26 Jan 2025, 18:00 | Regular season | Ice Arena Wales |
Cardiff Devils | 1-4 | Belfast Giants |
Periods: Shots: | 1-0 (14-13) | 0-3 (4-5) | 0-1 (15-6) | Total: 33-24 |
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Referees: #3 Tom Pering,#48 Oliver Truswell  |  Spectators: 3110 |
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Goals and assists
Belfast Giants moved seven points clear at the top of the Elite
League table with a well-deserved 4-1 victory over second-placced
Cardiff Devils at a sold-out Vindico Arena.
A back-and-forth first
period in the Vindico Arena saw Belfast and Cardiff pick up a handful
of penalties including a tripping minor for Belfast Giants Mike Lee.
Further into the period, a 4-on-4 scenario occurred on ice following an
altercation between Ben Lake and Jarrod Gourley. To round out the many
penalties of the period, Reid Duke picked himself up two minutes for a
boarding penalty after a huge hit. Despite the physicality and barrage
of goal-scoring opportunities, the first and only goal of the period
went to the home team after Ryan Barrow was able to tip in a shot from
Evan Mosey 16 minutes in. The Giants had been the more dangerous of the
teams in the opening period, but it was the Devils who led through 20
minutes.
Period two started with Belfast finding an equaliser
after Gabe Bast used impressive puck work to get the puck into a
goal-scoring position to tie things at 03:54. Just under five minutes
later, the Giants went ahead after Zak Galambos got the puck through the
five-hole of Mac Carruth. To add to an already great period for the
away team, a Belfast powerplay gave them their their third goal of the
night - Jordan Kawaguchi and Grant Mismash forced Mac Carruth out of
position which provided Ben Lake the opportunity slot the puck home at
the far post.
The Giants given a bench minor for delay of the game
at the start of period three, after taking the ice some three minutes
after the clock hit zero. That interrupted their four-minute advantage
after Reid Duke had been called for high-sticking 13 seconds before the
end of the middle period, but didn't produce any goals.
JJ
Piccinich made it 4-1 with just under 12 minutes to go which all but
killed off the game. The Giants could have added to their advantage,
although a top-drawer pad save from Jackson Whistle prevented the Devils
from getting back into things.
The win for the Giants was their third in three over the Devils this season.