The Stena Line Belfast Giants defeated the Dundee Stars 4-3 following a shootout in Dundee Ice Arena on Saturday. Penalty Shot goals from Chris Higgins and Blair Riley gave the Giants two important points in the first of two away games this weekend.
Stephen Murphy started in net for the Giants with Jeff Mason the healthy scratch as the visitors looked to make it five wins in-a-row.
The visitors got off to the best possible start as David Rutherford gave his side the lead inside the opening minute when his shot made it’s way past Joe Fallon in the Dundee goal, assisted by Chris Higgins and Matt Nickerson, at 0:57.
82 seconds from the end of the first period, Joey Sides netted for the hosts, assisted by Kevin Bruijsten, as the Stars drew level after the opening 20 minutes.
It was the home side who took the lead for the first time in this game when Sides scored his second of the game, on the powerplay at 37:02, to give Dundee a 2-1 lead going into the third and final period.
Chris Higgins grabbed an important goal for Belfast, scoring at 45:13 and assisted by James Desmarais and Ryan Martinelli, to leave the score tied once again. At 48:33, the Giants were ahead again when Derrick Walser scored on the powerplay, assisted by Michael Forney and Steve Saviano.
Just when it looked like the Giants would claim the win in regulation time, the Dundee Stars scored shorthanded 68 seconds from the end of the game through Justin Faryna to take the game into overtime.
With no team able to claim the sudden death winning goal in the five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime, the game went to a shootout. With both Blair Riley and Felix Antoine Poulin netting in the fifth round of penalty shots, it was Chris Higgins who would score the winning goal to give the Giants an important road win in Scotland.
Final Score
Dundee Stars 3-4 Stena Line Belfast Giants (After Penalty Shots)
Giants Man of the Match
#43 Derrick Walser
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