Bouncing back Belfast beat Blaze after back-to-back defeats

Doug Christiansen’s Stena Line Belfast Giants went to the very edge of the precipes yet did not topple over the edge.

The angst started with a recent loss to the Sheffield Steelers who arguably played one of the best-planned games against the Giants all season.

Then, Jeff Hutchins’ Dundee outfit recorded a piece of history when his Stars beat Belfast at the Odyssey for the first time.

The visitors’ Mike Wirill scored his second hat trick of the season, which resulted in Belfast losing yet again at home for the first time this season.

Trailing Nottingham by six points, Belfast needed to win to reduce the points deficit but still had two games in hand. The Stars opened the scoring from A J MacLean followed by the Giants Daymen Rycroft who equalized to end the opening period tied 1-1.

Belfast’s Rob Sandrock put the home team in the lead, which seemed to spur the visitors into action. Two goals in less than two minutes regained the Star’s 3-2 lead after Pat Bowen then Bill Bagron scored for Dundee.

Dundee’s Mike Wirill put the icing on the cake netting the Stars’ fourth. Belfast’s goaltender Stephen Murphy was pulled in favor of an extra attacker and had only been off the ice for 16 seconds when Wirill completed his hat trick into an empty net to make it 5-2.

Jeff Hutchins reflected on the game: “We came with a game plan which we stuck to throughout the full sixty minutes. The first period was very tight with the score line tied at one apiece. Nick Riopel, our goalie had a fantastic game keeping us in the hunt until our sharp shooter got within Murphy’s range.

“Two goals in each the second and third period had the beating of the Giants and we got our first win at the Odyssey Arena.” concluded the former Giant.

The question was though, could the Giants soon be heading for their third home defeat in a row with Paul Thompson’s Coventry Blaze coming to town?

Having just recruited Bryan Jurynec to his squad, also Derek Campbell made them a much stronger outfit due to a series of season long injuries. These two new imports and the late fitness test for Captain Shea Guthrie and defenseman Jerramie Domish made them potentially stronger.

Thompson said: “When you are missing three or four players, you start over-playing guys and you are in danger of them picking up an injury.

“It was a very tight game when we last went to Belfast and it was never a 4-1 game. The Giants are not in their best form right now but will want a reaction to their loss to Sheffield and Dundee” concluded Thompson.

Belfast urgently needed a win to make up lost ground on the league leaders Nottingham. Coventry got off to a dream start with scores from Derek Campbell and Brad Leeb.

In the second period the Blaze took total control after Steven Chalmers increased their lead to 3-0. That goal woke up the Giants who produced more chances and pulling one back from Mark Garside to end the second period 3-1 behind.

Coventry’s goalie Peter Hirsch probably thought he was a target in a turkey shoot facing 22 shots in the third period alone as Belfast went all out to get back into the game.

With pressure mounting that the next goal had to be Belfast’s it came true with a goal from Greg Stewart. With the game going into overdrive Kevin Saurette tied it up at three apiece as the crowd went ballistic with joy.

No goal producing shot came from the overtime period thus a penalty shootout had to determine the victor. After the first three penalties, both teams had scored once and missed twice.

It then fell to a nail biting sudden death and after both teams missed Belfast’s Robby Sandrock scored the game-winning goal.

Post game, coach Thompson commented: “It was a tough one to take. I thought we did enough to take the two points.

“We came out and had a great first and second period. They got a couple of powerplay goals and we had to absorb some pressure in the third period, as we backed off a little bit.

“The game-tying goal was a two-on-one breakaway and it was the first one we gave up all night so we are disappointed with only the one point.

“I thought Soupy [Derek Campbell] had a great game and he complimented our team very well. Bryan Jurynec also did great for us. He is over on holiday and has decided to help us out. He made four blocks, he had a fight and he was vocal on the bench, like a true leader. It was great to have them both in the line-up.”

Winning coach Doug Christiansen, when asked what he said to his players after eight periods of disappointing hockey in front of the Fortress Odyssey faithful fans revealed: “I told them, stay the course and keep up the pressure on Coventry because you are getting the chances and goals will come. That we have more depth and had to become more physical. Just to be patient.

“Mark Garside’s goal gave us a chance to build on in the second period. However, once we got the next score from Greg Stewart it was game on again at 2-3.

“With our new recruit from the German League, Canadian Kevin Saurette scoring the tying goal the flow was certainly going Belfast’s way. After Robby Sandrock and Jeff Mason logged a shed load of game time minutes throughout the match, they will certainly sleep well tonight.

“I’m certainly very proud of all our guys. Each and every one of them all came up trumps after two very disappointing home game losses” concluded Christiansen.

The Stena Line Belfast Giants have it all to do again on Wednesday night in the Odyssey Arena when they face off against the Fife Flyers at 7.30. There is still all to play for for the Stena Line Belfast Giants.