With a new Brit signed up last week it was time to continue putting together the British core of the team and Thronton did that by bringing back his best two British players from last years team; Colin Shields and Dave Phillips. Signing on Shields was a formality given that last year he inked a two year deal, though with Lyle leaving his two year contract to sign in Cardiff this past weekend, nothing in British hockey is literally a formality.

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Some rumours flying around on the KotG forum are suggesting that Curtis Huppe has decided to call it a career. Like Rob Stewart and Jason Bowen before him he looks set to retire in Belfast as he is married to a local girl. Some Giants fans had hoped he would leave Coventry this summer to come back to Belfast to play some hockey for the Giants but that now doesn’t look likely. Who knows though after a summer off without hockey he may well be inticed back – if Stevie Thornton wants him that is. Theres no doubt Huppe still has a lot left to give to the game.

The Giants are going to need one hell of a big effort from those guys left with any kind of health on the roster to get them through the weekend with any hope of qualifying for the knockout stages of Challenge-Cup and the test couldn’t come any tougher. League leaders Coventry Blaze and ex-scoring champ Curtis Huppe are in town to face a Giants team without FIVE regular players, four of which are go-to import players. The irony being we could probably use Curtis more than ever yet some fans will still find reason to boo him no doubt. Read More»

Blaze 6, Giants 4

In their first road game of the season, the Giants fell to their first defeat of the season, Sunday night against rivals Coventry.  Against a team many suspect will be the Giants closest rivals for the title this season Belfast threw away a two goal lead when 2-0 ahead for the second time in two nights, but unlike Nottingham last night, Coventry went on to win the game…

Box Score »

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Ed Courtenay added two more names to his Giants roster with the signings of Curtis Huppe and Jeff Hutchins. Huppe who is going into his 3rd season with the Giants is a proven goal scorer and probably the most prolific finisher in the league. Hutchins played in Coventry last year and will be bring a strong gritty game to the team with the ability to also pick up points.

In what will probably turn out to be the highest scoring game of the season that seen the net hit 12 times by pucks with one of them being disallowed. It was a goal in overtime by the Fife Flyers that stole the points and handed the Giants their first ever defeat by a BNL team.

The only bonus of scoring 5 goals and still losing is that the Giants still managed to pickup a point and the on-fire Curtis Huppe (right), score yet another hatrick; His second of the month.

It was the 5th game in the last 6 for the Giants that has gone into overtime with their record in that stretch in overtime sitting now at 1-1-3 after tonight’s game. This was their first over-time loss of the season and it came at that hands of Euan Forsyth with only 1:19 of the over-time period played.

It was a game that was not short on goals nor action as both teams traded goals throughout the first two periods. It was Fife who took first blood with a goal on 5:39 but the Giants answered back late in the first period with the on fire Curtis Huppe scoring his 7th of the season. It was short lived however as Steven King then fired home only 26 seconds later to give the Flyers a first period lead.

The second period started off as the first had ended with a goal inside the first 30 seconds when the Giants levelled the scoring with American, George Awada picking up his 9th goal of the season. After a slight lull in scoring it was back to normal when Biette scored and then Awada fired home his 10th of the season just 3 minutes later to make it 3-3. That wasn’t all however as Mark Morrison (of Fife not Belfast), scored to give the Flyers an end of period lead once again.

It was the Morrison – Dutiaume – King line that was causing the Giants all ends of trouble and they struck again for the teams 5th goal of the game and giving them a two goal lead for the first time but a late rally by the Giants through in form Curtis Huppe which seen him notch his second hatrick in three games and his 7th goal in 3 games tied it up for the Giants forcing overtime.

It wasn’t to be however and the Flyers took the win and the two points back to their BNL standings. The Giants move on to Edinburgh tomorrow night to face another Scottish and BNL opponent on their long road trip.

Fife Flyers 6-5 Belfast Giants

Flyers: Morrison 5:39, King 18:56, Biette 28:39, Morrison 37:16, King 48:52.
Giants: Huppe 18:30, Awada 20:38, Awada 31:49, Huppe 50:39, Huppe 58:49.

Lines:
Huppe – Hand – Nasval
Kelly – C.Bowen – Awada
Morrison – Walton – Levers

J.Bowen – Johnson
Angelstad – Gavalier 

Tony Hand has been busy over the last few weeks in building the Giants squad with the signings of some new players and the return of some old faces.

Fan favourites Jason Bowen and Shane Johnson where quick to sign up for another season and where followed by the youngest player on the Giants roster last season Leigh Jamieson.

New players coming in are Curtis Huppe and Roman Gavalier as well as familiar names with the signings of ex-Panthers forward Marc Levers and Manchester Phoenix captain George Awada.

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