Giants Keep Flames Under Control in Guildford

First Period

The hosts came out of the blocks quicker and Josh Waller and Matt Alvaro had efforts go just the wrong side of the post before Patrick Grasso had a pair of chances for the Giants. However, the visitors did not heed the warning from the Guildford captain Alvaro as he scored his first league goal of the season with a prolific finish on the wraparound. (1-0)

Adam Keefe’s men responded positively and David Goodwin was all too happy to accept a gift from former Giant Charlie Curti who didn’t see the Giants captain out of the corner of his eye and gifted it straight to him and the Missouri native made no mistake with his finish to equalise just over two minutes after falling behind. (1-1)

With both captains now on the scoresheet, the two teams went after a goal that would give them the lead. Ethan Strang was lurking with intent in front of Jackson Whistle but couldn’t force home while Scott Conway was denied by Jake Kupsky after some nice stick work. The Giants then did well to kill a penalty called on Brandon Whistle for roughing with attempts from Cole Ully and Mathieu Gosselin the best the hosts could muster. Whistle then returned from the box and almost immediately had a good chance well saved by Kupsky to send us in level at the first intermission.

Second Period

Like the first, the second began with the hosts on top. Waller fired a shot across the face of goal before Whistle made a stunning double save to deny Gosselin and Curti in quick succession. However, Josh Nixon was sent to the penalty box for slashing and the men from Belfast made the most the man advantage just 40 seconds later. It was Jordan Kawaguchi who provided the finish after nice work from Mike Lee and JJ Piccinich. (1-2)

The Giants had to wait less than a minute to extend that lead when Reid Irwin’s shot off a faceoff came back off the boards behind and Scott Conway was quickest to react to finish smartly past a wrong-footed Kupsky. (1-3) That stunned the home crowd and the away side had chances to extend that lead most notably through Goodwin and Ciaran Long but they would be caught on the breakaway soon after. Jack Jacome provided the legs and Waller the finish as the hosts were back within one with just over six minutes left in the second (2-3)

Paul Dixon’s side had their tails up now and were pushing for an equaliser. Whistle made a good save from another former Giant in Travis Brown and Alvaro rattled the upright with the follow up. Lee and Jacome then traded chances before the buzzer as the Giants went in a goal to the good after 40 minutes.

Third Period

The final 20 minutes began with Grasso having a couple of chances from close range smothered by Kupsky before Marcus Eriksson spurned a good chance when teed up by Goodwin. That almost came back to haunt the visitors as Jamal Watson came a post’s width away from levelling the game at the other end.

Kupsky was there again to thwart Guay while Long fired just over the crossbar. Meanwhile, the hosts had a gilt-edged opportunity to equalise once again as, with Whistle on the floor having just made a save, Strang lifted the puck over the top with the empty cage at his mercy.

That was certainly a blow for the Flames and the wind was really taken out of their sails when Jake Gaudet was able to squeeze the puck home after a scramble in front of the net to re-establish Belfast’s two-goal lead. (2-4). That came with seven to go and, try as they might, Guildford could not find a route back into the game. They sacrificed their goalie with just over two minutes left and Eriksson was the beneficiary of an open goal to seal the victory and a four point weekend. (2-5)

Up Next

The Giants are on the road next weekend with trips to Dundee and Glasgow. Adam Keefe’s men are next on home ice for a weekend double-header against the Flames on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December. Tickets are still available and you can purchase them here.