Giants Comeback Falls Short As Dundee Win In Shootout

Jordan Kawaguchi’s powerplay double, along with further goals from Ryan Smith and Nicolas Guay, helped the Giants claim a point, but goals in the shootout from Drydn Dow and Otto Nieminen saw the home side triumph.

First period

Jackson Whistle was the first netminder called into action to deny a dangerous chance for the home side as Nieminen’s pass to the crease was nearly tipped into his own net by Reid Irwin, only for the netminder to squeeze the pads, but the home side would take the lead at 6:05 as a rebound from Jackson Desouza’s shot fell straight to Matt Berry for the tap-in (1-0).

But it wouldn’t take long for the Giants to be level and the powerplay struck as Kawaguchi tipped in JJ Piccinich’s shot at 9:43 (1-1) when Matt Boudens was called for interference, and Irwin was close to putting Belfast ahead shortly after but his backhand jam attempt was blocked by Jarrett Fiske.

Buoyed by the equaliser, the Giants started to apply plenty of pressure and Smith narrowly missed the target after some sustained pressure in the zone and then it took an outstanding stop from each netminder to keep the game level at the first intermission, Fiske first denying Sam Jones and then Whistle blanking Hampus Olsson on an odd-man rush.

Second period

Whistle picked up where he left off in the first period, saving from Spencer Naas as the Dundee forward went through unchallenged before keeping the Stars off the board on a Piccinich high sticking penalty, but there was nothing he could do to stop Morten Jürgens from giving the home side the lead back at 25:32 when he finished coolly on the one-on-one breakaway (2-1).

Shortly before that Gabe Bast almost put Belfast ahead when he hit the post and somehow Fiske got across to deny Scott Conway what looked like an empty net finish on an odd-man rush, with the netminder again getting low to prevent Guay from forcing the puck in at the doorstep off Piccinich’s pass.

Instead, Dundee would make them pay as Kameron Kielly added their third at 35:43, placed perfectly at the back post to tap in a rebound (3-1) and the visitors had to play out another Piccinich penalty, this time for tripping, to prevent the Stars from adding on before the second intermission.

Third period

A quick start to the third period for the Giants was deservedly rewarded when Smith got them back to within a goal at 44:44, the winger stepping inside off a face-off and beating Fiske low (3-2), but the Stars quickly restored their two-goal lead at 47:04 as Keanu Yamamoto drove the net and, although Whistle made the initial save, Olsson was on hand to score the rebound (4-2).

It wouldn’t take long for Belfast to reduce that gap back to one again, Kawaguchi with his second powerplay goal of the night at 48:26 after Brad Schoonbaert was called for high sticking, the winger first to the loose puck in the right circle and finishing (4-3), and Guay would tie it at 53:35 as he rolled off the half-boards and into the right circle where he rifled in (4-4).

The Giants would have the last chance to win the game in regulation with one last powerplay as Berry was called for high-sticking, however this time the man advantage couldn’t connect and both sides would be assured of one point when the final buzzer went.

Overtime

The best chance of overtime fell to the Stars as Berry made a beautiful move in the zone to get in on Whistle, only for the netminder to make the save, while Eriksson had a look the other way but Fiske similarly blanked him to send the game into the shootout.

Shootout

Fiske was the hero in the shootout for Dundee as he turned away all four of the Giants’ efforts on goal, while at the other end Dow and Nieminen both beat Whistle to secure the second point for the Stars (5-4).

Next up

The Belfast Giants return to the Champions League when they head to SC Bern on Wednesday October 8 before continuing their Challenge Cup campaign with a trip to the Glasgow Clan on Saturday October 11 and then a return to The SSE Arena, Belfast to face the Fife Flyers on Sunday October 12.