3pm: Giants vs. Panthers in Semi-Final

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants face Nottingham Panthers from 3pm this Saturday in the first Semi-Final of the 2023 Viaplay Playoff Finals Weekend.

The Giants are the top seeds for the playoffs having won the league and eliminated Glasgow in the Quarter-Finals. Nottingham finished the regular season seventh but knocked out higher-seeded Guildford in the Quarter-Finals.

Belfast hold the edge in the meetings between the teams this season. In league play, the Giants won four of the six games while in the cup the teams had a win each - with the Giants eliminating the Panthers in the Quarter-Final stage.

The Panthers' last appearance at a Playoff Finals Weekend was in 2019 where they were comfortably swept aside by Cardiff in the Semi-Finals. Belfast, meanwhile, have lost the last two finals - both to the Devils.

Goalie Peyton Jones began the season in Belfast before being released after the signing of Tyler Beskorowany. The pair are expected to start in net.

Game details

• As the higher seed, Belfast will be considered the home team in this game and have the last change
• Belfast will wear teal jerseys and attack the zamboni end twice
• Nottingham will wear white jerseys and attack the stage end twice

Overtime & Shootout
If the game is tied after regulation, the following will be used to determine a winner:

• A 10-minute 3-on-3, sudden-death overtime period
• If necessary: a 'Best of Five'-shot shootout
• If necessary: a sudden-death shootout

The winning team will contest Sunday's Playoff Final, while the losers will go into the 3rd vs. 4th-place playoff.