26 Dec 2024, 17:00 | Regular season | Braehead Arena |
Glasgow Clan | 5-1 | Belfast Giants |
Periods: Shots: | 1-0 (7-13) | 1-0 (13-18) | 3-1 (13-10) | Total: 33-41 |
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Referees: #16 Toby Craig, #43 Graham Rodger  |  Spectators: 3607 |
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Goals and assists
Glasgow Clan made it seven wins in eight games with a 5-1 victory
over Belfast Giants at a sold-out crowd of 3,607 at Braehead Arena.
A feisty opening period at Braehead Arena saw Clan in the lead
despite spending some nine minutes of the period shorthanded. Simon
Despres’ shot from the point was deflected into his own net by Ben Lake
in the slot with 4:12 played, while four minutes later the Clan went
short when Tyson McLellan was called for roughing – despite good
pressure from the Giants, Rylan Schwartz was also unlucky not to score
shorthanded. Mitchell Heard and Mark Cooper were called for fighting
which the former most definitely started, and took an instigator penalty
as well.
In the final five minutes of the period, Chris McKay was ejected
for a hit on Mack Stewart, called checking to the head after video
review.
With the game being played 4-on-4, Schwartz then did put the Clan
two ahead. Simon Despres let Cole Ully's feed pass through his legs to
the on-rushing Schwartz who fired past Tom McCollum 67 seconds into the
period. That was the only goal of the middle session, which saw Clan
failed to capitalise on two powerplays.
Clan again started the new period quickly. With 70 seconds played
in the third, a Schwartz feed to the front of the net was poked through
McCollum's five-hole by Deven Sideroff to make the home side three
ahead. Josh Roach finally got the Giants on the board at 42:13 to make
it a two-goal game.
Inside the final ten minutes, Elijiah Barriga was found in all
kinds of space but could only watch Lucas Brine deny him cutting the
deficit back to just a goal.
That save proved crucial just a few minutes later. with 9:09 to
play, Sideroff fed Heard who beat McCollum with a delicate finish high
into the net to put Clan back three ahead.
McCollum was pulled with well over two minutes to play as the
Giants tried to force something to get back into the game, while captain
Sideroff finished the scoring with an empty-netter in the closing
stages.