Giants Secure Double-Header Success

First Period

Debutant Giants goalie Alex Caffi made a pair of excellent early saves from last night’s goal-scorers Ross Armour and Cooper Zech. Carter Hamill was then binned for cross-checking, but the Giants killed that penalty with minimal fuss.

The Giants then created their first chance when Karl Boudrias teed up Ben Freeman in front of the net, but he couldn’t quite make the desired contact. Armour then missed the target with a pair of shots before Boudrias rippled the side netting and JJ Piccinich forced a save from Jason Grande. However, the Panthers' goalie would soon be beaten by a powerful Gabe Bast shot from the left hash marks. (1-0)

That lead would not last long – less than two minutes – as Chase Pearson found himself with room in front of the net to finish (1-1). The hosts would then go on the penalty kill again as Ciaran Long was penalised for interference.

The visitors laid siege to the home goal with a pair of good chances from Pearson and Mitchell Fossier, as well as one from David Noel. However, Caffi stood strong in the net, and we went into the first intermission level.

Second Period

Danny Stewart’s men came out of the traps quickly after the break with quick-fire chances for Pearson, Zech and Jakob Stridsberg, but none could find the net. However, Pearson did find the net for his second of the night when he was picked out in front of the net by Jordan Kelsall. (1-2)

Nottingham’s former Detroit Red Wing was not done there and completed his hat-trick less than 60 seconds later when he was teed up this time by Fossier. (1-3).

The visitors were keeping the pressure on, and that amped up when Hamill was the one who sat for two minutes for a bench minor penalty for the Giants. Tim Doherty had a good chance during this man-advantage, but, for the third time in the game, the Giants killed the penalty.

That appeared to give Adam Keefe’s men a boost, and they catapulted themselves back into the game with two goals inside 30 seconds towards the end of the second.

First, Ryan Smith beat Grande one-on-one, having been sprung away by Lake (2-3), before Lake himself tied the game a second later when he diverted Long’s shot into the net (3-3). That left the game in the balance at the second intermission.

Third Period

The final period began with a Matt Spencer shot held by the impressive Caffi before Hanson and Goodwin tested Grande at the other end. Hamill then had a shot saved before Didrik Henbrant had a couple of chances denied at the other end. Bryan Lemos flicked a puck over the crossbar while Grande made an excellent stop to deny Mike Lee at the other end, with Boudrias unable to finish off the rebound.

The third period was a feisty affair with the result on a knife’s edge heading into the final moments as Caffi made another crucial save off the stick of Brendan Harris. However, it was the hosts who secured a double-header victory thanks to Jordan Kawaguchi on the breakaway (4-3)

Up Next

The Giants are on the road in Manchester today (Sunday), before the final two home regular season games of the season on Wednesday 1 April and Saturday, 4 April against the Coventry Blaze and Guildford Flames respectively. You can purchase tickets for both of those here.