Giants Wrap Up Challenge Cup Semi-Final Spot

Despite dominating the shot count, the Giants would prevail with Long’s third-period one-timer and, backed by their excellent netminder, ensured they would be in the knockouts of the Cup come the new year as they can no longer be caught at the top of Group B.

First period

The Giants had the puck in the net just a minute in as Grant Mismash’s wraparound was fired in by J.J. Piccinich, however, it was ruled out for the net already being off its moorings, with Kyle Osterberg firing just over shortly after and then Elijiah Barriga’s tip was well padded away by Jarrett Fiske.

The Dundee netminder made two more fantastic stops to keep the Giants at bay, Long’s ripper from the right circle steered away before he went post-to-post to deny Josh Roach a tap-in from a great backdoor feed by Scott Conway, with the visitors getting the first powerplay of the game when Mack Stewart was penalised for roughing in a fracas after an off the puck hit on Conway.

The chances dried up as the period went on, Mismash having a shot from the mid-slot that was turned away by Fiske before Philippe Sanche had a golden opportunity to put the Stars ahead just before the break, but he fired over to leave it scoreless at the break.

Second period

A slashing call on Mismash put the Giants on the kill just 27 seconds into the second period but they played it out before the home side had a second goal ruled out, this time Barriga tipping in a shot from Cameron Pound only for it to be washed out on review by the officials.

Still the Giants pressed and still they couldn’t find the breakthrough as Bo Hanson was the next to get the crowd on their feet, his shot from the blue-line hitting the post and rebounding to safety before Mark Cooper tipped a pass over and then Jordan Kawaguchi tipped a shot that Fiske just managed to get down and block five-hole.

Pierre-Olivier Morin re-upped the physical stakes with a crunching hit on Zach Tsekos as the seconds ticked down to the second intermission but perhaps it should have been the Stars ahead at the break as Kyle Pouncy fired the puck to the back post for Sanche but, with the goal at his mercy, the winger prodded his effort wide.

The Giants also had two big chances late in the period to go ahead as firstly Gabe Bast had an effort turned aside by the pad of Fiske after some nice work by Mismash, followed by Kawaguchi unable to turn it in off a turnover in the offensive zone, with the period ending on a sour note as the two sides clash following a Bast cross-checking penalty and a charging retaliation from Tsekos.

Third period

Having been frustrated for so long, the Giants finally found a way through at 44:28 as Long got them off the mark, stepping into a loose puck in the right circle and hammering one past Fiske for the opener (1-0), and McCollum did the business at the other end as he robbed Alex Tonge on the one-on-one breakaway, flashing his glove to save the winger’s shot.

Brendan Harms was called for delay of game to put the Giants on their first powerplay of the afternoon and Kyle Osterberg was denied in front by Fiske, but the best chance fell to Stars captain Drydn Dow, who led the rush up the ice as the penalty expired and saw his spinning effort turned away by the pad of McCollum.

With the clock ticking down, the Stars became desperate on offense and starting flooding players forward and they put pressure on McCollum’s net but they couldn’t find that tying goal they needed to take it to overtime, with the Giants instead hanging on for the two points and their place in the Cup semi-finals.

Next up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants tackle a testing road trip in the Elite League as they face the Manchester Storm and Sheffield Steelers on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November respectively, with their next home game at The SSE Arena, Belfast coming on Saturday 16 November when they take on the Fife Flyers in the Challenge Cup. Tickets are available here.