Four-point weekend for Clan with shootout win over leaders

Photo: Al Goold

Glasgow Clan scored on four out of five attempts in the shootout to beat league leaders Belfast Giants 2-1 at Braehead Arena on Sunday night. 

The sides were scoreless through 40 minutes at Beaehead Arena in front of 3,578 fans. Minors on Grant Mismash and Pierre-Olivier Morin went by for Clan as the Giants defended well on the penalty kill. 

All of the action came in the final period. Clan were ahead on the 45-minute mark as captain Deven Sideroff finally beat Tom McCollum at the far post to put the home side ahead. That lead lasted just 53 seconds, however, with Morin levelling in the slot for the Giants.

Scott Conway shot just over off nice Giants passing as the Giants turned the pressure up a notch. Josh Roach saw his stick explode on him as he lined up a big shot on Landon Bow, while Jordan Kawaguchi just couldn’t get his stick to a loose puck after a bounce on the shot on its way through with the Giants on a powerplay. With Clan back to full strength, Bow got across his crease excellently to deny Conway a one-timer with just under seven and a half minutes to play.

McCollum made a big stop to deny Mitchell Heard outing Clan back ahead at the far post inside the final six minutes. With under 2:30 to play, Finlay took the puck in the slot and should have put Clan back ahead were it not for an excellent McCollum stop.

It seemed fair that both teams would take a point with the game heading to overtime.

Deven Sideroff did well to deny the Giants breaking 1-on-0 in the bonus period, and while Clan thought they were in on McCollum the whistle was blown for a penalty on them. Felix Paré made an incredible diving play to stop Conway shooting into a half-empty net with the best play of a Simon Despres tripping minor during OT. Clan killed the penalty, but with only 15 seconds remaining the game was then decided in a shootout.

Belfast were punished for not taking that powerplay chance when it came to a shootout. Heard, Cole Ully and Deven Sideroff all scored through four rounds of the shootout for the hosts. While Ben Lake and JJ Piccinich did answer back, when Conway missed it fell to Finlay to score and win the Clan the extra point.