Giants win on return home as champions

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants' homecoming as league champions ended on a high with a 5-4 overtime win over Sheffield Steelers on Friday night.

The Giants raised their Premier Sports Challenge cup banner ahead of the game in front of a crowd of 6,125 at the SEE Arena, Belfast.

Those home fans were in their feed with the only goal of the opening period at 18:31, scored by Slater Doggett to give the Giants the lead. Marc-Olivier Vallerand levelled things 8:34 into period two, and although Jordan Boucher put the Giants back ahead at 35:18, Robert Dowd equalised from close range with 1:54 left in the period.

The Giants regained the lead off an excellent tic-tac-toe powerplay goal at 47:42, finished off at the back post by Lewis Hook. A little under two minutes later, Mack Stewart scored his first professional goal when a shot deflected off him in front to put Belfast 4-2 ahead. The Giants swapped Andrew Dickson into the net for Jackson Whistle shortly after going two ahead.

Tanner Eberle tipped Kevin Schulze's wrist shot past Dickson at 51:36 to cut the deficit back to 4-3, and with 1:03 left and the extra skater on, Eberle got the final touch on a pass across the crease to tie the game.

In overtime, Jordan Boucher won it for the hosts with a well-taken breakaway goal.