Sat-Trick Hero Leads Giants to Big Win Over Fife

The Japanese winger netted three times against the Scots, with Daniel Tedesco grabbing a double and Travis Brown and David Goodwin also on the scoresheet as the Giants opened the weekend with the two points on home ice.

First period

The Giants thought they had an early goal when Sato - who could have had five or six on the night alone - fired a backhand that beat Dominik Salama but came back off the crossbar and rebounded away, and instead Fife went ahead just 3:54 in when Teemu Pulkkinen broke away shorthanded after Brady Pouteau was penalised for slashing and beat Tyler Beskorowany on the backhand. (0-1)

The equaliser would not be long in coming, though, and it came through makeshift centre Brown, who prodded in the rebound off Cameron Pound’s shot from the blue-line at 6:39 (1-1), however after surviving a Bobby MacIntyre slashing penalty, another call against Will Cullen for closing his hand on the puck saw Johan Eriksson give the visitors the lead again at 14:07 when he snapped in a loose puck out in front. (1-2)

But Sato sparked the comeback when he dropped the gloves with Pouteau and Tedesco would tie it up at 16:41 with a superb solo goal, turning the puck over at the blue-line and finishing after a toe drag (2-2), with the Giants ending the period on the powerplay as Collin Shirley was boxed for high-sticking.

Second period

Although Fife managed to kill off the remainder of Shirley’s penalty, the Giants would dominate the second period and Sato nearly opened his account when MacIntyre found him streaking in on goal but Salama was able to close the door five-hole to prevent the Japanese international from beating him.

Ben Lake then came close when he was found in close and shot backhand but was denied by Salama, but the goal finally came as Josh Roach dished the puck to Sato cutting across the crease and he finished backhanded at 31:37. (3-2)

The winger almost had another when he drove in from the right towards goal but his shot from in close was denied by Salama, with the Giants unable to strike again late as Kevin Wehrs was sent to the penalty box for slashing.

Third period

The two sides traded goals early in the third period, Sato grabbing his second at 41:40 as he tried to pass across goal for Jacob Friend but it went in off a Fife skate (4-2) before Lucas Chiodo put the puck back in front for Vitalijs Pavlovs to respond at 46:20 (4-3), but only 37 seconds later Tedesco grabbed his second as he tipped in Goodwin’s shot to restore the two-goal lead. (5-3)

Once again the Flyers reduced the Giants’ lead to one when Sean Giles stepped into a shot at the high slot and rifled it high past Beskorowany at 49:44 (5-4) but once more the home side got their two-goal advantage back quickly as Goodwin snapped in the one-timer off Roach’s feed 20 seconds later. (6-4)

And there was just enough time for Sato to complete his treble on the powerplay as Wehrs was penalised for tripping and the winger went between the legs to bank his shot up and over Salama at 58:01 to let the hats rain down on the ice and cap off a memorable night in Belfast. (7-4)

Next up

The Stena Line Belfast Giants head to the Nottingham Panthers on Sunday 25^th February before a home double-header against the Coventry Blaze to start March, on Friday 1^st and Saturday 2^nd. Tickets available here.