Late goals sink Giants in CHL opener

Photo: Lukas Filipec / CHL

Three late third-period goals saw Belfast Giants slip to a 4-0 on the road by Oceláři Třinec in their opening Champions Hockey League game.

The Czech side scored the only goal of the opening period through Daniel Voženílek with 82 seconds left before the first intermission.

Belfast competed well in period two as both sides looked for the all-important next goal but with no breakthrough.

The Giants came out strong in the third too and on a powerplay had three golden opportunities to equalise, the best arguably falling to Scott Conway, but they were unable to beat Marek Mazanec. Marko Dańopulled a nice move to score shorthanded as the penalty expired, before Petr Vrána tucked in at the back post to make it 3-0 with 6:17 left to play. Jan Zahradníček scored into an empty net at 57:29 as the Giants pressed for a goal.