The way thean Giants have been playing lately makes me think what they could have done to the league this year had all the players stayed healthy throughout the season. I am absolutely sure that they would have walked over this league, even considering how well Sheffield have been playing. With players still on the sidelines the last few weeks the Giants players that have been able to play have been showing exactly what they can do when they play some real run-and-gun hockey.

Tonight the Giants put eight past Hull to go with the five they put by Basingstoke 24-hours earlier. On Wednesday past they put another eight past Basingstoke as Paul Deniset grabbed five goals and two assists for seven points tonight to match line-mate Andrew Martin’s two goals and five assists for seven points on Wednesday night. Both guys now join Theo Fleury for the most points scored in a game as Giants players. Deniset joins Shaun Sutter with five goals scored in a single Giants game.

Now of course you have to accept the two teams they were playing against were league basement dwellers, Hull and Basingstoke, but with the injuries they have carried lately the ability to win with so many goals is pretty incredible.

You know it’s frustrating. All these moments of history. Theo’s seven point debut and Martin and Deniset’s seven point games inside a week and I missed all of them. That night Theo was bagging the goals in October ’05 I was on a flight home from a trip to Canada and checked out the details on a computer in Glasgow airport. This week I was of course in Canada but was away from home and unable to catch the action on the webcast. On Wednesday I was in work and today I was sitting my Canadian driving test. Saying that if Deniset had a good night then so to did I . . . I passed the test and celebrated by buying myself a 46″ HD Plazma TV for the new home.

There is one worrying part to the whole free flowing high scoring hockey being player in the Odyssey of late. While Basingstoke and Hull have decided to go toe to toe with the Giants in run-and-gun hockey they too found the net with ease. Thankfully the Giants skill came through but not before conceding 13 over the three games. 8-5, 5-2 and 8-6 wins.

The Giants defence has been far from stellar over this period of time. Injuries have been a factor in that, yes forwards are out but the Giants are relying on the defence for more offensive output than might normally be expected if there was more fire power up front.

Still, so long as you win I guess there is no big worry. It is that old theory — If you score four we will score five. So long as the Giants continue like that nobody will complain to much. Two points is two points and the league is pretty much out of reach anyway. The Giants forwards are exploding with confidence ahead of the playoffs.

On the subject: Andrew Martin, Basingstoke Bison, Hull Stingrays, Paul Deniset | ALL SUBJECTS |

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