Review Of The Year 2004

Following the departure of Sean Berens for snowier climes, a position remained available on the Harp Lager Belfast Giants roster and the pressure was on Coach Rob Stewart to fill that place. The pressure increased when the Giants went on a run of 10 games without a win at the beginning of 2004.

That position was filled by Mark Finney, a former team mate and good friend of Stewart who took a break from his fishing company to help the Giants cause.

The bad run of the Giants, which seen them ousted from the Challenge Cup in the Semi-final stage by the Nottingham Panthers, losing to an aggregate score of 11-5, was brought to a sudden halt in Nottinghamâ??s NIC at the beginning of February when the Giants reaped revenge with a 7-2 win away from home. This was the start of a 4 game streak in which they scored 27 Goals, beating the London Racers home and away, and also overcoming the Basingstoke Bison on the road.

The final months of the league season saw the Sheffield Steelers lift another league title, the Nottingham Panthers finally win a trophy in the Challenge Cup, as for the Belfast Giants, they had a season that was unfortunately sub-par, but headed for the play-off qualifiers with high hopes.

Those hopes were dashed when the Giants, placed in a group containing the League Champions, the Sheffield Steelers, and the Manchester Phoenix, only amounted to a single point from a 3-3 draw against Manchester, losing all of the other qualifying games.

The last home game of the season marked the end of an era with the Giants. Colin Ward and Paxton Schulte had announced their retirements and would play their last game in the Teal, White and Red. These two players, infamous throughout the league, and loved by the Odyssey faithful, shed a tear as they ended their Giants careers and had their #11 and #27 shirts retired and shirts raised to the rafters of the arena.

The Play-off weekend was won by the Steelers, picking up their second trophy of the season with a win in the final against the Nottingham Panthers. However this didnâ??t stop Giants fans from enjoying themselves in the weekends festivities as they prepared for a long off season with quite a few surprises.

It was announced that the Harp Lager Belfast Giants were no more. Harp Lager ended their successful four year sponsorship deal with the team. But that was not the only departure.

Player-Coach Rob Stewart, after only a single season as coach and 3 previous seasons as player for the Belfast Giants, was controversially ousted from his job, his one year contract not being renewed for the following season. A large section of fans were divided on the action and it remained a debating point on KotG for a long time.

Stewart was replaced by Tony Hand, a legend in UK ice-hockey, who arrived to make a new beginning for the newly crested â??Belfast Giantsâ??.

As claim and counter claim between Stewart and the Giants organisation appeared in the press, Hand set about creating a team to bring the Giants glory in the season to come.

The team started to take shape with a couple of familiar faces. Shane Johnson, Jason Bowen, Todd Kelman, Curt Bowen, Mark Morrison, Leigh Jameson, Graeme Walton and Chris McGimpsey would all return for another season in Belfast, but this team would have a new European flavour to it.

Fredrik Nasvall arrived from Sweden, Martin Klempa and Roman Gavalier arrived from Slovakia, Former Manchester Phoenix player George Awada arrived from the USA and Mel Angelstad, an enforcer infamous in the North American Leagues arrived from Saskatoon in Canada. Curtis Huppe from Winnipeg and former Nottingham Panther player Marc Levers were added to the roster but the story of the off season signings went to Albertan with Irish ancestry, Diarmuid Kelly.

Kelly was signed by the team following a good showing at a training camp. However he travelled from Edmonton, Alberta just to get to it. His father, originally from these shores, now residing with his family in the home of the Oilers, spotted the team session advertised on-line and sent his son over to try out.

Kelly impressed and was snapped up by Hand, and was also received very well by the fans, the latter being delighted to reclaim an ex-pat or at least the son of one, and delighted by the story of his signing.

Before the season began there was one more twist. Following the departure of Mike "Just For Men" Blaisdell, none other than Rob Stewart filled the vacant coaching spot at the Sheffield Steelers. So the Giants faced a season in which two opposing teams would be managed by former Belfast coaches, with Dave Whistle remaining at Cardiff.

And it was against Rob Stewart's Steelers that the Giants began the season. Overcoming the champions 3-0 in Sheffield and setting up well for the â??Tony Hand Eraâ??.

Theres a tradition in Odyssey in which we never win our first game at home, and this rang true when the Cardiff Devils arrived in town and came away with a 3-2 win, however the Giants fans shrugged their shoulders and remembered tradition!

The season so far has been one of highs and lows. The Odyssey has welcomed new teams from the BNL in the Cross League games and has witnessed some fantastic wins, some unfortunate losses and some games easily forgot. The league has also seen an influx of players from the NHL following the player lockout. Eric Cairns was shown that NHL status doesnâ??t save you from dealings with Mel the Mangler when he and Angelstad tussled at the Odyssey on the night the London Racers came to town.

Weâ??ve had new entertainment in the Odyssey from Citybeat DJ Joe Ferguson who helped create a humorous and friendly atmosphere, providing hilarity with his costumes and interviews with fans.

There was a fantastic away weekend in Scotland in December that the Giants fans relished, despite losing one of the games in OT to the Fife Flyers.

The new faces have been something like a phenomenon, none more so than Martin Klempa, the netminder has proved that his lack of stature does not reflect in his ability, pulling of some saves that defy physics and becoming a firm favourite with the Odyssey masses!

The Giants were unfortunately knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the early stages and Todd Kelman received a face injury at the hands (and stick) of the Nottingham Panthers that put him out for a number of games.

But the Giants rounded off the year in fine style avenging the Nottingham Panthers at home with a 4-1 win and holding 4th position in the table, the front running Cardiff Devils well within their sights.

What will the following year hold? The season is tight and far from over!

From all here at KotG, We hope you have an fantastic 2005!

Patrick Smyth