Giants Secure OT Win Over Devils

Adam Keefe’s side got goals from Josh Roach, Jordan Kawaguchi and Cameron Pound to ensure they’d take at least one point, with the Devils’ third period fightback forcing overtime, and Morin would hand them the second with a wonderful finish for the winner in the extra period.

First Period

Both sides had chances on the opening shift of the game as first Evan Mosey hit the post for the Devils and then Ben Lake did likewise for the Giants, but it would be Belfast who would take the lead at 4:50 as Bobo Carpenter fired the puck into the slot for Roach and he took his time before hammering a slapshot past Ben Bowns for the opener (0-1).

Belfast were first onto the penalty kill as J.J. Piccinich was called for tripping, but the visitors survived, although the Devils did hit the crossbar, with Jackson Whistle making a big rebound stop on Reid Duke to keep the home side at bay shortly before Lake was denied on the backhand breakaway by Bowns.

A period of sustained pressure from the Giants saw Gabe Bast and Mark Cooper denied in close by Bowns as the visitors turned up the pressure, and Kawaguchi would double their lead at 18:46 when Zak Galambos stepped into a giveaway in the Devils zone and his shot was tipped in by the winger (0-2).

Second Period

The middle frame was one of two penalties, the Giants unable to capitalise on a Zach O’Brien hooking call as Bowns stood tall to deny Cooper in close, but the Devils got on the board at 24:23 on a powerplay of their own; Karl Boudrias penalised for tripping and Joey Martin tipping in Gleason Fournier’s shot from the blue-line (1-2).

Belfast were inches from immediately restoring their two-goal lead on the next shift as Brett Perlini was alert to sweep a deflection off his own leg off the line, but the home side had the momentum, and Duke was only prevented from equalising by an impressive kick save from Whistle, while a Kyle Osterberg slashing penalty went unpunished by Cardiff.

But having soaked up a fair bit of pressure, the Giants restored their two-goal lead at 34:06 as Pound fired in a hopeful shot from the left circle that somehow squeezed through the glove of Bowns and in (1-3), with Whistle shutting the door at the other end as Cole Sanford found O’Brien skating into the left circle, but his one-timer was cut out by the netminder.

The Giants could have easily been three to the good at the second intermission as a turnover on the blue line gave them a three-on-one break and, although Bowns saved Scott Conway’s initial shot, an inviting rebound couldn’t be turned in right at the line.

Third Period

As expected, the Devils had an immediate pushback early in the final period. Whistle did well to deny Andrew MacWilliam and a Ryan Barrow wraparound in quick succession. Still, there was little he could do to stop Kohen Olischefski from tying it up, firstly making it a one-goal game at 43:53 when he ripped one home from the left circle on the odd-man rush (2-3) and then firing in on a two-on-one with Sanford at 46:38 for the equaliser (3-3).

A Josh MacDonald tripping penalty gave the Giants the powerplay as the minutes ticked down and Conway was denied a goal on the man advantage by the resolute pad of Bowns, while at the other end a Grant Mismash checking to the head penalty gave Cardiff the powerplay but they, too, couldn’t capitalise.

But the best save of the night was reserved for Whistle, who produced an outstanding poke check save with 11 seconds remaining to deny Martin on the one-on-one breakaway and force overtime.

Overtime

It was an overtime period dominated by the Giants, with Whistle a spectator for the entirety. After Conway was denied in close by Bowns, it would be Morin who would win it at 63:03. He played the one-two with Kawaguchi and fired home on the backhand to seal the second point for the visitors (3-4).

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants continue their weekend double-header with a trip to the Coventry Blaze on Sunday December 8, with their return to home ice coming on Wednesday 11 December when they take on the Dundee Stars at The SSE Arena, Belfast. Tickets are available to purchase here.