Giants fight back from two down to win in OT

Photo: Al Goold

Belfast Giants came from two goals down in the last seven minutes at Braehead Arena to tie the game before winning it in overtime on Boxing Day.

A nicely crafted odd-man rush saw Andrew McLean open the scoring for Clan on the five-minute mark thanks to an inch-perfect John Dunbar pass into the slot. Tyler Soy levelled things just short of five minutes later when Clan turned the puck over, and the Giants eventually worked the puck to the net with Soy finishing a rebound in close. 

Good work from Steven McParland allowed him to skate into space towards Peyton Jones' net and beat the Giants' goalie short side to put the home side back ahead at 32:18, an advantage they carried into the third period.

On the rush again, Dunbar shot past Jones to put Clan two ahead with 7:08 left to play. However, Lewis Hook pulled a goal back for the Giants not long after, and the basement side then saw their lead evaporate when Matt Foley, after good work from Ciaran Long along the boards, shot past John Muse through a screen to tie things up at 56:02.

Clan were called for a high-sticking minor with three seconds left in regulation, and while that didn't set up a winner inside 60 minutes it did give the Giants an advantage in overtime that they wouldn't let pass by. Scott Conway faked a slapshot but instead passed to David Goodwin, and his pass across the crease was put into his own net by Dyson Stevenson to give Belfast the bonus point.