Giants Suffer First Cup Loss in Glasgow

Despite going ahead through Mark Cooper and a superb performance from netminder Tom McCollum, Adam Keefe’s men would come out second best on the night to draw a blank for the first time this season.

First period

McCollum needed to make two early stops to deny Mitchell Heard and Cole Ully on the first shift but instead, it was the Giants who got the early lead just 58 seconds in as captain Cooper banked the backhand shot off the back of Landon Bow and in (0-1), with neither side able to score on powerplays as Nick Prkusic (cross-checking) and Kyle Osterberg (high sticking) sat.

The Giants were guilty of not capitalising on a 5-on-3 powerplay shortly after when Chris McKay (high-sticking) and Mitchell Heard (unsportsmanlike conduct) were boxed concurrently, although Bow did make a big stop in the crease to deny them, and the goaltender once again came up big when the returning Bobo Carpenter got a clear chance shorthanded - Cameron Pound off for roughing.

It was McCollum who finished the period the stronger of the two netminders, however, as he produced a fine stop to deny Keaton Jameson as the Giants killed off a Josh Roach delay of game penalty.

Second period

Once again it was McCollum who started the period with a big save as he saved on a Rylan Schwarz breakaway but eventually, the weight of chances took their toll and whenever the netminder saved on a Heard breakaway, Deven Sideroff was following in to wrap in the rebound for the tying goal at 24:24 (1-1).

An interference penalty on Ciaran Long left the Giants shorthanded again and McCollum once more saved from Heard to keep the game level, while at the other end, Ben Lake only found the midriff of Bow when he skated in with Gabe Bast.

As the seconds ticked down to the end of the period, the Giants were unable to make the most of a tripping penalty against McKay and but for the excellent McCollum, they would have fallen behind as he prevented Michael Pelech from scoring on the breakaway and then blocked Tyson McLellan’s left circle shot.

Third period

Having weathered multiple penalties in the first two periods, eventually, the Giants couldn’t play out any more and when Pierre-Olivier Morin was called for slashing, the Clan found their winning goal at 45:41 as a shot from Heard dropped right back into the crease and Pelech was there to put it in on the rebound (2-1).

Another tripping penalty on Reece Kelly was once again unpunished by Belfast and still McCollum was coming up with big saves at the other end as McLellan fed Schwarz in front but the netminder produced the save.

Cooper took a late-charging call that ate up some of the time the Giants had to try and claw back the deficit, but they did have the opportunity to pull McCollum for the extra skater late on to try and find the equaliser, only for Sideroff to seal it with the empty netter with 34 seconds remaining (3-1).

Next up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants continue their Challenge Cup group campaign with a rematch with the Clan, this time at The SSE Arena, Belfast on Sunday 13 October. Tickets are available to purchase here.

Image Credit - Al Goold