Kingdom Of The Giants :: Belfast Giants Fan Community, News & Views
1st v 2nd
01-Feb-2008 | Discuss this Article
Conor Caldwell looks forward to Saturday's clash between Coventry ans Belfast who have recently changed places in the EIHL table. It's 1st v 2nd and a massive game in the chase for the league title.
The importance of tomorrow can not be underestimated. A home win will mark a serious swing of momentum towards the Giants; however, a loss would be devastating to the Giants' title quest. Should Coventry be able to put an end to Belfast's incredible winning streak, they would regain the lead a top the EIHL standings, and bolster their confidence following energy sapping losses to Nottingham and Newcastle.
The 'Curtis Huppe Show' has already been featured prominantly in the media this week, with the former Giants favourite feeling the need to explain how determined he is to take two points from the Odyssey. The Coventry Telegraph quoted Huppe adding fuel to an already intense rivalry between the two clubs by saying "We have to go there, take the game to them and remind them that we are the No 1 team in the country and not them". It will be interesting to see how Huppe responds on the ice, several weeks after suffering a broken hand in the Odyssey.
The game will hinge on a battle of offences, the Blaze lead by top marksman Adam Calder, and the Giants by player coach Ed Courtenay. Indeed the teams boast the two most prolific sets of goalscorers in the EIHL, the Blaze racking up 155 goals in their 37 games, while the Giants just trail that margin netting 151 times in 41 games. The Blaze are however by far the stingiest team in the league, giving up just 79 goals thus far.
The Giants will face by far their toughest test so far in this incredible winnign run which has seen them catapult from no where to first place following Thursday night's comfortable victory of the Hull Stingrays. While a Giants victory by no means guarantees any silverwear, two points would be a huge boost as we appraoch the business end of the league season. A large crowd is expected, with the Odyssey Box Office reporting that an unusally large volume of tickets have been already purchased. Make sure you get yours early to avoid dissapointment, since this titanic clash is certainly one not to miss.
Conor Caldwell
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League Standings
| P | TEAM | GP | W(OT) | L(OT) | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giants | 54 | 46(0) | 5(3) | 95 |
| 2 | Steelers | 54 | 41(0) | 11(2) | 84 |
| 3 | Panthers | 54 | 38(0) | 12(4) | 80 |
| 4 | Devils | 54 | 32(0) | 12(10) | 74 |
| 5 | Blaze | 54 | 32(0) | 20(2) | 66 |
| 6 | Clan | 54 | 31(0) | 19(4) | 66 |
| 7 | Stingrays | 54 | 16(0) | 34(4) | 36 |
| 8 | Stars | 54 | 13(0) | 35(6) | 32 |
| 9 | Capitals | 54 | 13(0) | 37(4) | 30 |
| 10 | Flyers | 54 | 8(0) | 40(6) | 22 |
Giants' Stat Leaders
| Points | Robert Dowd | 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | Robert Dowd | 40 |
| Assists | Craig Peacock | 49 |
| PIM | Adam Keefe | 247 |