GIANTS HIT BY LATE STORM BLOW

Despite battling back from two goals down thanks to finishes from Grant Mismash, David Goodwin and Gabe Bast, the Giants couldn’t prevent the Storm from claiming the win as their lead at the top of the standings remains five points.

First period

Mark Cooper had an early chance to open the scoring as he broke through one-on-one but couldn’t beat David Tendeck in close, with Scott Conway going close shorthanded as Cooper was called for hooking shortly after, with Tom McCollum required to make a big save on a Noah Carroll blast from the left circle.

It would be the home side who would take the lead at 5:19 as a shot from distance from Joe Morrow was tipped in by Cam Critchlow (1-0) and they would double their advantage at 8:50 on the powerplay as, shortly after killing off a high-sticking penalty on Conway, a tripping penalty to Ciaran Long allowed Ryan Hughes to slide it in from close range (2-0).

Cooper had the next best chance for the Giants as the visitors ramped up the pressure, his one-timer from the mid-slot blocked away by Tendeck, but it was a period of few chances for either side as Manchester shut the door convincingly on the Giants to get to the first intermission two ahead.

Second period

Some early pressure from the Giants saw Ben Lake and Karl Boudrias denied by Tendeck, and even when they did beat the netminder Conway saw his shot clank off the iron and out of play instead of in the net, and even after a hooking call against Goodwin it was the Giants who threatened again as JJ Piccinich broke through but Tendeck saved with his glove.

Despite Belfast putting all the pressure on, Tyler Hinam showed the Storm were still threats as he nearly banked in a rebound at a scramble at the crease, but the weight of chances were in the direction of Tendeck’s net but the Storm goaltender was holding firm.

But a penalty to Dallas Ehrhardt for hooking gave the Giants their first powerplay of the night and they took full advantage, Mike Lee dishing the puck to the right circle and Mismash smashing the one-timer in off the post at 36:19 (2-1), although a scramble around McCollum’s net just before the buzzer was cause for concern before the defence managed to clear.

Third period

Having seen their gap reduced to one at the end of the second period, it took just 59 seconds for the Storm to restore their two-goal lead as Hughes fed Hinam for the one-time finish from the left circle (3-1), but Belfast would quickly be back within one as, after Cooper had a potential goal ruled out after a review, Conway dished the puck across for Goodwin to tap in at 44:41 (3-2).

McCollum made a huge save to deny Stephen Johnson as the Storm forward broke away one-on-one and he was rewarded when Bast tied the game at 49:41, his shot from the blue-line going all the way through traffic and in (3-3), although the Giants missed two chances to take the lead on the powerplay as Chase Harrison (tripping) and Jake Durflinger (cross-checking) sat.

And they were made to pay as Alexis d’Aoust got the winner for the Storm, rifling in for the left circle at 54:47 for the winning goal (4-3), with the Giants unable to find a late equaliser despite pulling McCollum for the extra skater as penalties to Lake (interference) and Craig Martin (hooking) snapped their momentum.

Next up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants begin their March schedule with a return to The SSE Arena, Belfast on Sunday 2 March to take on the Glasgow Clan before welcoming the Dundee Stars to Belfast on Saturday 8 March, a day before travelling to the Guildford Flames on Sunday 9 March.