The Giants were in Dundonald tonight trying to overturn a 5-2 defect to the Cardiff Devils from the first leg of their Challenge Cup Semi-Final and looking to return to the final of the competition for the second year in a row and defend the trophy they won last year. Knowing they had given the Devils a three goal lead from the first leg they had to go attacking from the start, not that such a tactic is unusual to the Giants who are known as an offense first club, but tonight the result had to be good. Enforcer Sean McMorrow was scratched from the line-up in return for speed and scoring power through the roster but if post game reports from fans are to be believe, player-coach Steve Thornton only rolled two forward lines anyway and the team didn’t have the legs to claw back the tie and win it.

Dropping behind inside the first three minutes would never help but three goals in the following thirty minutes of play put the score at 6-5 overall and giving the fans that had showed up to the old barn a bit of hope. Hopes were dashed though either side of the second intermission when a power play goal followed by a short handed goal just seconds into the third frame for the Devils put the tie beyond reach.

The Giants didn’t give up however, two Colin Shield’s goals in the final five minutes again pulled the tie within one with the Giants leading 5-3 on the night, but it wasn’t to be and time ran out on their hopes of retaining the trophy.

There will be plenty of time to build up this final — The first Challenge Cup final for the Giants since that last one that we never want to talk about. Unfortunately it will be my duty as a Giants blogger to mention it and even the Black shirts that came with it. It will also be up to me to investigate whether the team intend to wear Black in the final again. As to who they play in the final, that looks like it could be Manchester after they won their first leg semi-final 5-2 against Basingstoke. Tonight for the Giants though it was another win over a team they used to struggle against, Coventry, in a 4-1 result after a 1-1 tie in the first leg.

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Nobody might take the Knockout Cup very seriously but everyone takes an opportunity to give the Blaze a beating seriously and tonight the Giants got to do that. The Giants beat their rivals 5-1 in the first ever competitive Giants game at Dundonald Ice Bowl and the fans were left in suspense after it was announced there would be a new signing to be announced tomorrow. The second leg will be in Coventry tomorrow night and baring disaster the Giants should progress.

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The Dundonald Ice Bowl, a hockey mecca and the oldest standing hockey area in the Northern Hemisphere is set to hold two Giants games, the biggest games the building will have ever hosted. Prior to this one it was an open practice session scrimmage of the 2005 Belfast Giants and before that a game between the Castlereagh Knights and some other local rec team. The Giants had previously been scheduled to play the two cup games against rivals Coventry in Dundalk, but fan pressure has convinced the team to move the fixture to Dundonald.

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