Giants Round Out Home Campaign With Win

First Period

The first big chance of the game came via the visitors when Joe Hazeldine’s effort was deflected wide. Alex Forbes then got a puck on the net before Gabe Bast and JJ Piccinich tested Sami Aittokallio. His opposite number, Jake Kupsky, was also in fine form in the opening stanza and made a superb double save from Jason Fram.

Bo Hanson and Nicolas Guay almost connected in front of the goal before Reid Irwin and Jordan Kawaguchi also got shots on net. Cade Neilson responded for Glasgow with a shot just wide before Brandon Whistle was denied from straight in front by a big save from Aittokallio.

In a similar vein to Fram, Brett Neumann was also denied twice in quick succession by Kupsky before Mike Lee’s effort was deflected into the screen. The period ended with the Giants on the power play, with Mikhailo Teppo sitting down for high-sticking, but the Clan killed the penalty well.

Second Period

The Giants began the second period pushing the envelope with chances for Karl Boudrias and Carsen Twarynski, with neither troubling Aittokallio. Lee then had an eventful couple of minutes when he slapped a shot just wide before being sent to the penalty box for a slashing call.

That penalty was killed with minimal fuss before Piccinich fizzed a shot into the midriff of Aittokallio. At the other end, Kupsky had to be alert as he repelled Hugo Roy from close range. It was then the hosts’ turn to go on the power play again as Mick Messner took a seat for a tripping call. David Goodwin and Piccinich both tried their luck during this time, with the former firing over and the latter seeing his shot saved, meaning the game was still scoreless heading into the final 20 minutes of action in Belfast this season.

Third Period

Once again, the hosts came out of the traps quickest, and Aittokallio had to react quickly to deny a clever wraparound from Gabe Bast. Irwin tested the Glasgow goalie again with a powerful wrister, and Scott Conway was unable to snaffle up the rebound.

Steven Seigo then put his body on the line to block a Kawaguchi shot that was heading towards the goal before Kupsky made another stunning save to deny Neumann. Conway then fired a pair of shots wide, as did Rylan Schwartz at the other end, as the clock ticked down on what looked like an unlikely goalless draw.

However, with just over two minutes remaining, up stepped Guay to secure the narrowest of advantages heading into the second leg. It came from good work by Irwin, who got a puck on the net, and Guay poked home from a narrow angle (1-0).

Up Next

The second leg at the Braehead Arena is at 7pm tonight, with a place in next weekend’s finals weekend in Nottingham.