D-Men Lead Giants to Midweek Win

First Period

The hosts had the first opportunity of the first period as Cole Ully rattled the crossbar inside the opening minute. The Giants responded well with chances for Ryan Smith and Karl Boudrias while Ciaran Long stung the palms of Justin Fazio in the home goal.

Jackson Whistle then had to be alert to deny Lewis Hook on the breakaway while Smith was again testing Fazio at the other end in a game that was turning increasingly end-to-end. The Flames killed a penalty served by Josh Waller for tripping before Nick Seitz forced a stick save from Whistle.

However, that was merely a warning shot as, just moments later, Ethan Strang seized on a loose puck in centre ice and finished nicely one-on-one top open the scoring (1-0). Jordan Kawaguchi responded and fired just wide before serving a penalty of his own that straddled the intermission and was ultimately killed.

Second Period

The Giants began the second on the front foot as they chased a leveller. Jake Gaudet had a pair of good early chances with one stopped by Fazio and another wide of the target. It was largely one-way traffic as Mike Lee was next to come close for the visitors. He showed some silky stick work before flicking a back-handed effort over the top.

Travis Brown had an effort blocked by a Giants body before Paul Dixon’s side served a bench minor penalty that the Giants would take full advantage of. They did so through a vicious one-timer off the stick of Gabe Bast as he sent a rocket past Fazio off Marcus Eriksson’s perfect pass to tie the game (1-1)

The Flames did finish the period with opportunities as Whistle denied Jack Jacome before the Belfast penalty kill was to the fore again as they survived Carsen Twarynski being seated for a slashing call with minimum fuss. This meant the game was very much in the balance to begin the third.

Third Period

The Flames thought they had taken the lead again early in the final stanza when Hook slid home a rebound after a Whistle save but the effort was ruled out for goaltender interference. The Giants took full advantage of this as they scored a goal of their own to take the lead. It was another D-man in Lee who, similarly to Bast’s goal earlier, rifled home a one-timer off JJ Piccinich’s pass. (1-2)

The hosts answered back and had their visitors pinned back in their own zone. Jake Gravelle and Mathieu Gosselin peppered Whistle who kept them out despite a net-front scramble. After surviving a prolonged period of pressure that included another Jacome chance, Adam Keefe’s men went back on the attack themselves. Reid Irwin had a puck on net parried before Nicolas Guay poked wide from a narrow angle.

Long then thought he had a third for the Giants following another scramble but a replay proved that Fazio had pulled off a superb save on the ground to deny him and stop the puck crossing the line. That gave Guildford the confidence to go in search of an equaliser as the clock ticked down. Jonathan Racine tried his luck while Ully came close with quick-fire efforts. However, Whistle saved his best for last as he repelled Jacome from straight in front when it looked like the Ontario-born forward was destined to take the game to overtime.

Instead, with Fazio sacrificed for the extra skater, the Giants sealed the victory with an empty netter from David Goodwin (1-3). The remaining seconds were the only time in the game where the result wasn’t in the balance as the Giants secured a battling win in Surrey.

Up Next

The Giants are back on home this Saturday 24 January at 7pm as they play host to the Dundee Stars in an Elite League clash. Tickets are available to purchase here.