The Stena Line Belfast Giants season ended on Monday night in Belfast with a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of the Nottingham Panthers. The visitors win gives them a 7-4 aggregate win and sees the Panthers advance to the Playoff Finals next weekend – to face the Fife Flyers in Saturday night’s Semi-Final.
The Stena Line Belfast Giants dominated the opening 20 minutes of play, however it was the visitors who led going into the first intermission. Andy Bohmbach netted for the Panthers after a nice finish while on a breakaway at 18:06.
Though the Giants will feel aggrieved to not have scored during the first period as James Desmarais appeared to have given the Giants the lead at 8:52 only for the Referee to wave the goal off and subsequently award the Giants a powerplay instead – sending Bryan Schmidt to the Penalty Box for a Tripping penalty.
The second period was one that the Giants will want to forget as the home side gave up two further goals – leaving them four goals behind on aggregate. Evan Mosey doubled the Panthers lead at 30:25, scoring a penalty shot awarded by the Referees. Then just over two minutes later Chris Lawrence made it 3-0 on the night, assisted by David Clarke and Geoff Waugh.
Into the final period and the Giants found the Nottingham Panthers tough to break down, however they did eventually find a way past Miika Wiikman in the visitors net at 59:46 as Colin Shields, assisted by Craig Peacock and Michael Forney, registered his 500th point for the organisation.
The result means the season is over for the Stena Line Belfast Giants with the Nottingham Panthers advancing to the Playoff Semi-Final on Saturday against the Fife Flyers.
Final Score (Aggregate Score In Brackets):
Stena Line Belfast Giants (4) 1 – 3 (7) Nottingham Panthers
Giants Man of the Match:
#7 Mark Garside
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