Giants Beaten by Red Bull München in Warrior Cup Final

First Period

The Giant had the first chance of the game with Logan Cockerill’s effort held by Mathias Niederberger in the Red Bull Munchen goal. After this, it was the turn of Jake Kupsky to make a pair of good saves. First, he tipped a shot from Ville Pokka wide before wrapping his glove around a fierce effort from Christopher Desousa.

Cole Shudra answered back for Giants with an effort that was held by the net minder while Kaleb Pearson rippled the side netting with Scott Conway sitting down for a four minute penalty for high sticking. Kupsky saved again from Maximilian Kastner which proved crucial as, just before the end of the period, Jake Gaudet was quickest to a loose puck in front of the net to give Belfast a lead heading into the first intermission. (1-0)

Second Period

A fiery second period began with a fine save by Kupsky to repel Desousa before Ty Prefontaine responded with a fierce shot just wide. The German side had been threatening towards the end of the first and they did tie the game soon after through Patrick Hager who mopped up in front of the net (1-1)

To their credit, Adam Keefe’s men responded well and JJ Piccinich had a goal-bound effort blocked before Kupsky made a reaction stop from a close range Trevor Carrick shot. Despite his efforts, there was nothing the Giants’ Wisconsin-born net minder could do stop Tobias Rieder finishing on the rebound after Desousa’s shot was blocked (1-2).

The men in teal had two men sat in the penalty box which led to a period of sustained pressure on the net. First, efforts from Yasil Ehliz and Jeremy McKenna were smothered from close range before Rieder got his second after finishing a rebound off Markus Eineschmid’s shot. (1-3)

Third Period

Kastner had the first chance of the final stanza from straight in front only to be denied by Kupsky. Ciaran Long fizzed one over before Hager and Desousa linked up well in front but couldn’t finish. However, one man for the Munich side who could finish was Domink Kahun who took the game away from the Giants with the fourth for Oliver David’s side (1-4).

Kastner went on a slaloming move that he couldn’t put the finishing touches on before the Giants went on the offensive in search for a way back into the game and something else for the sizeable traveling Teal Army to celebrate. Piccinich and Mike Lee had goal-bound efforts repelled before Pearson rattled the post.

Prefontaine and Morten Jensen had long range shots denied by Niederberger before the Red Bulls added a late fifth to their tally thanks to McKenna (1-5). Conway did try to get the last word for the Giants but it wasn’t to be albeit it brought to an end a very productive and worthwhile weekend in Kaufbeuren before the games count for real next weekend.

Up Next

The Challenge Cup gets underway on Saturday with a trip to Dundee before the Stars return the favour in Belfast the following weekend for the first competitive home game at The O2 Belfast. That game is a 7pm start on 19^th September and tickets can be found here.