Boxing Day Blitz Crushes Flyers at Home

First Period

The hosts had the first chance of the game when Scott Conway tipped David Godwin’s effort just over the top before the Flyers had Jackson Whistle working early on. The Giants net minder had to be alert to keep out Logan Neilson before Ian Scheid fired wide.

The home crowd were out of their seats shortly after when JJ Piccinich beat Shane Owen in the Fife net but was denied by a superb goal line clearance by Ben Brown who was backing up his goalie. Owen was called into action again shortly afterwards to break up a two-on-one while Whistle made a good save from debutant Milan Lucic.

The first period was largely the goalie show at both ends with both tendies making some excellent saves. The Giants had chances from Nicolas Guay and Marcus Eriksson repelled by Whistle deflected away a Johan Porsberger shot. However, the deadlock was broken three minutes from the first intermission.

With Josh Winquist sat down for high-sticking, Guay poked home at the back post after another Owen save (1-0). Shortly after, it was the Flyers’ turn for a man advantage with Ben Lake penalised for cross checking and they will feel they should have done more but Giordano Finoro could only steer wide with the goal at his mercy to leave the Giants ahead after 20 minutes.

Second Period

While the first period was a tale of the two goalies, the Giants got off to a rapid start in the second with just over a minute on the clock. A beautifully deft pass from Nicolas Guay teed up Conway at the back post to slide home to double the home lead (2-0)

The visitors did have a chance to get back into the game when another former NHL man in David Booth found himself in space but Whistle stood up tall and denied him. That would prove crucial as Mike Lee added a third with a neat back-handed finish that evaded everybody including Owen in goal (3-0).

Belfast then killed a penalty served by Gabe Bast despite Scheid fizzing one just past the post and added their fourth when Jordan Kawaguchi slalomed through the Fife defence and finished coolly. (4-0). This is how it would stay at the second intermission despite efforts from Ciaran Long and Keaton Jameson as the hosts held a controlling advantage heading into the third.

Third Period

Conway’s goal to begin the second was quick but he turned provider for an even quicker one to begin the third. He and Reid Irwin exchanged quick passes to allow the British Columbia born D-man to score his first goal on Belfast ice. (5-0)

That well-and-truly opened the floodgates and the sixth goal was a very-well received one as local boy Hamill rifled home a brilliant one-timer from Long’s layoff for a first professional goal. (6-0). Number seven followed soon after and it was another first as Twarynski slid home his first for his new club from right in front of the net. (7-0)

Adam Keefe’s men weren’t finished yet and had a taste for goals. Karl Boudrias was the next to get his name on the scoresheet with an off-balance one-timer that evaded Owen (8-0) before captain Goodwin added a ninth with a nice individual effort.

There was almost time for double-figures only for a post to deny Piccinich while Whistle kept the shutout at the other end with a save from Finoro to round off a near-perfect Boxing day for the Giants.

Up Next

These two meet again in Kirkcaldy on Sunday at 5pm before the Giants return to home ice for their last game at The SSE Arena in 2025 on Tuesday 30 December. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here.