Nott'ing In It

It’s been an eventful week for the Coors Belfast Giants since their defeat of the Baisingstoke Bison on Sunday night. Firstly came the revelation that #1 netminder Mike Minard had suffered a knee injury ruling him out of starting the next game. Then word that back-up Chris McGimpsey had suffered a broken collar-bone meant that the Giants had a severe goalie problem. That was eased yesterday with the announcement that youngster Nathan Craze from the Cardiff Devils had been picked up on a temporary contract to cover for the crocked netties. Then came the news that Giants former coach and all round team legend Rob Stewart had been brought in to cover for his injured friend Shane Johnson.

So tonight the Giants were a different looking side to face the visit of the Nottingham Panthers. But the crowd made sure the home team were aware that they were well behind their team in their darkest hour, applauding them after their first shift. The Panthers themselves were icing with their back-up netminder Geoff Woolhouse and a spirited Giants early attack produced a fine shot from the “new kid”, Rob Stewart rattling the Nottingham post with under 5 minutes on the clock.

But it only took 7minutes 29seconds for Stewart to mark his comeback in style, with former Giant (and Reality TV lover) Curt Bowen serving 2 minutes for hooking, a rink wide pass from Curtis Huppe found Stewart who fired past Woolhouse and give the Giants the goal advantage on the powerplay.

That advantage was doubled a minute later. Despite the Giants being on the penalty kill with Jason Ruff serving 2 minutes for Cross-Checking, Matt Reid broke through and scored unassisted on the backhand to give the Giants a shorthanded goal and a 2-0 lead at the halfway point of the first period.

On 10:54 the visitors pulled one back. Dan Tessier and Dion Darling turned providers to Matthew Myers, who skipped in behind the Giants defense and lifted the puck over Nathan Craze’s glove into the roof of the net for a fine finish and the score was 2-1.

An unfortunate turn for Craze who, despite the short notice of his call up, was standing up well in the Giants goal. With Player-Coach Ed Courtenay serving 2 minutes for Holding, Craze pulled off two fine saves on the Penalty Kill, one with his chest and one sprawling to his right, with his defence playing a tight game and cleaning up any rebounds that may have fallen from him. Allowing the home side to close the period with the one goal advantage.

The Giants started the second period on the powerplay and piled the pressure on the Panthers goal. All to no avail as Woolhouse stood firm, and a few minutes after the penalty kill he pulled a fantastic save when Jason Ruff looked certain to score. His team returned the favour minutes later, a three on two rush allowed Dan Welch to knock it to Calle Carlson who made no mistake in slotting the put into the back of Craze’s goal and squaring up the scores, 2-2.

The Panthers upped their game and started to come out on top in the period. Giants seemed unable to hold the puck, as the Panthers began out skating and out shooting the home side, pressing the young in-experienced Craze for all his worth. And there was a brief moment of anxiety for the Giants as on 34:39 the puck trickled through Crazes’ legs. When it looked like the Panthers had taken the lead, Jason Bowen emptied the crease-side panthers forward into the net, lifting the net off it’s moorings and forcing referee Nigel Boniface to rule it a no-goal. Bowen took a two minute interference penalty for his trouble, but the Giants retained the stalemate.

The Giants were severely on the back-foot with the Panthers dictating play, but then a stroke of luck, on 37.42 young brit Paul Moran fanned a pass in his defensive zone, that was picked up by Ed Courtenay who fired past Woolhouse and gave Belfast the goal advantage against the run of play. The home fans weren’t arguing though and as the period ended, the Giants entered the locker room aware that they were lucky to be ahead.

The Giants have a tough run over the next few days considering their injury problems. Three games in four days means that the Giants have one nights rest tomorrow night before the Sheffield Steelers visit on Saturday and they travel for the return fixture in Nottingham on Sunday

But there was one last period left to play tonight at the Odyssey and the Giants were aiming to hold the advantage. The luck really fell their way three minutes into the period. A shot from Rob Stewart took a freakish bounce as Woolhouse came to gather, it went pasthim and Curtis Huppe fired it into the empty net. 4-2 and despite finding life tough, the Giants were hitting the goals and coming up trumps.

But the Panthers struck back. In retaliation for a trip, Reid took a slashing penalty and served two minutes. On the powerplay Welch and Tessier got their second points of the game providing the puck to Jeff Sebastian who cut the Giants lead to only one goal with 12 minutes left in the game. Both teams had raised their game and looked dangerous coming forward and it looked like it would be an interesting end to this tussle.

The Giants suffered another injury blow,Jason Ruff taking a deflected puck to the face,forcing him to skate off immediately to the dressing room for treatment. And soon after, with Courtenay serving a two-minute tripping penalty, the Panthers once again scored on the powerplay to level the scores. Dan Welch coming from behind the net to stuff it past Craze. 4-4 and things were getting tense

With only 49 seconds remaining in the game, Jason Bowen was sent to the bin for elbowing and the Giants were forced to end regular time with only four men. Craze stood up well with 2 great saves and the period ended 4-4. Overtime for the first time this season at the Odyssey Arena.

The Giants were doing well considering the troubles over the last week, the lack of a centre, the loss of both netminders and the need to bring in Rob Stewart for his first EIHL game in over a year.

In an action packed overtime the Giants had a number of great chances. One was saved, Huppe hit the side of the net and they also missed an open net. Brandon Cote took a tripping penalty but the Giants couldn’t convert the 4 on 3. Giants Man of the Match Nathan Craze pulled off a fantastic save on his belly and the Panthers couldn’t convert a 3 on one rush. The game ended 4-4, which was probably the fairest result in an action packed game. Craze having a fantastic time between the pipes with 44 saves.

The Giants continue to deal with their injury problems and wait to hear about Jason Ruff’s facial injury as they prepare for the visit of the Sheffield Steelers on Saturday night.

Patrick Smyth

Aaron Kernohan

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