Giants Gow Goal Crazy Against Clan

Henrik Eriksson, Matt McLeod, Ara Nazarian and Daniel Tedesco - back from international duty with Italy - also found the net in a remarkable tie in Scotland as Adam Keefe’s men began their Scottish double-header with two points as they head to Dundee on Sunday afternoon.

First period

Glasgow showed their early intent as Jordan Cownie nearly scored on the wraparound and Michael Pelech fanned on an empty net after some good build-up play, but they deservedly went ahead on the powerplay at 4:51, Luke Lynch taking advantage of a Jeff Baum tripping minor to redirect Matt Barry’s pass to the crease in. (1-0)

Prior to that Tedesco was denied shorthanded when he went in one-on-one with Antti Karjalainen, with Goodwin similarly denied shortly after the Clan opened the scoring, but it would the home side who would grab the next two goals through Pelech as he converted a giveaway behind the net at 8:23 (2-0) before bungling the puck over the line on a 3-on-1 breakaway at 10:14. (3-0)

Giants head coach Keefe called a timeout to rally his troops and it worked to perfection as Eriksson got the visitors on the board at 11:59, snapping in the finish from Goodwin’s pass back in front (3-1), with Long flashing a late effort wide as the visitors pushed to cut the deficit further, while Lynch took a late slashing call to put Belfast on a fruitless powerplay.

Second period

Glasgow managed to kill off the rest of Lynch’s penalty to get back to even strength but the Giants wouldn’t have to wait long for their goal as Goodwin grabbed his first since returning to the club, a turnover in neutral ice sending him in on Karjalainen and he made no mistake with the finish at 27:16. (3-2)

A hooking call against Gary Haden went unpunished by the Giants, as did a roughing minor against Ryan Harrison, although the visitors kept pushing as Will Cullen rang the iron with a long-range shot on the latter powerplay.

But the Giants would lead at the second intermission as Long tied things up at 34:42 when he took his time to line up a slapshot from the top of the right circle and hammered it all the way in (3-3) before McLeod put them ahead at 38:30 as he drove in from the left circle and squeezed it through the pads of Karjalainen. (3-4)

Third period

An early penalty against Nate Kallen for slashing put the Giants back on the powerplay yet again but the best chance fell to Harrison shorthanded as he broke away but was denied by Tyler Beskorowany, while similarly when Travis Brown was boxed for tripping the best chances all came shorthanded for Belfast, with Josh Roach denied by Karjalainen in front.

But having killed the penalty, the Giants couldn’t stop the Clan from tying it at 46:11 as Matt Barry stepped onto a rebound and fired low into the bottom corner (4-4), although Tedesco and Nazarian both had chances to put Belfast ahead again as they ramped up the intensity immediately after.

The goal would come, though, and Blake Speers picked up his first point in a Giants jersey as his shot was spilled by Karjalainen and Nazarian was there to deposit the rebound at 53:29 (4-5), with Goodwin adding his second and what proved to be a very crucial goal at 56:12 to add some insurance after being set up in the left circle by Cullen. (4-6)

That was by no means the end of the goals, though, Glasgow pulling Karjalainen for the extra skater when Brown was penalised for roughing and getting rewarded when Dyson Stevenson struck on the powerplay to make it a one-goal game at 57:43 (5-6), but Long would add the empty-netter to seal it at 58:56 (5-7) and then Tedesco would grab a sensational goal off a turnover in the Clan end at 59:40 to round off the scoring. (5-8)

Next up

The Stena Line Belfast Giants complete their weekend Scottish road trip as they head to the Dundee Stars on Sunday 11 February before back-to-back games against the Manchester Storm in Altrincham on Wednesday 14 February and on home ice in Belfast on Sunday 18 February. Get tickets for upcoming Belfast Giants home games here.

Photos by Al Goold.