Giants come un-Dun in Scotland

Despite goals from Ryan Smith and Nicolas Guay, the Giants slipped to their second Challenge Cup defeat of the year as the hosts managed to hold on for the two points on Sunday afternoon.

First period

Jarrett Fiske was the first netminder called into action inside the opening two minutes as the Giants fashioned a big chance for David Goodwin in front but the captain couldn’t beat the Dundee stopper from Scott Conway’s pass and instead the Stars took the lead with their first shot at 2:53, Craig Garrigan squeezing the puck past Alexis Gravel on the backhand (1-0).

It didn’t take long for the Giants to level, though, and they deservedly equalised at 5:08 as Reid Irwin’s pass for Smith was deflected in (1-1) but despite some relentless pressure they weren’t able to add to their tally midway through the period, and instead Ben Almquist added a second for Dundee at 11:26 as he tapped in a deflected shot at the back post (2-1).

A cross-checking penalty on Karl Boudrias was well navigated by the Giants before Gravel did well to deny Jonathan McBean as he drove in from the right circle, while Belfast could have levelled when Marcus Eriksson found Guay in the slot but the centreman couldn’t get enough of a tip on the puck to turn it in.

Second period

It was a horror start to the middle frame for the Giants as a delay of game penalty on Gravel led to Spencer Naas adding the Stars’ third on the powerplay just 32 seconds in, the winger finishing a rebound off the backboards (3-1), and another powerplay for a Boudrias roughing call was also turned in as Hampus Olsson forced in at a scramble around the net at 25:24 (4-1).

Just 34 seconds later and the Giants were back in it as Guay managed to finish five-hole on Fiske from the slot (4-2) but, once more, despite a wealth of chances in the Stars end, including a desperate scramble around Fiske’s net, they couldn’t find their way through, although they got a massive confidence boost when they rallied to kill off nearly a full two minutes of a 5-on-3 penalty as Scott Conway (hooking) and Gabe Bast (delay of game) both sat.

It was much the same for the remainder of the period, although chances began to become limited as both teams tired, leaving it a two-goal game going into the third.

Third period

With the next goal crucial, Eriksson had a great chance to pull one back early in the third as he was found rushing the net by Guay but fired wide, and instead Dundee grabbed their fifth as just after Jackson Whistle - introduced after the Stars’ third goal - denied Almquist in close, Matt Berry tapped in off a wraparound at 48:34 (5-2).

That goal finished off the game as a contest and, despite again dominating possession and zone time for the remainder of the game, and finishing the game on the powerplay as Berry sat for slashing, they couldn’t finish with a consolation goal as the Stars held on for the victory.

Next up

The Belfast Giants return to home ice next Saturday September 27 to continue their Challenge Cup campaign when they take on the Glasgow Clan before heading on the road to the same side a night later, Sunday September 28.