Giants Show Con-do Attitude In Dundee

A 19-save shut-out from netminder Jackson Whistle and two goals from Scott Conway led the way for Adam Keefe’s men, who also got goals from Kyle Osterberg, J.J. Piccinich and Jordan Kawaguchi in the victory, their third straight against the Stars.

First period

A strong start to the period from the Giants was rewarded as Kawaguchi nearly give the visitors the lead when he couldn’t poke in a rebound, but Osterberg could at 5:07 as he got to the loose puck in the slot from Mike Lee’s shot first to fire into the top corner for the early lead (0-1).

Chances were few and far between for Dundee but Whistle had to be alert to deny a quick double chance off a face-off for Zach Tsekos before Bobo Carpenter nearly scored a superb tipped goal, almost sneaking Osterberg’s shot through the five-hole of Fiske, although the best chance was broken up by Joe Cassetti as he got back to strip the puck off Kielly just as he broke through on goal.

Once again Fiske denied the Giants when Osterberg fed the puck over to Kawaguchi, whose one-timer was blocked by the netminder but a dynamic finish to the period saw them put two more goals on the board, a hooking call on Domenic Alberga allowing Conway to pick the top corner from the slot on the powerplay at 15:49 (0-2) and then Piccinich went top shelf from the left circle at 17:28 (0-3).

Even then there were two late chances for both sides, Cassetti unable to convert on a turnover as his shot was blocked in front before a high sticking penalty on Kawaguchi saw Zach Tsekos shoot one-time from the right circle but it was well saved by Whistle.

Second period

The Giants started the second by killing off the remainder of Kawaguchi’s penalty and the same man nearly set up Lee on the rush but Fiske gloved down his backhand effort before some wonderful interplay by Carpenter and Osterberg set up a chance for Kawaguchi in the slot that he just sent wide.

Whistle was standing tall at the other end, denying Brett Gravelle as he drove in from the left circle and then a tip from Jonathan McBean, but he saved his best stop to deny Gravelle midway through the period as the netminder threw himself across the face of goal to deny the defenceman what looked like a guaranteed tap-in at the back door.

And he was rewarded by Conway as the centreman grabbed his second of the game at 32:01, found in the right circle by Piccinich and finishing off the post (0-4), with Lee’s search for a first Giants goal continuing as he fired into the midriff of Fiske shortly before Cassetti was also denied in close by the goaltender.

The chances kept coming for Belfast as a pass through the crease saw Kawaguchi hit the frame of the goal and then a tripping call against Kyle Pouncy led to two opportunities for Cassetti but both were turned away by Fiske.

Third period

Whistle had the first early save of the period as he denied Tsekos wandering in from the high slot but, even though Ben Lake was called for slashing, the Giants had the best chance of the Stars powerplay as Mark Cooper broke away shorthanded but couldn’t beat Fiske, while a holding call on Gravelle went unpunished shortly after.

It was a fairly quiet period in terms of chances but when the Giants went back on the powerplay late in the game they took full advantage as Xavier Pouliot’s holding call saw Lee set up Kawaguchi for a thunderbolt from long range for the Giants’ fifth at 58:09 (0-5), with the visitors closing out the game on the penalty kill as Conway sat for tripping.

Next up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants are on the road to start their Elite League Cup by heading to Altrincham to take on the Manchester Storm on Saturday 28 September before making the trip to the Sheffield Steelers on Sunday 29 October.