Giants See Unbeaten Run End in Dundee

First period

The Giants were the team controlling the puck in the early exchanges however they weren’t able to break the deadlock as they were frustrated by Richard Sabol, the Slovakian netminder particularly strong when Scott Conway was sent through on goal but couldn’t get the shot away having been forced wide.

But against the run of play the home side took the lead with practically their first two meaningful attacks of the game, Spencer Naas sent away down the left and beating Jackson Whistle five-hole at 9:24 for the opener (1-0) and then Cole MacDonald was left all alone in the same spot to fire home at 11:10 for the second (2-0).

Adam Keefe called his timeout after the second goal and the Giants upped the ante after the restart, Ben Lake just firing over from the left circle after a tipped effort hit the outside of the net before penalties on both sides - Jordan Kawaguchi called for delay of game and Domenico Alberga heading off for tripping - with J.J. Piccinich inches away from getting the Giants on the board on the wraparound only to be denied by a goal-line block.

Second period

An early hooking penalty on Bo Hanson was played out by the Giants but Whistle needed to be alert to make a big rebound save to deny Jonathan McBean, while at the other end Mike Lee wandered into the slot and fired on goal only for his shot just to clear the net, as did Mark Cooper with a sharp angle effort having driven in from the left circle.

It was the captain who nearly broke the deadlock from the right circle shortly after as he ripped a shot that came back off the post and Sabol was once again equal to Elijiah Barriga’s effort after he was set up in front by Pierre-Olivier Morin, while Ben O’Connor’s shot at the other end was tipped inches over by Kameron Kielly.

Despite the glut of chances coming their way, Belfast could not solve the issue that was Sabol as Cooper once again was blanked by the Slovak on the breakaway, while there was no way through on the powerplay as Keanu Yamamoto’s holding call went unpunished at the end of the period.

Third period

The personal battle between Cooper and Sabol continued in the third as the netminder once again prevailed after Lake’s tenacious work set up the winger in front, while Lake himself was denied a sliding effort up the middle, and Whistle made a smart reaction stop in front to deny Naas.

Finally the Giants managed to make the breakthrough at 48:38 and it came through Galambos as he was found in the right circle by Kawaguchi and he ripped one past Sabol (2-1), but the one-goal game didn’t last long as Alberga got the Stars back in front by two with an incredible redirect as he was falling to the ice at 50:25 (3-1).

Back-to-back penalties to Lake (hooking) and Gabe Bast (abuse of official) cut the Giants’ time to fight back and even though they threw the kitchen sink at Dundee in the final few minutes of the game with Whistle pulled for the extra skater, they couldn’t find a way through again.

Next up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants return to home ice for back-to-back home games as the Guildford Flames come to town on Saturday February 8 and the Manchester Storm are the visitors on Sunday February 9. Tickets for both games can be purchased here.