Giants new Captain Adam Keefe leads his team into battle

The Stena Line Belfast Giants started their quest to repeat the Elite League Champions status by announcing Adam Keefe as their new Captain with Robby Sandrock and Craig Peacock as the Assistant Captains.

Noah Clarke will also be part of the leadership team that will be looking to defend the Giants League title won last season.

Keefe in his second season with the Giants after playing a key role in the championship-winning season of 2011/12. He served as an Assistant Captain last year with the Giants and was voted to lead this year’s team by his teammates. In 59 games last season, Keefe scored 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points while leading the way on the league’s most effective penalty-killing unit.

Robby Sandrock, who returned to the Giants after nine seasons in Continental Europe, will be one of the Assistant Captains. Sandrock is the only defenseman to ever lead the Giants in scoring, a feat he accomplished back in 2002/03 on route to the Giants Superleague Playoff Championship. At the time, he was the youngest player on the team, but with 9 more years of pro hockey under his belt,

Sandrock is an older, steadier presence that the team recognized when they picked him to be an Assistant Captain. Sandrock picked up 4 assists last weekend against Tilburg and will be a leader on defense, playing a lot of minutes in every situation all season long.

Now at the ripe old age of 24, Craig Peacock is coming off his best season as a pro after leading the Giants in scoring with 78 points last year (29 goals and 49 assists) in 62 games. He is going into his fourth season in the Elite Ice Hockey League, all of which have been spent in Belfast. He has already won a playoff title in 2010 during his rookie season, then last season he played on the top line and was the leading scorer on the League Champions.

Coach Doug Christiansen spoke about the selections the team made.

“Leadership is one of the most important components to any team. In a dressing room full of former captains, these four were voted to be their leaders. Keefe plays with tremendous passion and intensity and will say what needs and do what it takes to win at all costs.

Sandrock has a fantastic rapport with the players already and has emerged as someone we can rely on. We expect him to be one of the top defensemen in the league this season. For Peacock, this is a natural progression. He has won titles, been a finalist for British Player of the Year and been an extremely hard worker improving each season during his 3 years in Belfast. He is well liked and dedicated.

Finally, Noah Clarke is a proven player who has great leadership skills. He is a quiet leader who will be one of the best players in the league this year. He has the ability to boost the offensive production of any team and he quietly commands respect from his teammates by his work ethic on and off the ice and the way he plays the game.”

Glasgow’s Braehead Arena is never going to be a friendly rink for visiting teams to play in. The Stena Line Belfast Giants found this out losing 3-2 in a Challenge Cup opening round on Saturday night. The game was pulsating in atmosphere, and featured a new four man officiating system for the first time, only for it to revert back to a three man in the third period, as one of the officials was taken ill.

Braehead netted first through captain Ash Goldie on the power play. Two minutes later another power play goal from Robert Farmer made it 2-0.

Belfast finally found the zone and pulled one back inside the first minute of the second period with their own extra man goal scored by Daymen Rycroft.

The Clan restored their two goal lead when they were awarded a penalty shot   that saw Adam Walker beat Stephen Murphy, however that again sparked the

Giants come back made with yet another extra man score from Robby Sandrock late in the third period.

Despite pulling their goaltender with less than two minutes to play Belfast   were unable to score the games tying goal thus ending a powerful comeback from the visiting squad in anguish.

The Giants, opened  the season with Challenge Cup encounter in Braehead against the Clan were Belfast played well but as Coach Christiansen stated after viewing the game tape..

“We played better than I thought but didn’t execute. We have a lot to learn from that game looking forward to our double hitter Elite League matchup in Nottingham this weekend. We have the players however we still need to gel as a unit which is understandable after only two games together.

Practice is one thing where we develop the skills of our new players on each line, which were recently formed. Sometimes it clicks straight away during preseason. Sadly we could only arrange one preseason game, however I saw a lot of good things coming out of the Clan clash especially coming back from two goals behind.

However the penalty shot goal seemed to be a step too far but we did pile on the pressure in the final five minutes and came close on more than one occasion by making it a one goal affair. But in the end there were three thousand people in the Braehead Arena wanting us to lose. Sadly they were the ones going home with a smile on their face.” Concluded Christiansen.

Next step for the Giants is against the two trophy winners  (Challenge Cup and Playoff Winners) Nottingham Panthers in their own den in a league double hitter. It doesn’t get bigger than this before the Giants play their first home game on Thursday 20th 2012 at 7.30 face off.

The Giants play the majority of their early season encounters away from the Odyssey arena plus face a grueling schedule before going to Europe to compete in the Continental Cup facing Rujiters Eaters Geleen Friday the 19th of October 2012.

Go Giants Go.