It was a meaningless Challenge cup game for some and in the end I guess it kind of was because the 1-1 tie on the final buzzer meant both teams were eliminated from group qualification. But for the Giants team it meant a heck of a lot more. A 1-1 tie against the runaway league leaders with 5 star players out injured sent a message throughout the league that the once bottom of the league and struggling Giants were back. It was a boost of moral to both the players and the fans as the Giants icing just twelve skaters took the game to the Blaze.

It was the first game back in the Odyssey for Curtis Huppe since his departure and he flew under the radar all night, surfacing only to take a two minute coincidental slashing minor with Troy Neumeier in the third period. He was greeted with a few minor boos from some sections but nothing that some were expecting in the summer.

I like others came to the arena expecting a bit of a duffing by the league leaders what with so many players missing but was suprised when the Giants took the lead in the contest from the high flying Peter Campbell who scored his fifth goal in his forth game after a neat pass from Ed Courtenay.

The lead didn’t last long and when Coventry did equalise many then expected the flood-gates to open. They were pleasently suprised when the Giants took the 1-1 tie in to the first intermission. By the second intermission the score was still 1-1 with Stevie Lyle and Shane Johnson putting in exceptional performances.

It wasn’t like the Giants were getting dominated though, they were creating chances of their own and could well have won it in the third period when Shaun Sutter went close. He was getting better and better as the game went on when many expected the team to tire.
Note a lot of the players being mentioned in this article are replacements that have came in in recent weeks to give the line-up a boost.

By mid-way through the third playing two-line hockey with sporatic shifts from Morrison and Christie on the ‘energy’ line started to take it’s toll on the legs of the Giants team. They were defending more and more and struggling to keep up with the pace of a fully functioning line-up from Coventry. Still they battled on and grabbed the point. It may not have qualififed them in the competition but considering the circumstances it was a great moral booster for everyone in the arena that night.

On Sunday night the boys travelled to Basingstoke with the same twelve out-skaters again in what really was a meaningless game. With the main priority being ‘not to get yourself injured’ the Giants ran out 5-4 losers in the contest. Again Peter Campbell kept up his fine form with a goal and an assist while Ed Courtenay, the best set-up man in the league, contributed with another three assists.

George Awada snapped a five game scoring drought when he picked up a goal. The fans will be hoping this kick starts his season. Leigh Jamieson however is on one of the best streaks of his Giants career. Playing alongside Ed Courtenay he has points in his last four games and seven in his last eight games. Carlyle Lewis was another player who took time to find his feet in a Giants jersey but has now scored five goals in the last seven games.

Category: Game Recaps (07-08) » » Basingstoke Bison |

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