Giants come from behind to beat Clan

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants came fro ma goal down to beat Glasgow Clan and end their four-game losing run in front of a sold out SSE Arena.

There were no goals through the opening 20 minutes. The liveliest point of the period was Jacob Friend and Dyson Stevenson dropping the gloves just before the 10-minute mark, and taking a fighting major each. Clan could have taken the lead with a 2-on-0 caused by a turnover in the Giants' end, but Nate Kallen couldn't control the puck and the change went begging.

Having gone 20 minutes without a goal, the crowd at the SSE Arena were then treated to three in the next 20 minutes. Stevenson put the visitors ahead 16 seconds into the second with a shot from behind the goal line that went in off Tyler Beskorowany's stick, but an excellent Quinn Preston wrist shot cancelled that out just under six minutes later. Ara Nazarian put the Giants ahead at 32:46 shortly after his team killed off a 5-on-3, and with 1:42 left in the period Kohei Sato snuck a rebound from his own shot through Jake Kielly's pads to give the Giants a 3-1 lead.

The Giants got themselves a three-goal cushion early in the third. Printz's shot was saved by Kielly but the loose puck bounced in front, Bryce Reddick didn't know where the puck was, and Mark Cooper swooped in to fire past Kielly to make it 4-1 with 3:45 played in period three. Kohei Sato hit the post shortly before the middle of the period as the home side's speed started to play a part. 

Jordan Cownie had a late goal washed out for being kicked into the net as Clan ended with a 5-1 loss. Beskorowany took a puck to the lower body as the clock wound down, allowing Petr Čech to make his professional hockey debut.