Comeback Comes Up Short As Blaze Edge Giants 5-4

Posted on Saturday, September 19th, 2009 at 10:21 pm

After going into the first intermission trailing by 4 goals to 1 the LBM Belfast Giants got things going in the remaining two periods. However their attempt at a valiant comeback came up short as the Coventry Blaze edged a 5-4 win.

With the game only minutes old the Coventry Blaze got on the score sheet when the puck rebounded off the skate of Russ Cowley past Giants netminder Nathan Craze. The early goal stunned the Giants and what atmosphere was left in the building was drained from the Giants supporters as moments later
(5.37) Greg Chambers scrambled the puck into the Giants net to give the Blaze an early 2 goal lead.

The game was very scrappy at this point with neither team settling down on the puck, howeer at 8.52 the Giants pulled one back. With Matt Soderstrom serving time for tripping, the Giants finally got their powerplay unit of the mark as defenseman Tim Cook started a rush from behind his own net, before handing the puck off to Colin Shields. Shields swept a pass through the slot where he found Pat Bateman who fired the puck home past the sprawling Peter Hirsch to bring the game within one.

The Blaze increased their lead to 3-1 at 14.42 as Luke Fulgrum made good use of the man advantage provided by Geroge Awada’s hooking penalty. Picking the puck up behind the goal Fulgrum banked the puck off the back of Nathan Craze’s pads stunning the Giants netminder and many of the Odyssey crowd.

Chambers added a second at 17.43 on a feed from Jonathan Weaver giving the Blaze a comfortable 4-1 lead as the teams headed to the locker room.

During the period break LBM Belfast Giants coach Steve Thornton made a change in strategy yanking Nathan Craze making way for Stephen Murphy who sat out most of the opening games of the season due to injury.

Early in the second the Giants clawed one back as Pierre-Luc Faubert blasted a slapshot through Hirch’s five hole, again Colin Shields providing the helper as the side from Belfast brought the game within two.

Coventry’s infamous AC/DC line (Adam Calder & Dan Carlson) now accompanied by GB international Greg Chambers bagged the Blaze’s fifth again restoring the Blaze’s three goal lead going into the second intermission.

In the third period the Giants once again got things going. Bateman added his second of the evening on the powerplay at 44.42 with the assists going to Michael Jacobsen and Tim Cook. With less than 10 minutes remaining in the game Pat Bateman rounded off his hat trick as he linked up with Tim Cook who also bagged his third assist of the evening.

The remaining 10 minutes of play saw the Giants put high pressure on the Coventry defence as they camped out in the offensive zone. Despite many chances on goal the Giants were unable to get the puck past Hirsch. Pulling Stephen Murphy in the final minute the Giants made one last effort to tie the game, however this also went in vain giving the Coventry Blaze the road win and a valuable 2 points.