There was no choking at the first hurdle for the Giants this year as they brushed aside the Newcastle Vipers in two games to move to the final four tournament, next weekend in Nottingham. The Giants won their home leg on Saturday night 4-1 before thumping the Vipers in their own barn 6-2 tonight. Everyone came good for the Giants in both games with the home game being especially poignant as it was the last at the Odyssey for Shane Johnson who retires at the end of the season. Johnson, the Giants first ever MVP back in their first ever season in 2000/01 and who scored two goals in the playoff final in 2003, picked up the man-of-the-match on the night.

Evan Cheverie was the Giants top man on the score sheet bagging two goals in each game while Jeff Szwez continued his clutch play with three goals over the two legs to help the Giants through.

A 10-3 aggregate victory is always pretty comprehensive and hopefully the team can build on this scoring form next weekend and win their second ever playoff crown. I’ll be back in the UK during the final four weekend but, for the second year running and third year since 2000, won’t be able to attend though temptation will be very high to book a last second flight should they actually make the final on the Sunday.

It is no great surprise really that Paul Deniset walked away with the major trophies at this year’s end of season awards dinner. He picked up MVP, Players Player and the best forward awards. Evan Cheverie was voted in a coaches player while Davy Phillips getting the most improved player. Hard to argue with any of them. For all the nights winners click for more. Read More»

For the second season in a row the Giants fans will have to be content with a poor 4th place finish in the league table. Away from the league there has been lots to shout about this season thanks to the two cup competitions and while injuries have been a huge factor in the Giants not pushing for the league title, another forth place has to be seen as disappointing. Still a playoff run can more than make up for it. The forth place finish was confirmed after the team lost another league game, this time to Nottingham Panthers. Without the victory in the challenge cup on Tuesday night this has been a bad run of form going into the playoffs.

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Thankfully for the Giants the Challenge Cup is a two-legged affair these days. For that reason they still have a chance to win the blasted tournament that has eluded them since they came into the league. Following their one an only final nightmare seven years ago when they lost 5-0 to Ayr they were back in the final tonight playing the Manchester Phoenix in the first leg in Manchester.

As I previously wrote the Giants were trailing 4-1 in what looked to be another final to forget for the Giants but a very strong third period and goals from Andrew Martin and Evan Cheverie to go with an earlier one from George Awada brought the score to 4-3 and enough to keep things alive for the second leg back in Belfast. 

A lot of Giants signings this off season have came in pairs and this week is no different with the Giants announcing another pair of forwards to go to their already new-look line-up. Evan Cheverie and Paul Deniset (left) join a team that is going to look significently different to the one that left the ice last March. Cheverie, a 28 year-old forward from Canada has previous Elite League experience with Coventry in 05-06 and joins the team from Morzine in France while Deniset, a 27-year old centre, also from Canada, will be new to the Elite League coming in from Schwennigen ERC in the German 2nd division. Read More»