Its All About The Playoffs!

The Harp Lager Belfast Giants closed the first regular season of the Elite Ice Hockey League with three games in as many nights. Two home games against the Basingstoke Bison and Coventry Blaze, followed by a road trip to Nottinghamâ??s National Ice Arena for a closing match-up against the Panthers.

With local forward Gareth Martin out injured, it signalled a return to Odyssey ice for Romfordâ??s Grant Taylor. Donning the #10 shirt he lined up with the side on Friday evening for the visit of the Bison. And in what was an entertaining end to end game it was the Bison who struck first through a Steve Moria goal on 7 minutes. Colin Ward, however, showed that he may be retiringâ?¦ but he can still score goals like the young ones! Tucking away an equaliser. Before the first period ended the light was lit twice more. Martin Filip hooked on to a Blake Sorensen pass to put the Bison 2-1 up. Then Grant Taylor scored his first EIHL and Giants goal on 18.15 to draw the sides level once again.

From here on in the Giants took control of the game. Goals from Mark Morrison, Mark Finney, Curt Bowen and 2 fine, man of the match winning, goals from Paul Sample gave the Giants a commanding 7-2 win in a game that not only saw only a single 2minute minor penalty handed out all game, but also saw yet another short appearance by back up Giants netminder Chris McGimpsey, much to the delight of the Odyssey crowd.

The following night saw the arrival of the Coventry Blaze. A team the giants were yet beat in the EIHL campaign. And when Giants captain Jason Ruff, returning this weekend from injury, put the Giants ahead on 18 minutes and Curt Bowen doubled the advantage in the second period, the home side looked to be coping well. However in their last meeting with the Blaze, the Giants squandered a 2 goal lead and they did it once more. Steve Charthand linked up twice with Steve Oâ??Brien to score a goal in the second period and another in the third forcing overtime. It was the Giants who were on top for most of the game and looked strong heading into OT. However they were forced to play two minutes defending a 4-on-3 when Paxton Schulte swung a needless and fierce slash on an open-ice Blaze defenseman. The act was missed by referee Simon Kirkham, but was picked up by one of his linesman. Under official IIHF rules linesmen are not allowed to call penalties, and maybe Schulte should have got away with the act, however Schulte, who for the two home games was once again showing that he has ability and can be one of the best puck handlers in the league, was sent to the box for two minutes. Arguments can be made about the semantics of the call, however it was a needless slash by Schulte that could have cost his team in OT.

However the Giants held on and the game ended 2-2 after OT. The Giants packed up and left for a match up to close the season in Nottingham. However the game didnâ??t go exactly as the Giants had hoped. Possibly fatigued by the game being the third in three nights, the Panthers went 4-0 up within 15 minutes through Briane Thompson, Lee Jinman, John Craighead and Paul Moran. Giants had a mountain to climb, but Todd Kelman clawed back a goal at the end of the second period. It was, however a false dawn and despite other Giants goals from Jason Bowen and two from Brad Kenny, Nottinghamâ??s Kristian Taubert, Mark Cadotte and Robert Stancok gave the Panthers a commanding 7-4 home win and in doing so closed the EIHL regular season.

The Belfast Giants ended the season with 62 points and in fourth place in the first Elite Ice Hockey League. They will face League Champions Sheffield Steelers and Paul Heaveyâ??s Manchester Phoenix in their quest to retain the Playoff title won last year. As they leave the NIC tonight, they hope to return before next season!

Patrick Smyth

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