Belfast Giants win 2025 Challenge Cup!

Photo: William Cherry

Belfast Giants are 2025 Challenge Cup Champions!

The Giants took the first silverware of the season with a 4-0 victory over Cardiff Devils at a sold-out SSE Arena in Belfast.

Jackson Whistle posted a 37-save shutout for the Giants en route to lifting the first trophy of the season.

The first period started balanced, with the Devils creating good pressure but the Giants dangerous on the break. 

The home side opened the scoring at 6:35 when a Gabe Bast shot rebounded perfectly for Ciaran Long to bat it home. While the Devils had half chances, they were caught the other way with 56 seconds remaining in the period. The Giants broke 3-on-1 where Scott Conway fed JJ Piccinich to double their advantage just before the break.

However the visitors had drawn up getting back into the game in the second period, two goals in under three minutes put them very much on the back foot. A rim around the boards by Cody Donaghey took a weird bounce and landed straight on the stick of Jordan Kawaguchi to fire past Mac Carruth 89 seconds into the middle frame. Then, 76 seconds later, Mark Cooper's top-corner shot from the slot found its way past Carruth to make it 4-0.

The Devils had chances as they pushed back towards the end of the period, the best falling to Kohen Olischefski at the far post, but Whistle was in no mood to be beaten.

Period three saw the Giants smother the game out. Cardiff pushed but saw Joey Martin denied by an excellent low pad save by Whistle, while throws across the next failed to make any contact.

Whistle held on for his shut out, and the Giants celebrated their first Challenge Cup title since 2023.