Giants superstar season MVP Robby Sandrock who finished 3rd in the league in points scoring despite being a defencman has decided he wont be joining the Giants again next season as he has signed a one year deal with the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL.

Its the same team that Giants’ ex-coach Dave Whistle signed up for last week. Robby is the first Giant to announce that he wont be back next year as he follows Dave to Germany.  Read More»

On Tuesday night the Giants held their Anual end of season dinner and awards night. It was a buffet meal which was delicious with about 25 tables filled with players and fans.  Read More»

The Giants beat the Steelers 5-2 to book their place in the final-four playoff weekend in Nottingham. Goals came from Rod Stevens who had a brace with Riehl, Stewart and MacDonald adding third period markers to confirm the victory. The Giants outshot the Steelers 31-28 and Robby Sandrock was handed the man of the match award.

Belfast: Stevens, Thornton, Kuwabara; Kruse, Karlander, Matsos; Schulte, Riehl, Ward; MacDonald, C.Bowen; Stewart, Sandrock; Johnson, Kelman, Bach.
Scratched: Sorochan (Eye Injury).

It was a pretty scrappy game all round and no real flow got going though the goals did come early when the Giants had captain Paul Kruse go to the penalty box and the Steelers score straight away on the powerplay to make it 1-0. The Giants kept at it and gained a 5 on 3 powerplay which they took full advantage of with some nice passing before the puck arrived at Kevin Riehl on the left circle and he hit the shot into the net.

Kruse ended up in the penalty box again but this time it came to nothing. At the end of the first it was tied at 1-1. The second was again a slow period giving the impression that neither team wanted to give anything away and where reluctant to break away, although the Giants did make it 2-1 towards the end of the second with a goal from Doug Macdonald who tapped in the rebound from a Robby Sandrock slap shot.

Just as the period was nearing an end and looking like the Giants would take a goal lead into the break the Steelers struck and a shot that got under Bach trickled into the back of the net just as the hooter sounded. It was a tough one to take but the game was 2-2 going into the third. The third was pretty even with the Giants probably having the better of the chances but in the end it finished 2-2 after overtime with a draw being the fair result.

It sets up a great game tomorrow night with the Giants needing a win to stay in contention for the league title race.

Belfast Giants 2-2 Sheffield Steelers

Giants: Riehl 10:15, MacDonald 38:29.
Steelers: Darling 4:36, Levins 39:59. 
Att. 2,720 (Odyssey Arena, Belfast).

Forward Lines
Thornton – MacDonald – Stevens
Kruse – Karlander – Matsos
Schulte – Riehl – Ward