Curti Grabs Winner as Giants Hold Off Storm

Backed by an excellent 24-save night from netminder Tyler Beskorowany, winger Bobby MacIntyre’s first goal in a Giants’ jersey and defenceman Charlie Curti’s game-winner in the third period helped Adam Keefe’s men to the two points.

FIRST PERIOD

The first chance of the game fell to Storm forward Mitchell Martan, who tested Tyler Beskorowany on the breakaway but couldn’t beat his pad low, while at the other end an interference call on C.J. Garcia led to Mark Cooper nearly picking out Greg Printz at the back door on the powerplay, but he couldn’t finish.

Although the Giants were dominating play, chances were few and far between in the first period as MacIntyre drove the net from the left circle but was denied by Storm netminder Evan Weninger, before the goalie threw up a shoulder to deflect a Quinn Preston shot over as well.

But the biggest sights at goal for both sides came in the latter stages of the period, a David Phillips shot almost turned in on the rebound by Matt McLeod only for the puck to just sail wide, followed by Will Merchant being denied his own rebound opportunity on the doorstep by Beskorowany with a matter of seconds to the buzzer.

SECOND PERIOD

Belfast had two excellent chances to break the deadlock early in the second period as a loose puck around the Storm crease fell to the stick of Daniel Tedesco, but he could only shoot wide, while another powerplay went unpunished as Stephen Johnson sat for tripping.

But the home side did get a big let-off when the Storm got their first powerplay of the game - Travis Brown penalised for tripping - and a deflected shot snuck through the pads of Beskorowany and sat on the goal-line, only for the video review to determine that the whole puck did not cross the line and it was no goal.

The Giants were still having chances, though, with Mark Cooper denied by a superb glove save from Weninger on a shorthanded one-on-one, while Ara Nazarian’s shot was also gloved down by the goaltender after he was fed back in front by Printz.

Manchester thought they had the lead at the second intermission when they struck on their second powerplay as Henrik Eriksson was penalised for tripping and Stephen Johnson found the net at 37:40, poking home the shot after a scramble at the crease (0-1), but the Giants would tie it up with 4.4 seconds remaining, Cooper feeding MacIntyre at the back post for the tap-in for his first in teal. (1-1)

THIRD PERIOD

Sato had a great chance early in the final period as he picked up on a neutral zone giveaway and fired on goal from the left circle, only for Weninger to glove it down, while at the other end Johnson was denied five-hole by Beskorowany.

But a huge five-on-three kill from the Giants as Jacob Friend (tripping) and Quinn Preston (hooking) sat for penalties in quick succession lifted the arena and they would ride that momentum into the lead as Johnny Curran found Curti skating into the slot and he fired over the glove side of Weninger for the go-ahead goal at 50:57. (2-1)

Indeed, if anybody was to add to their score late in the game then it was the Giants, and MacIntyre almost found a second when Nazarian fed him the puck with an excellent chance late on, but Weninger made the save to keep the visitors’ hopes alive, but it wasn’t to be as the home side held on for the two points.

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants and Storm will renew their rivalry in the second game of their double-header on Saturday evening at The SSE Arena, Belfast with the second leg of the Challenge Cup quarter-final against the Coventry Blaze also in Belfast on Wednesday December 20. Tickets are available here.