BELFAST GIANTS OUTGUNNED IN SHOOTOUT IN COVENTRY

The Belfast Giants had to settle for one point at the Skydome after falling 3-2 after a shootout in a keenly-contested affair with the Coventry Blaze.

First Period
The Giants found themselves behind after just 65 seconds as Alessio Luciani put the finishing touches on a quick Blaze move as he was teed up by Nick Seitz. (1-0) Jackson Whistle was a busy man in the opening of the first period and made a pair of good saves from Jack Hopkins and Morten Jurgens, but the Giants number one was beaten again on 07:25. It was Seitz again who was the provider as he laid it on a plate for Grayson Constable to sweep into the unguarded cage (2-0)

Adam Keefe called a timeout which seemed to work as Cameron Pound and Karl Boudrias came close before Whistle was called into action again to deny Chase Gresock. He then produced a stunning bit of glove work as he denied Luciani in a two on one and the Giants made it count immediately. They went straight up the other end and Scott Conway fought hard for a puck that he poked to JJ Piccinich and, after a lovely bit of stick work, he lifted the puck into the roof of the net. (2-1). The Giants would not stop there, and they were level after 14:39 when Mark Cooper won a faceoff and Jeff Baum rifled it home for a leveller (2-2). Belfast then lost Josh Roach to a penalty but almost went ahead short-handed when Cooper broke but he rattled the bar, reaching the first intermission level after a lively opening period.

Second Period
After the busy first period, the second period was high on effort but neither goalie could be breached. The Giants killed an early penalty that was given to Ben Lake for slashing and almost took the lead for the first time in the game but Ciaran Long was denied by the skate of Mat Robson. Cooper and Grant Mismash both came close to forcing the puck over the line before Whistle was called upon to deny Gresock again. P.O. Morin was the next to be denied for Belfast after he reacted quickest to Gabe Bast’s shot that rebounded off the dasher before Whistle produced a pair of saves, first from Constable and then a rocket off the stick of Terrance Amorosa.

Third Period
The third period was dominated by the Giants, but they found Robson in the Blaze goal in inspired form as he was able to deny Bobo Carpenter and Kyle Osterberg before Amorosa gifted Cooper a chance in front of the net but, perhaps surprised to find the puck on his stick, he whiffed on the shot. The Giant’s captain was once again denied by the Coventry goalie before Whistle had to stay alert at the other end to keep out an effort from Michael Regush. With neither side able to score for the second period in a row, we headed to overtime.

Overtime and shootout
Having won in the opening 24 seconds of overtime in Dundee on New Year’s Eve, there would be no quick winner for Adam Keefe’s men today as they found themselves on the back foot with two chances from Jakob Stridsberg denied by Whistle while Gresock tipped an Amorosa shot wide. However, the visitors had a big chance to seal the two points with 30 seconds left on the clock, but Roach couldn’t get the puck through the goalie’s legs on the break.

Finally, the game went to a shootout, and the Blaze won 3-2 with the winner coming from captain Kim Talberg after Piccinich and Mismash were on target for the Giants.

Next Up
The Giants return home for a huge weekend double-header against the Nottingham Panthers on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 January. Tickets available to purchase here.