23 Mar 2024, 19:00 | Regular season | SSE Arena Belfast |
Belfast Giants | 3-2 OT | Dundee Stars |
Periods: Shots: | 0-1 (17-5) | 1-1 (13-10) | 1-0 (16-11) | 1-0 (3-1) | Total: 49-27 |
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Referees: Halas/Lukosevicius  |  Spectators: 7006 |
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Goals and assists
Belfast Giants came from two goals down to beat Dundee 3-2 in
overtime, the Stars moving level on points with the playoff places but
not moving back in after giving up the lead.
A crowd of 7,0006 saw
Dundee score the only goal of the opening period. Jackson Whistle made
the save off Anthony Rinaldi's shot, but the rebound fell kindly to
James Phelan who scored with a deflection off the Giants' goalie.
The
Giants wasted a powerplay chance early in period two before then
finding themselves two down. Against the run of play, Anthony Rinaldi's
shot on net deflected in front off Xavier Pouliot to double the Stars'
lead. Adam Keefe called his timeout to fire his side up, and they
responded with a goal 2:17 before the end of the period - Will Cullen's
pass across the face of Lucas Brine's goal deflected home by the
returning Greg Printz.
Brine was a thorn in the side of the
Giants all night and pulled off a string of excellent saves in the third
period especially to keep the Stars ahead. The visitors' resistance was
eventually broken when a no-look pass from Ciaran Long found Ara
Nazarian to tie the game with 3:28 to play.
Dundee were worthy of
at least a point, but all of the momentum heading into overtime was
with the Giants. Anthony Rinaldi could have won it in bonus hockey but
for a late intervention, but it was Nazarian who scored the game winner
92 seconds into OT to seal the Giants' comeback.