Blaze Seal Extra Point With OT Winner

First Period

The first period started with Elijiah Barriga sliding just wide but he had, in fact, been slashed by the returning Josh Roach whose first shift back from injury lasted a mere twelve seconds before he took a seat in the penalty box. This penalty was killed but not before Kim Tallberg and Jordan Power tested Jackson Whistle.

This would set the tone for the period as the Blaze kept the pressure on the home goal. Adam Robbins had another effort blocked before Ryan Smith answered back for the Giants and rattled the post. However, the visitors caught their hosts out as they tried to break and Grayson Constable picked out Jere Vertanen who couldn’t miss the empty net (0-1).

The pressure continued and Coventry doubled their advantage less than two minutes later when former Giant Barriga was teed up by Robbins (0-2) Carter Hamill then took a hooking penalty that was also killed but another former Giant in Grant Mismash struck the pipe. It was the visitors who continued to have the better of proceedings as the opening stanza came to a close.

Second Period

The Giants came out of the traps much quicker in the second as they looked to bounce back. Scott Conway and David Goodwin had a scramble in front of the net but couldn’t force home before Mike Lee had an effort blocked. Brandon Whistle was next to try his luck before a sumptuous Conway pass picked out Goodwin but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

However, with Smith serving a slashing penalty, the Giants struck short-handed. It was Lee who broke at pace and, despite having an option to his right, he hammered home past Mat Robson to halve the deficit (1-2)

The remainder of the period was interrupted by penalties with the teams sharing four between them. Despite this, the Giants continued to keep the pressure on Robson’s net but were unable to force an equaliser as we headed into the final stanza of the night.

Third Period

The Giants opened the third with another penalty served by Garrett McFadden that was killed once again but not before Tallberg almost caught out Whistle with a shot on the turn. Vertanen and Artem Buzoverya were next to try their luck before JJ Piccinich and Reid Irwin each came close to finding the elusive leveller.

Nicolas Guay then tried a wraparound that Robson was alert to while Karl Boudrias’ shot from the blue line was tipped away. It seemed as though all the pressure would lead to a Belfast goal but the Blaze struck against the run of play to open up their lead. It was Matthew Gleason who was in the right place at the right time to snaffle home a loose puck in front of the net to extend the lead (1-3).

As the clock ticked down and the Blaze tried to hold on, Adam Keefe’s men lay siege to Robson’s goal and it bore fruit. First, Smith unleashed a shot from the right that was tipped into the net by Brandon Whistle (2-3) before overtime was forced by Lee who prodded home at the back stick after an almighty scramble (3-3).

Overtime

The additional minutes did not last long as the Blaze secured their sixth win in a row and second out of three against the Giants this season thanks to Jordan Power’s one-tier from a Mismash pass.

Up Next

The Belfast Giants are back on home ice on Sunday (1 February) as the Glasgow Clan come to town for a sell-out clash at The SSE Arena.