Sunday Best as Giants Earn Split Weekend

First Period

After a rapid start on Saturday night, the Devils took an early lead again in this one. It took a bit longer this time, but just after two minutes into proceedings, Riley Brandt finished from in front of the net, having been teed up by Cedric Lacroix. (0-1) Just over 90 seconds later, though, the hosts were back on level terms thanks to Jake Gaudet, who finished after good work around the net from David Goodwin and Bo Hanson. (1-1)

After this frenetic start, the game settled down a bit, although not before Nicolas Guay had a couple of good chances. The Devils went on the power play with just over five minutes left in the period when Ciaran Long was sat down for interference, but a blocked Kohen Olischefski shot was the most the visitors could muster.

After a Brett Perlini effort was held by Jake Kupsky, it was the Giants’ turn to go on the power play when Josh MacDonald was penalised for tripping. The hosts would make the most of the man advantage and took the lead with just over a minute remaining, thanks to Scott Conway. He was on hand to mop up a rebound after Carsen Twarynski’s shot was parried by Ben Bowns. (2-1).

Second Period

Paul Thompson’s men came out of the traps quickly after the restart and had a handful of chances to trouble Kupsky, but the Giants’ Wisconsin-born goalie kept them at bay. At the other end, Hanson had a shot well tipped over the bar by Bowns, but the Idaho-born D-man made no mistake with a brilliant finish after a quick link-up again with his captain, Goodwin. (3-1)

Any thoughts of the hosts pulling away were put to bed very quickly when, just two minutes later, Brandt got his and his side’s second when he was fed on the breakaway by Brandon Estes (3-2). The hosts went back to it after this and began peppering the goal net. Bowns made two excellent stick saves from JJ Piccinich and Conway, but there was nothing he could do to deny Ryan Smith, who got his third goal in as many games from in front of the net (4-2).

Once again, though, the men from the Welsh capital would not roll over, and Brandt completed his hat-trick with six to go in the second. (4-3) This is how it would stay until the intermission despite a Lacroix penalty yielding a chance for Twarynski that was well saved by the pad of Bowns.

Third Period

D-men for either side had efforts early in the third when Kontos and Reid Irwin tested the goaltenders before Estes and Tyson Helgesen also pushed for a Devils equaliser in what was a feisty final period.

Hanson and Brandt were both trying to add to their tally but were denied as the clock ticked down, with the Giants holding their narrow advantage. Cole Sanford was then sat down for a roughing penalty that the Devils killed effectively with a blocked Gabe Bast shot, the only real effort of note.

With less than two minutes on the clock, Paul Thompson pulled his net-minder for the extra skater, and the Giants took advantage with Conway winning a face-off and scoring a long-range empty-netter with just 30 seconds left on the clock. (5-3) That was still not the end of the scoring in this thrilling game as MacDonald, having been denied just before the fifth Giants goal, finished from close range (5-4). However, that was not enough as the hosts held on for the two points.

Up Next

The Belfast Giants go on the road next weekend for a big double-header in Sheffield before returning to home ice on Saturday 21 March against Glasgow Clan. You can purchase tickets for that one here.