Sensational Sunday Comeback Seals Win in Coventry

First Period

The Blaze came out of the traps at a rapid pace and Ryan Constable slid the puck wide early. That was to be foreboding for the visitors as, less than four minutes in, Elijiah Barriga came back to haunt his old club yet again with a good finish from Matthew Gleason’s pass for his third in four games against his former employers this season (1-0)

There was more for Jackson Whistle to deal with as he had to deny Constable and Gleason before Nicolas Guay had the Giants’ first real chance that was saved by Dershahn Stewart. Jere Vertanen then gifted David Goodwin a chance from straight in front but Stewart made a super save. Similarly at the other end, a loose puck was seized upon by Adam Robbins but Whistle reacted brilliantly to deny him.

The Giants goalie could do nothing to prevent Gleason grabbing a second for the Blaze with four minutes to go and, to make matters worse, he picked up an injury in the process (2-0). That brought Jake Kupsky into the game less than 24 hours after an impressive debut and he made a good save from Grant Mismash but, when the puck was worked back to the former Giant, he rocketed the puck into the roof of the net to open up a healthy home lead at the first intermission. (3-0)

Second Period

Stewart in the Blaze goal made a brilliant double save to begin the second as he repelled Goodwin and then Piccinich on the rebound. That turned out to be crucial as, just moments later, Robbins got his goal as he brilliantly tipped home Connor Russell’s pass in front of the net (4-0)

The hosts certainly had their tails up but the Giants reacted to that blow by pulling one back as Jordan Kawaguchi finished nicely off Guay’s drop pass from behind the net (4-1). Constable and Bo Hanson traded chances at either end before the visitors really began to haul themselves back into the game.

First, Mike Lee drove on the net and got the better of Stewart after exchanging passes with his captain Goodwin (4-2) before Jake Gaudet backed himself in a two-on-one after being sprang free by Gabe Bast (4-3).

The game was really on then and only a desperate save from Stewart prevented Conway from pulling the Giants all the way back to level terms soon after. Guay fired a shot over the bar before Hanson tried his luck again as Adam Keefe’s men attempted to capitalise on their newfound momentum. While there were no more goals in the second, the game was very much in the balance heading into the second intermission.

Third Period

The visitors immediately went in search of the equaliser that looked so unlikely at the beginning of the second as Guay and Goodwin came close before Mismash whiffed on a puck at the other end that allowed Kupsky to poke check the puck away.

While the hosts killed a penalty served by Jordan Power, the Giants came as close as possible to a goal without actually scoring one as Ryan Smith’s shot came down off the bar but on the wrong side of the blue paint from his point of view. However, another Giants powerplay would bear fruit as, with William Boysen taking a seat, Piccinich hammered home a leveller to bring the Giants all the way back. (4-4)

Piccinich tried again as did Conway while Boysen and Robbins had chances at the other end to win it in regulation but these two sides would go to overtime for the third time in four meetings so far this season.

Overtime

The overtime period didn’t last long as the Giants came all the way back from four goals down to earn the extra point in a sensational comeback as Conway hammered home on the turn from Piccinich’s pass just 26 seconds in. (4-5)

Up Next

The Giants are back in Coventry this Wednesday for the first leg of the Challenge Cup semi-final, with the return leg in Belfast on Wednesday 18 February. Tickets for that are selling fast, and a limited number can be purchased here.