Belfast Giants came from a goal down to beat Fife Flyers 5–2 in Challenge Cup Group B at The O2 Belfast, keeping their perfect start to the season intact.
Six days after putting six past Fife without reply, the Giants found the Flyers much tougher second time round. They needed three goals in seven minutes, either side of the second intermission, to take control.
The first period finished goalless, though not for lack of Belfast pressure. The Giants outshot Fife 13–4 but couldn’t beat Jordan McLaughlin, even with an early power play after Victor Bjorkung went off for tripping. Jackson Whistle, starting in the Belfast net, had little to do at the other end, and the Giants killed off a Mason Klee boarding call late in the period.
Fife broke the deadlock instead. Cameron Hough finished at 26:43, set up by Xander Lamppa and Joseph Pierce, and the Flyers edged the middle period 14–12 on shots.
Belfast’s answer took just over seven minutes. JJ Piccinich levelled at 34:08, assisted by Klee and Scott Conway, and 89 seconds later Ciaran Long put the Giants in front with an unassisted goal at 35:37.
The period ended with the moment that decided the game. Garet Hunt was called for cross-checking at 39:40, and Cole Stewart followed him six seconds later for delay of game, so Fife started the third two men down. The Giants needed only 65 seconds to make it count. Conway scored on the 5-on-3 at 41:05, with Nicolas Guay and Piccinich assisting, to make it 3–1.
Fife hit back almost straight away. Zachary Power made it 3–2 at 42:52, and it stayed a one-goal game for nearly ten minutes. Then Kaleb Pearson restored the two-goal cushion at 52:16, set up by Cole Shudra, and Jake Gaudet sealed it with an empty-net goal at 58:04.
Belfast finished with 35 shots to Fife’s 22. Whistle stopped 20 of the 22 he faced, and McLaughlin made 30 saves for the Flyers. The Giants were the more disciplined side, taking two penalty minutes to Fife’s eight, and Conway’s 5-on-3 strike was the only power-play goal of the night. The official attendance was 6,915.
That makes it five wins from five in the Challenge Cup for Adam Keefe’s side, including the shootout win at Braehead a fortnight ago, and they sit top of Group B.
There’s no rest. The Giants are back on the road tomorrow, Sunday 27 September, to face Glasgow Clan at Braehead Arena, with face-off at 4pm.
For the full schedule and the latest scores, see our Belfast Giants fixtures and results 2026/27 guide.
Read more: Sunday shutout seals superb home weekend for Belfast Giants | Giants complete four-point opening weekend with shootout victory in Glasgow | Piccinich hat-trick powers Giants to 8–1 win over Dundee Stars | Giants start with a win as Dundee Stars beaten 4-1 | Belfast Giants season guide: fixtures, tickets and match nights
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