Giants Down Dundee in Challenge Cup Overtime

The winger grabbed his second goal of the game in the extra period to secure the extra point for Adam Keefe’s men, who also got goals in regulation from Joe Cassetti, Scott Conway, Bobo Carpenter, and J.J. Piccinich to make it three wins from three in the early stages of the Cup campaign.

First period

Things started perfectly for the Giants when Kawaguchi fed Cassetti at the crease and he tipped in the pass just 1:26 into the contest (1-0), but the Stars went to work in the space of just 31 seconds after killing off a tripping penalty on Brogan O’Brien, Jake Elmer scoring on the breakaway at 5:25 (1-1) before Brendan Harms tapped in Kyle Pouncy’s rebound at 5:56 (1-2).

It was all Dundee at this point and Tom McCollum made good saves to deny Xavier Pouliot and then Jake Elmer, but he would be beaten again at 10:25 when Kameron Kielly fired home from the right circle (1-3), and it needed a huge performance from the special teams to kill off a 5-on-3 situation as Cassetti (high-sticking) and Carpenter (tripping) both sat.

On his season debut, Conway nearly got on the scoresheet before the first intermission as he hit the post from in close and then Brett Gravelle saw his breakaway chance denied by McCollum as the period wore down.

Second period

Having been denied by the pipework in the first period, Conway did get his goal just 17 seconds into the second as he seized on a loose puck at the blue line and rifled it into the top corner (2-3), with McCollum once again making some big saves to deny firstly Elmer and then Brogan O’Brien with his stick.

But after Cassetti flashed another effort over for the Giants, the Stars regained their two-goal lead when Keanu Yamamoto kept the puck in the zone for Cole MacDonald and the defenceman found the top corner at 28:45 (2-4), although the Giants were unlucky not to respond immediately when Mike Lee’s pass couldn’t be forced in on the doorstep by Elijiah Barriga.

It would be a tie game at the intermission, however, as the Giants struck twice, Kyle Osterberg delaying the pass for Kawaguchi to finish on a two-on-one at 32:04 (3-4) and then Carpenter playing a one-two with himself off the boards before producing a stunning top corner finish from the right circle to tie it at 35:53 (4-4).

Third period

Having trailed for most of the game, the Giants then found themselves ahead 5:25 into the final period when a familiar partnership connected, Conway feeding the puck in front for Piccinich to snap home (5-4), with McCollum preserving the lead with two quick stops on the dangerous Elmer.

But once again the scores would be brought level, this time by Dundee at 48:16 as a hooking penalty on Conway led to Harms grabbing his second of the game on the powerplay as he was set up by Domenic Alberga (5-5), although the Giants nearly pulled back ahead when Lee fired just wide from a promising position.

Chances were at a premium as the clock wore down, neither side willing to overcommit and concede late on, although Carpenter had a big opportunity when he got in on Richard Sabol but couldn’t beat the netminder twice with his initial shot and then the rebound.

Overtime

That led to overtime and were it not for McCollum then the Giants would have been on the wrong end of the scoreline as he produced two spectacular saves to deny Alex Tonge on back-to-back breakaways, and that instead led to Kawaguchi’s winner at 64:00, the winger going top shelf on the backhand to earn the home side the extra point (6-5).

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants head on the road to face the Stars once again, this time at the Dundee Ice Arena in their fourth Challenge Cup game on Sunday 22 September. The Giants return to home action against the Cardiff Devils on Saturday 5 October. Tickets are available to purchase here.