Big two points on super Sunday in Glasgow

First Period

The Giants had the first real chance of the game through Josh Roach when the defenceman’s shot was blocked in front of the net. At the other end, Rylan Schwartz and Hugo Roy fired efforts wide before Tristin Langan tried his best to add to his goal from last night only to be denied by a good blocker save from Jake Kupsky.

The Giants had a couple more good chances before the first intermission with Jake Gaudet getting the puck on net only to be denied by Liam Souliere while Ciaran Long got the puck past the Clan goalie but not the post as we finished a rather cagey first period scoreless.

Second Period

The second 20 minutes certainly opened up more than the first with efforts at either end in quick succession by Cade Neilson and Ryan Smith both stopped by the respective net-minders. Brady Risk had opened the scoring in Belfast less than 24 hours previously and the Alberta-born forward repeated the trick as his shot took a looping deflection that wrong-footed Kupsky and nestled in the net (1-0).

The Giants had to respond and JJ Piccinich, who equalised the night before, went on a one-man mission to do so again. He saw one shot whistle over the bar and the other blocked before the officials used a video review to determine that Brandon Whistle’s shot had indeed hit the bar and not crossed the line.

However, the visitors didn’t have to wait long after this to get the puck in the net through Jordan Kawaguchi. He reacted superbly when Mike Lee’s shot was parried up into the air by Souliere to produce a baseball-style swing at the airborne puck to tie the game. (1-1)

Gaudet got a puck on net that was well blocked before Kupsky was called into action and made a superb double save from Mick Messner. That would prove crucial as, with just 46 seconds remaining in the period, Kawaguchi got another shot on net that squeezed through the glove of Souliere to give Belfast a lead going into the second intermission. (1-2)

Third Period

Much like the second period, the third opened up with a pair of chances for Neilson and Smith while Messner also did his best to draw his side level. Kupsky saved his fellow Wisconsite’s shot before the rebound rippled the side netting.

The third period was not full of chances but one fell the way of the Giants after good work around the net from Ben Freeman and Long made no mistake to open up a bit of daylight between the two teams with just over half of the final stanza played. (1-3)

Former Giant Daniel Tedesco tried his best to get the hosts back into it but he was denied in a net-front scramble before captain David Goodwin sniped home a rebound off a Piccinich shot to seal a big two points at the Braehead Arena. (1-4)

Up Next

The Giants return home next weekend for a massive double-header with the Nottingham Panthers on Friday and Saturday. Tickets for those games are selling fast but you can find a limited amount here.