It wasn’t a weekend to remember for the Belfast Giants as they came up short in one of their worst performances in team history that had the fans booing them off the ice. Although they fired a deceiving, and surely record setting, 72-shots on the Newcastle Vipers goal the effort against a 9 man Newcastle team wasn’t there and they blew a four goal lead to lose 6-5 after a shootout.

Taking an early 4-0 lead had the fans settling into their seats for a Sunday evening snooze as their team had it easy against a Newcastle with such a short bench that they deserved credit for even bothering to show up. Just nine men had taken the ice for the injury hit team and with the score at four they’d have been forgiven for rolling over and taking the thumping that appeared to be coming their way.

The Giants though didn’t want to shame their opponents by running up the score and so backed off, changed goalies to back-up Nathan Craze and decided to coast home to victory, though if you ask me I think sticking on your back-up is more shaming to your opponent at how easy you are having it than continuing to score goals and so with their minds on the bar afterwards the Vipers seized the initiative and started clawing their way back into the game.

I’ve always said you cannot just turn it on and off and back on again at will and this proved to be the case yet again last night as the Giants suddenly found the Vipers within a goal and the Giants had no way to respond. Sure the Vipers goalie stood on his head with that many shots coming his way but against nine men the Giants ought to have found a way - especially when it came to shutting the game down and stepping up defensively.

The biggest tactical error by Steve Thornton was thinking at 4-0 the game was over and that it was okay to stick Craze into goals. This isn’t a shot at Craze who has looked solid anytime he has been called upon but when Murphy was doing well between the pipes and with so much game still to go, it seems strange changing the goalie.

The reaction of the crowd clearly said it all and while I am not the type to boo myself, one can certainly understand where some of the fans are coming from. If the Giants were bottom of the league like Hull and perhaps just not good enough but trying their best, you could understand. But when you’re near the top, supposed to be challenging for a title and tactically you screw around and blow a point the the fans will naturally be angry.

Steve Thornton said it was the “most embarrassed I’ve ever been in my pro career,” going on to say “All losses hurt but the guys just checked out. It’s not good enough and it’s unfair for the fans to have to come and watch that.”

Thornton went on to say that there will likely be changes in the coming weeks because if not and if performances like this continue, his job will be on the line.

Thornton’s job shouldn’t be on the line however. This result is frustrating and poor but this is sport and sometimes it happens, there are no guarantees so there is no point kicking and screaming too much. You pay your money, you take your chances. Thornton had a good year in charge last year and for the most part this season the Giants have been competitive and in there challenging so a few tough defeats and one very shocking effort shouldn’t quite had the coach on the chopping block. In only his second season with the team Thornton deserves the time to work his way out of this hole by doing what it takes, be it player changes or not, to get back to winning ways.

The Giants have back-to-back games against Nottingham coming up, two games which have become so crucial now. Nottingham are on good form but two big results here and this showing last night will be forgotten about because this is sport and it’s a fickle business.

On the subject: Newcastle Vipers, Steve Thornton | ALL SUBJECTS |

............................................................................................................................................................................