Posted on Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Going into Friday Night’s game, you could forgive Coach Steve Thornton for being more nervous than usual. He couldn’t train with a full squad all week, injuries to the Giants were piling up and a handful of guys had been sick most of the week. The morning of the game, at least seven players were listed as ‘unlikely.” But despite missing four players out with injuries, the Giants banded together to come up with one of the most dominating performances ever witnessed at the Odyssey Arena.
Two goals from three different players lead the way; Pat Bateman, Craig Peacock and Thornton, as Friday night’s 11-3 thrashing of the Newcastle Vipers tied a franchise record for goals scored at home for the LBM Belfast Giants.
Only two Giants fourteen skaters failed to register a point and they had eight goal scorers. Surprisingly perhaps, EIHL leading points scorer Colin Shields only added a couple of assists to his seasons tally while on the other hand Evan Cheverie totalled 1+5.
The game as a contest was over after the opening period as Giants raced to a 4-0 lead. Pat Bateman (with his13th goal of the season) set them on their way at 7.17 and further first period strikes came from Steve Thornton (2nd) at 10.50, Craig Peacock (14th) 16.00 powerplay and Brandon Benedict (13th) 18.39 shorthanded.
The middle session was a quieter affair until it ended with a home flourish. Bateman (14th) saw Giants go nap at 26.43 before Vipers finally got on the board at 36.54 as David Longstaff (9th) scored on a delayed penalty. However, the closing minute saw Giants score twice more through Peacock (15th) at 39.16 and Thornton (3rd) 39.56 for a 7-1 advantage.
Kevin Reiter was replaced by Richard Lawson between the Vipers pipes at the start of the third period but it made no difference as Giants were in full flow now. Goals by Mark Morrison (1st) at 41.20, Sean McMorrow (2nd) 48.58, Cheverie (10th) 49.49 and finally Jeff Szwez (17th) 52.04 shorthanded had Giants 11-1 ahead before Vipers hit a couple of late goals on the powerplay by Jason Tejchmna (15th & 16th) at 52.58 and 53.35 to at least see them finish with something positive on what was otherwise a night for them to forget quickly.
Period Scores: 4-0, 3-1, 4-2
Penalty Mins: Bel 26 – New 10
Powerplay: Bel 1/4 – New 2/7
Shots On: Stephen Murphy 23 / Andrew Dickson 6 – Kevin Reiter 30 / Richard Lawson 10
Referee: Tom Darnell
© 2008 Belfast Giants Limited, unless otherwise stated. Imagery © Michael Cooper Photography.
