Belfast inflict double defeat on Italian guests

With the new Elite League season looming large on the horizon, the Belfast Giants prepared by inviting the Bolzano-Bozen Foxes into the Odyssey Arena. The italian side themselves about to embark on their own new era. Coach Tom Pokel leading the foxes into the Austrian EBEL for the first time in his own debut season at the club.

Considered by many to be a challenge too far for the EIHL side, Paul Adey’s Giant’s squad set about confounding the critics. Belfast proved too strong and quick for the team from a higher standard league. Despite Bolzano leaving a few of their top players, like Trent Whitfield, back in Italy, it was a strong side that took to the Odyssey ice. However it was the home team who would delight the crowd and take the spoils.

A sparkling 6-3 victory for the Giants was punctuated by a spectacular one-timer from Colin Shields midway through the game that flew high over netminder Jaroslav Hubel’s glove and into the roof of the net.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring within the first 2 minutes, Anton Bernard giving Bolzano an early lead. However despite further goals from Mark Stantorelli and, Man of the Match, Sébastien Piché, Bolzano could not deal with the physicality of the Giants whose game lead to goals by Darryl Lloyd, local lad Gareth Roberts and new arrivals Chris Higgins and Calvin Elfring. While Lloyd’s second goal of the game, into an empty net, was to cement a spectacular win for the home side.

Sunday’s rematch was a less fraught affair. While the previous day’s game was rife with tough hard hitting play, the second meeting of the sides was a much sedate. Giants captain Adam Keefe was rested to allow a niggling injury to heal, leaving the remaining members of the Belfast squad to put the visitors to task.

However the assembled masses, that included volunteers of the World Police and Fire games, treated to the night after fantastic work at the event that took place over the summer, were not treated to any change in the scoreline until well into the final period.

Kevin Surette has returned for a second season with the Giants and his opener in the 45th minute of the game was example of his ability to bring a game to life. A game that was slowly descending into stalemate was suddenly a challenge again.

Bolzano hit back almost immediately, Marco Insam putting the puck past Murphy and resuming the stalemate, but with more impetus to gain a victory than appeared to be evident 5 minutes earlier. However 60 minutes could not separate the sides.

As overtime began it was the home side who came storming out of the blocks and as the puck bobbled around Gunther Hell’s crease, it was Calvin Elfring who was on hand to pic up his second goal of the weekend and the winning goal of the night. Giants with the 2-1 overtime victory.

When you take into account the size of the traveling Bolzano roster in comparison to the Belfast Giants, alongside the relative talent, it can not be underestimated how great an achievement it is to sweep the EBEL side in two games. Bolzano, finalists in last years Continental Cup, a competition where Belfast didn’t make it past the second round, will no doubt be major contenders in their first season among the Austrian elite.

However Belfast will gain a great deal of confidence in these victories as they await the arrival of the Edinburgh Capitals this Saturday for the opening fixtures of the 2013/14 Elite Ice Hockey League Season.