15 Dec 2024, 16:00 | Regular season | SSE Arena Belfast |
Belfast Giants | 3-0 | Sheffield Steelers |
Periods: Shots: | 2-0 (19-5) | 0-0 (12-20) | 1-0 (12-11) | Total: 43-36 |
|
Referees: #25 Andy Dalton, #48 Oliver Truswell  |  Spectators: 6339 |
  |
Goals and assists
Belfast Giants avenged two road defeats in Sheffield earlier this
season with a three-goal, shutout win over the Steelers in front of
6,339 fans at the SSE Arena.
"We're close in the standings with
Sheffield and we know down the stretch that we're going to be a team
that's gonna be up there in the standings, so I think this game means a
lot for the guys... and also to claw back those two games earlier on in
the year, to get one back at home now, is huge" said Scott Conway.
The
atmosphere at the SSE was electric as the Giants returned home for the
first time in several weeks. The hosts were on the front foot from the
of and deserved to open the scoring. Pierre-Olivier Morin drove forward
and hit a shot which was well saved by Matthew Greenfield, however, he
couldn't do anything to deny Bobo Carpenter firing in the rebound to put
the Giants a goal up at 10:50.
A deserved second goal came on the
powerplay as Patrick Watling was penalised for interference. Gabe
Bast's shot rebounded into the slot, Mark Cooper picked it up and
managed to pick out Conway, who slammed the puck into the net to double
the Giants' lead at 19:48. The Steelers were outshot 19-5 in the opening
period.
"I think the guys were buzzing from the drop of the puck
tonight. I think we didn't give them too much and I think we had a lot
of chances and if we play like that we're a force to be reckoned with
and I think that was one of our better games of the year," added
Conway.
Sheffield began to come into the game as they put
pressure on Belfast throughout the second period, forcing Tom McCollum
into a number of great saves. The Giants were put under pressure on
powerplay, but the Steelers couldn't capitalise as they score remained
2-0 going into the third period.
The all-important next goal came with just under 15 minutes to goal through Jordan Kawaguchi, putting the Giants three ahead.
That's how the score stayed to put the Giants second, and see the Steelers fall to fourth.