Devil of a game.

Hostilities were renewed at the Odyssey tonight after last Sunday`s highly charged Giants v Devils encounter at the WNIR. The first period started quietly, neither team giving an inch with the two sides feeling one another out.

With Jason Bowen sent to the box for tripping after 10.45, the Devils took no time in making use of their first powerplay, when, only 8 seconds in, Vezio Sacratini's shot from the point was tipped in front and beat Giants goalie Mike Minard to put the Devils 1-0 up.

The game came to life however on 11.52 when Devil Regan Darby flattened Marc Levers from behind. Todd Kelman was first to react, skating in to protect his prone team mate while a scrum developed involving almost all the players on the ice.

With the period drawing to a close, Louis Goulet took an interference penalty leaving the Devils to kill off the final 1.40 of the period. They got much more than they could have hoped for however when with Fleury playing the point, the puck bounced over his stick and left Dave Matsos and Jonathan Philips clean through with only Rob Stewart blocking the way to Mike Minard. A fine pass from Matsos left Philips alone on front and he made no mistake burying the shorthanded goal on 19.26. A period the team and fans will want to forget quickly.

The second period was a better one for the home team, with more urgency being shown in attack. With the quick Devils side however, this allowed a lot of breakaways, the Devils failing to make the most of several odd man rush chances.

At 24.29 Theo Fleury made up for his earlier mistake, wristing the puck beautifully over the impressive Aubry into the roof of the net following good work from Jason Ruff and Curtis Huppe.

Then with George Awada and Brad Voth serving penalties for slashing and the teams skating 4 on 4, Theo Fleury stole a Devils pass and skated into the Devils zone, his pass found Huppe alone in front and Huppe lifted the puck over a sprawling Aubry at the third attempt to bring the scores even.

The third period was all Coors Giants, with the Devils sitting back playing a solid road game, and despite their best efforts, the Giants couldn`t find a way past Aubry. However, the Giants defence still appeared unsettled and the lines were just not gelling. Although the evergreen Rob Stewart rarely put a skate wrong tonight, and he will be missed when Shane Johnson returns. The big-hitting Jason Bowen did his level best to bring the Giants back into the game with a surging run into the Devils zone. Skating forward, he dumped the puck and chased after it himself. Unfortunately his good work was undone when Ed Courtenay was unable to convert on the pass.

With the game ending all square, The Odyssey faithful were to be treated to overtime for the third time this season. With just under two minutes left, the Giants got themselves into penalty trouble, captain George Awada taking an interference penalty at 63.03.

If the Giants were to get anything more from the game, they were going to have to do so short handed. Thirty one seconds later it was made even more difficult, Steve O'Brien going to the box on a charging call to join his captain. Just as the Giants fans were starting to believe the team would claim a draw, Vezio Sacratini popped up lifting the puck over a sprawling Mike Minard after he made a good save with only 0.3 seconds left on the clock and gaining the Devils the extra point in a game that neither team truly deserved to win.

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