Giants 3, Capitals 4 (so)
Steelers 5, Giants 7

So it’s been a few days now and I’m finally getting writing on the weekends games but what a weekend it was.  One certainly comprised of one of the games of the season and the other as one of the shocks of the year.  Everyone expected the Giants to invite Edinburgh into their barn then send them home with their tails between their legs.  They then expected the boys to head over to Sheffield battle out a tough game and all being well take home the win.  Well as it turned out not everything went according to plan.

Edinburgh, before this weekend had never beaten the Giants.  I guess in a way they still haven’t as it took the shootout to decide the outcome and in the record books the Giants loss column against the Caps still shows a big zero, but the fact stands that the Caps came in as big underdogs and took home the two available points.  Gone are the days of the Caps being the leagues whipping boys.  They have turned over some nice results of late and although the Giants beat them twice back to back early in November in Edinburgh it was not without a tough grind.  Saturday the Caps got revenge.

The Giants had an awful first two periods but as we’ve seen at certain occasions before they where able to step it up a gear in the third.  Unfortunately the Caps defensive play was excellent and the Giants shooting a little off as they failed to put away the Scottish team.  Overtime brought nothing and the game headed to a shootout.  It was the second game in a row that the Giants have taken to the shootout stage and as it turned out it was the second in a row that they lost.  Hutchins, Dutiaume and Kelman all had shots turned aside with one goal being enough for the Caps. 

At least the Giants took one point out of the contest to move a little further ahead in the league standings.  Coventry where not playing this weekend, they had their semi-final of the challenge cup games to play giving them even more games in hand over the Giants in the league.

The following night was another grudge game against the Steelers.  So far this season the Giants have came out on top of the hotly contested affairs and as it turned out this one was no different.  In the end it could go down as one of the games of the season.  In all, twelve goals where scored with the Giants coming away the 7-5 winners after at times looking like they might have left it to late.  But as the third period played the goals just kept flowing almost as quickly as players flowed into the penalty box.

By the end of the first period it was 1-1 with the Giants tying the game up seconds before the first hooter.  By the end of the second we had two Sheffield goals and a Belfast one to make the game 3-2 setting up an exciting final period which if previous contests have been anything to go by the Giants would take charge and spoil the Steelers hopes for a big win.  This one was no different but it was a roller coaster.

Belfast tied it up early in the third but within five minutes of the period starting the Steelers had their lead again.  No need to panic there was plenty of time right?  Right… Within seven minutes of tying the game the Giants took the lead on a Curtis Huppe penalty shot and increased the advantage to two goals when Huppe scored again.  I’m sure the Sheffield fans as well as their players and coach Dave Matsos could not believe they had thrown away the lead against Belfast yet again.  They did pull one back with the goalie pulled in the dieing seconds but just to rub salt into the wounds the Giants grabbed an empty net goal seconds later to give them their seventh of the night.

J.P. Morin was in fine form on the Giants blueline scoring two and adding an assist, Jason Ruff contributed the same as Morin and Curtis Huppe kept us his great form this season with a fine two goals, two assists performance.  The big point getter however was ex-Steeler Mark Dutiaume, back to haunt his old team.  He chipped in with a goal and four assists for a huge five point night.

The Giants now take a week off before playing Basingstoke at home on Friday night but although there was a slip up against Edinburgh at home, they appear to have found their scoring form again in the Sheffield game and if they can keep that up it could prove to be a successful festive campaign.

Vs. Edinburgh

Giants-History.com 3 stars:
1st Star: Jason Ruff
2nd Star: Jeff Hutchins
3rd Star: Mark Dutiaume

Summary:

Belfast:
(19-5-3)
Ruff: 1G, 2A
Hutchins: 1G (pp), 1A
Dutiaume: 1G
Huppe: 1A
Kelman: 1A
Walton: 1A
Morin: 6pims
Skiehar: 2pims
Gavalier: 2pims

L: Minard (18-6-3-1) 23 saves

Vs. Sheffield

Giants-History.com 3 stars:
1st Star: J.P. Morin
2nd Star: Mark Dutiaume
3rd Star: Curtis Huppe

Summary:

Belfast:
(20-5-3)
Morin: 2G (pp), 1A, 4pims
Ruff: 2G (pp), 1A, 2pims
Huppe: 2G (pp,ps), 2A
Dutiaume: 1G, 4A, 2pims
Awada: 1A, 6pims
Skiehar: 1A, 2pims
Hutchins: 12pims
Gavalier: 4pims
Levers: 4pims
Morrison: 2pims
Jamieson: 24pims
Bench: 4pims

W: Minard (19-6-3-1) 27 saves

Category: Game Recaps (06-07) » |

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