Belfast Giants 3 Cardiff Devils 4 (After Penalty Shootout)
After losing their last six penalty shoot-out this season Cardiff rolled the dice for the seventh time coming up smelling of roses and winning 4-3. That victory ensured their third straight Play-Off final with following their dramatic victory over the Elite League champs Belfast Giants.
Who would have fancied Gerad Adam’s Devils to be in the final but in the end it was the Devil’s Kenton Smith who scored the winning shot – the only shot that lit the goal judge’s light.
Devils had earlier looked set for success in regulation but gave up a 3-1 lead as Giants hit back, scoring twice inside the final five minutes.
Giants started the better of the two teams however fell behind to a Scott Matzka goal on a 2 on 1 break. Stevie Lyle in the Cardiff net then had two great stops as Giants hit back but could do nothing when Giants leveled on the powerplay.
Giants captain Jeremy Rebek scoring through a melee of bodies just as Devils had killed off a spell when Giants had a two-man advantage.
Belfast’s man of the match, Stephen Murphy, had to be sharp stopping both numerous breakaways and excellent shots in particular completing sprawling save from Jeff Pierce in the thirty firstminute as Devils came right back into it.
Devils increasing in confidence had Scott Dobben convert a Cardiff rebound rewarding them with a one-goal advantage going into the third period.
Devils survived some heavy Giants pressure as the third period wore on but always looked dangerous on the break and after some great work behind the net from player/coach Gerad Adams.
The nail in the Giants coffin came from Luke Piggott scoring only his second goal of the season to put Devils into a commanding 3-1 lead.
The Belfast storm clouds were gathering as the final minutes ticked down but a lifeline was thrown to the sinking ship when Aaron Clarke converted a cantering feed with just over four minutes remaining on the game clock.
If that didn’t lift the Belfast supporters then Mike Hoffman poking the puck over the goalies red line after a fantastic struggle in front of Lyle’s net had them in raptures. It seems Stevie Lyle lost sight of the puck in his crease which resulted in Hoffman goal and a tied 3-3 score.
The ten minute overtime period produced few real chances on the 4 on 4 play and it was to the shootout we went where Kenton Smith scored the winning shot to send his side through to play Nottingham in the final after Hull went down fighting in a one sided 10-3 defeat by the Panthers.