13 is a lucky number for Belfast

The Belfast Giants need only to keep their own house in order to progress toward the Elite League Championship. And by scoring 13 goals for no reply this weekend Doug Christiansen’s side justified their league leading place with aplomb.

The Giants entered the weekend’s road trip knowing that the Sheffield Steelers loss to the Braehead Clan on Friday night improved their title run requirement should they continue their impressive form. Ryan Finnerty’s Steelers have chased the Northern Irish side since late September and can ill-afford such slips if they are to retain their title.

Subsequently Christiansen’s side traveled firstly to Hull Arena for an encounter with the Stingrays. Sylvain Cloutier’s team are struggling in the lower echelons of the Elite League and were unable to stem the tide of Belfast Giants pressure. In a game that saw 8 goals from the visitors and over 70 shots on Christian Boucher’s goal, Belfast faced little resistance toward gaining their first 2 points of the weekend.

Two goals and two assists from Robert Dowd strengthens his bid for the season award as the leagues best British player, while two further goals from Jeff Mason adds to his impressive tally of 17 goals from defence this season.

The game had a strange and unfortunate turn for former Coventry and Newcastle forward Derek Campbell. A penalty shot awarded by referee Tom Darnell saw Campbell beat Stephen Murphy high, only for the puck to rebound off the crossbar and back into the face of the frustrated forward. The Stingrays only real chance of a goal resulting in injury alongside insult.

The strength of the Giants side comes in the spread of the points scoring. Further goals from Adam Keefe, Jon Pelle, Jeremy Rebek and Craig Peacock a perfect demonstration of the danger that prevails throughout the league leading squad. Backstopped by a superb performance by Murphy in goal who, despite giving way to backup Andrew Dickson late into the game, gained significant confidence in his own and his defences abilities.

8 goals and 2 points in the bag the Giants travelled across the Pennines to take on Paul Thompson’s Coventry Blaze. The once great team have struggled this season and currently chase a probable fourth place finish. While they remain one of the only sides this season to have shut out the Giants potent strike force, Sunday nights game witnessed the Belfast side further stamp their credentials as possible champions.

Once again Robert Dowd scored two goals while also assisting Craig Peacocks 3rd minute opener while James Griffin sat a penalty for tripping. The Giants defence spent most of their time shutting down the proven danger of the Blaze’s Shea Guthrie and the home team stuggled to find a Plan B as the visitors took control. Jeremy Rebek picked up his second goal of the weekend to double the Giants advantage mid way through the second stanza. 71 seconds later it was 3-0, Dowd with the first of his brace.

Blaze netminder Peter Hirsh struggled to contain the Giants attack and appeared to be struggling with injury as he sprawled across his crease for Dowd’s second of the night. While he was lying face down unable to stop Peacock as he finished an emphatic win with his second goal of the game and 3rd of the weekend. 5-0 to the Giants in Coventry, another shutout for Stephen Murphy and, while a scoreline unthinkable in seasons gone by at the Skydome, now seen as a necessity as the league race winds to conclusion.

Four points from the first 2 games of a 3 game road series for the Giants. The next opponent for the Belfast could prove crucial. The Sheffield Steelers await at the Motorpoint Arena still licking their wounds from the shock 2-1 defeat to Braehead and in need of a victory over Belfast to hamper the Giants march to the title. The match ups between these two teams, this Friday and in Belfast over St Patrick’s Day weekend will decide where the Championship trophy will reside this season.

The outcome still lies in the hands of the Belfast Giants, but to complete the mission they must keep their own house in order and add to this impressive current streak of 10 consecutive victories.