"Maybe they are gripping the stick a little too tight, but there will be no excuses in the summer time.

"When I talk to guys then they can't turnaround and say 'I was gripping my stick too tight for four or five games in the middle of the season.'

"It is not a threat, it's reality.

"We don't have much time on our side if we are going to win the league and some big guys better start producing otherwise pretty soon those who were a no-brainer over whether they would be coming back next season or not will have question marks over them.

"There are a lot of guys looking for teams in the summer, I can get them in and I don't mind starting off with the basics."

Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Manchester Phoenix have left the Giants trailing Coventry Blaze by two points at the top of the Elite League table and the leaders also have two games in hand.

The Giants face the Hull Stingrays at the Odyssey tonight, while Coventry are in action twice over the weekend, away to Cardiff this evening before a home game against the Sheffield Steelers tomorrow.

"We are dark horses now," said Courtenay in regards to the Championship battle.

"We will most likely end up six points behind even though we have to play Coventry twice, but I won't write us off."