Belfast Douse Flames to Secure Giant Road Win

Ben Lake’s first period opener was cancelled out by Josh Waller’s second period equaliser for the Flames, but the Giants stuck to it and were rewarded with goals ten seconds apart from Roach and Kawaguchi to maintain their three-point lead at the top of the league standings.

First Period

It took just 3:49 for the Giants to pull ahead through Lake, who did it all himself by snaking through the slot and beating Eamon McAdam with the backhand shot from the edge of the right circle (0-1), but Belfast couldn’t extend its lead on the powerplay shortly afterwards as Waller sat for holding.

Fresh off scoring a double on Saturday, Gabe Bast nearly had a third of the weekend when he was picked out in the right circle, but he fired into the midriff of McAdam before a second powerplay opportunity went begging for the Giants as Zack Hoffman’s slashing minor went unpunished.

Giants netminder Tom McCollum came into his own late in the period, however, as he made a couple of big saves to take the Giants in at the first intermission ahead, the netminder turning an effort from Daniel Tedesco wide before making an excellent pad stop on a rebound attempt by Jack Jacome at the crease.

Second Period

The top line was close to adding a second when David Goodwin fired the puck to the back post but J.J. Piccinich couldn’t tip it in, while at the other end Jacome once again threatened but saw his effort blocked in front by a Giant body as the home side began to ramp up the pressure.

And it would be rewarded at 27:46 when a slashing call on Lake put the Flames on the powerplay and Waller was the man to jam the puck in around the net after McCollum made the initial save (1-1), and it was only down to McAdam at the other end that Kawaguchi didn’t immediately restore the Giants’ lead as Lake set up his wing partner for what appeared to be a sure goal, only for the netminder to glove it down spectacularly.

Another penalty, this one against Bast for roughing, left the Giants with more work to do as the period ticked down, but McCollum was resolute in denying Tedesco with the glove again. But the visitors couldn’t convert on their third powerplay as Jacome sat for hooking, Pierre-Olivier Morin tipping Grant Mismash’s pass just wide and Kawaguchi hitting the bar.

Third Period

Scott Conway looked to have given the Giants the lead early in the third period when he joined the rush with Goodwin and tipped in the winger’s pass, only for an interference call off the puck on Piccinich to wash it out.

A cross-checking call on Daniel Catenacci gave the Giants a powerplay immediately after, and they did just about everything but score, Mark Cooper hitting the bar, Kawaguchi denied in close by McAdam again and then Bobo Carpenter tipping a shot off the bar. When the sides returned to full strength, both teams rang the iron as Brett Ferguson and Cooper both hit the post on the same shift.

Another powerplay for the Giants, this time for Tedesco (tripping), saw Cooper swing and miss at a Conway pass into the slot, while the Flames’ quick passing set up a chance for Ethan Strang, but it was well blocked by McCollum, which set up the remarkable final minute finish.

Roach put the Giants ahead with 58.6 seconds remaining as he stepped into Conway’s face-off win and ripped the one-timer into the top corner (1-2) and then ten seconds later Kawaguchi grabbed the game-winner as he fired in the rebound off Cooper’s initial shot (1-3), leaving Brett Ferguson’s last-second consolation goal for the Flames just that (2-3).

Next Up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants go for their first piece of silverware this season when they meet the Cardiff Devils in the Challenge Cup final at The SSE Arena, Belfast on Wednesday 12 March, before a Scottish double-header on their return to Elite League action as they travel to the Fife Flyers on Saturday 15 March and Glasgow Clan on Sunday 16 March.

Image Credit - John Uwins