Giants split series with Braehead Clan

Belfast Giants iced a festive double hitter against Braehead Clan. The first game being away, with the victory going to the Giants 7-2 and Darryl Lloyd netting three goals

This was the Lloyd’s second ever hat trick following his first against Edinburgh in the 6-0 victory in Belfast’s previous game. Could there be a third? It is very unusual to score back-to-back hat tricks but boy did the Giants need them.

However the return game, back, in the Odyssey Arena, proved to be a very different affair. After a very even opening period with both teams having their opportunities it was Braehead’s Brock McPherson that opened the scoring for the Clan with the only goal of the period.

The second period was a very feisty affair with two good old fashion ice hockey rumbles. Again it was the Clan that were inspired to score through Ryan Campbell on a penalty shot after he was dumped whilst charging the Giants net, thus being awarded the scoring opportunity.

Leaving just the final twenty minutes to rescue the game for Belfast, the Giants threw the Belfast sink plus anything else to hand to beat the Clan in the third period but there was simply no way through. Clan could only muster two shots on goal in the period – but made them both count as former Giant Mike Bayrack fired Clan 4-0 ahead with scores.

Giants’ pressure finally paid off when Jacko Suomalainen’s shutout was lost with just over five minutes left in the game. The Giants Craig Peacock scored the only goal for the home side. Much too little and way too late leaving just the noisy travelling band of Clan supporters in full voice and making the noise come the final buzzer.

The Giants out shot the Clan 44 shots to 18, but came up short in the scoring department 1-4. Belfast has to regroup to take on the Cardiff Devils this Friday night to maintain their lead in the Rapid Solicitors Elite League now reduced to three points over Nottingham Panthers after their double victories over the hard charging Sheffield Steelers.