Seven Goal Giants Bounce Back From OT Defeat in Dundee

The Giants 4 game road trip concludes tomorrow afternoon in Kirkcaldy with a visit to the Fife Flyers.

FIRST PERIOD

After the fireworks of last night’s Giants third period comeback and eventual overtime defeat, the start of Saturday’s rematch with the Dundee Stars was an altogether cagier affair.

Kevin Raine’s interference call at 9:07 provided Beskorowany with his first significant tests of the night, but it was Belfast who struck first courtesy of Mark Cooper from close range at 13:13 (Assist: Sam Ruopp). (0-1)

Belfast settled into the game and began to benefit from consistent zone time, as Mark Garside and Cooper came close on Stars goalie Adam Morrison.

Drydn Dow was called for interference at 17:25, and Ciaran Long’s puck across the face of goal via Tyler Soy was converted comfortably by Ben Lake at the right post at 17:51- a dominant opening Giants power play shift. (0-2)

A Slater Doggett hooking penalty at 19:24 straddled the period break, giving the hosts power play time to open the second.

SECOND PERIOD

There were worrying scenes for the Belfast Giants early in the second period as Tyler Beskorowany left the game through injury in the 24^th minute, being replaced by Jackson Whistle.

Despite that, Adam Keefe’s side ran riot for twenty minutes, ultimately putting the game to bed a period early and leaving Whistle with very little to do.

The Giants failed to convert a Quinn O’Brien Delay of Game penalty at 22:42. However, despite a lengthy review for the puck being kicked in, and protests from all and sundry, Tyler Soy converted a third at 27:38 with Michael Poirier in the box for tripping (Assist: Ben Lake, JJ Piccinich). (0-3)

Mark Cooper followed it up with a fourth at 28:46, tucking the puck five hole on Adam Morrison off a Slater Doggett set up. (0-4)

Dundee had probably their best chance of the game after the drop when Spencer Dorowicz broke away and shot low on Whistle, but the relatively untested Giants goalie kicked away the danger on his right.

Belfast’s fifth came courtesy of a bad rebound with Quinn O’Brien serving a double minor for tripping and hooking at 29:19. Tyler Soy was awarded the goal off his initial shot. (Assist: Cam Knight, Slater Doggett). (0-5)

Despite a Stars time out to rally the troops, Belfast extended their lead at 35:27 when JJ Piccinich finished Scott Conway’s pass across the zone (Second Assist: David Goodwin). (0-6)

THIRD PERIOD

With their work done, the Giants were left to manage the clock in the third period.

There was a late goal from Scott Conway at 56:22, working well alongside JJ Piccinich and David Goodwin to put number seven past an embattled Stars defence before time expired on an emphatic response to Friday’s OT defeat.

UP NEXT

The Belfast Giants head for Fife on Sunday afternoon, completing their four game road trip against the Flyers. The next home game is next Saturday 19^th February at 7:00pm, where the Flyers make the trip to the SSE Arena for a rematch. Tickets are on sale HERE!