Clan 2 - Belfast Giants 3 (after penalty shoot out)
January 27, 2012
The last time these two teams met was on 27th December when the Clan came away from Belfast with a 4-1 win to put a dent into the Giants title aspirations.
Since that defeat Belfast went on a six game winning run, however they slipped up last Saturday against title challengers Nottingham.
With both Nottingham and more so Sheffield (who have seven games in hand) breathing down their neck, this was a must win game as every point is like gold dust.
As for the Clan who have lost their last three league games, they are still very much in the mix with Coventry and Cardiff for a fourth place finish.
After the game ended all square after sixty five minutes it was a penalty shootout that decided were the points were going and they went the way of the Giants.
The first period ended in stalemate as neither team could get the go ahead goal. The visitors had more of the chances as they fired 13 shots on the home net. However the Clan goaltender was standing tall and denied them on each occasion. At the other end the Giants goalie had very little to do as he only had to deal with 3 shots.
The Giants opened the scoring at 23.04 as Robert D won a faceoff in the Clan end and played it back to Aaron Clarke on the point and he fired into the net past an unsighted Suomalainen. Clan were back on level terms at 28.50 with a powerplay goal from player/coach Drew Bannister, to the delight of the home support.
Plenty of goal mouth action after this but it was the goaltenders who were coming up with the big saves and the period ended with the teams tied at a goal apiece.
The hosts took the lead as recent signing Mike Wirll scored his first goal for the club at 45.26. The visitors were back on level terms as returnee Paul Deniset was on hand to net at the back post with 48 minutes played.
With 11 seconds remaining the puck got played across the face of the Giants goal and with an open net in front of him it looked as though Jordan Krestanovich was going to hit home the game winner, somehow he managed to put it straight into the body of a sprawling Murphy and the chance was lost.
Into overtime and neither team could add to their tally and the game was decided by a penalty shootout. After both teams had taken two penalty shots with neither of them finding the net. Both teams then scored twice before Dowd with his second attempt netted the game winner and Wirll missed his for the Giants to pick up the extra point.
Period Scores: 0-0, 1-1, 1-1, 0-0 (2-3)
Penalty Mins: Bra 2 – Bel 6
Powerplay: Bra 1/3 – Bel 0/1
Shots On: Jaakko Suomalainen 37 – Stephen Murphy 18
Referee: Moray Hanson
