While it may indeed have suited coach Tony Hand, a 6-4 win over the Sheffield Steelers certainly flattered the Belfast Giants in what seemed to be more akin to an evening in the Twilight Zone where anything can and will often happen ... and it seems that effect was transferred across the league with Bison beating Panthers 5-3 and Blaze making it 7-1 away to Devils (cue the music...)
You could have been forgiven as a Belfast fan if youâ??d gone to sleep during the first 40 minutes of the game - it seemed the team had. Gerad Adams struck first for the visitors at 6.56 and it was left to Roman Gavalier to drag the home side even just before the close of the first period.
Steelers stretched their lead in the second through Marc Levebvre but it wasnâ??t until the third period when things really took off.
Giants began the final twenty with the man advantage as Adams sat out a holding penalty, but Mike Peron took advantage of a defensive mix up and made it 3-1 at 40.25. Many people including this fan would have thought that the game was over at that pointâ?¦
Jason Bowen led the fight back, converting a pass from Nasvall, and within the next three minutes, Tony Hand and a jubilant Curtis Huppe had made it 4-3 to the home side. Adams drew the side level at 47.45, but someone was smiling on the Giants as Freddy Nasvall netted the Giantsâ?? fifth and Awada just about scrabbled home the sixth and final nail in the coffin with an empty netter with three seconds left on the clock.
| 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 |
| Points | Robert Dowd | 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | Robert Dowd | 40 |
| Assists | Craig Peacock | 49 |
| PIM | Adam Keefe | 247 |