Giants 4, Blaze 1

Last night the Giants brought out some hockey that left fans wondering how on earth did a team with this talent not win the Elite League.  The Giants dominated a Blaze team that where crowned EIHL champions only a night before from start to finish beating them by a score of 4-1 which in fact flatters the Blaze.  Granted the Blaze where in celebration mode, but with a playoffs coming up the Giants where not going to make the mistake of taking the night off either, instead showing the league that on their day they are the best team out there.  The issue with that is that there wasn’t enough ‘on their days’ and to many off nights which in the end has cost the Giants the championship and showed them, if anything that they where just not the most consistent team. 

With the pressure off of not ‘needing’ a win the Giants could relax and play hockey which entertained the fans and carrying that into the playoffs is a must, but as we all know doing it in games that really matter is another thing altogether.

If you cast your mind back twelve months and equally five years ago when the Giants won their league titles and then fell apart in the playoffs.  The reason was the team sat up after winning the league and where unable to turn it back on again when the post-season began.  Tonight’s showing suggested that although they hadn’t won the league they where not sitting up and will continue to carry their recent good momentum into the playoffs.  If anything it’s similar in a way to the 02-03 season.  They missed the league title by a matter of points to winners Sheffield but went out to prove a point in the post-season and won that years playoffs.  Tonight the Giants played it like a playoff game.

Outshooting the Blaze 43-13 in the contest the Giants had all the play from the first period limiting the Blaze to just 4 shots.  Unfortunately one of them 4 shots hit the net and somehow the Giants trailed after one.  The second was a scrappy period as the Giants struggled to get going but with a fresh sheet of ice and a third period push that Giants fans have become all to used to this season the Giants played their best hockey of the year.  The third line of Morrison - Levers - Martin was on fire and really did deserve a goal, running the Blaze defence ragged and never giving them a moments rest.  It was, however, the import boys that got the scoring done and once the Giants got one, they never looked back.

Notes
- Curtis Huppe remained behind the Giants bench while Ed Courtenay iced
- An injury kept Jamieson out of the game (the third line looked better for it)
- Blaze celebrating their second Elite league title in three years.

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

Category: Game Recaps (06-07) » » |

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