Match Report: 30.11.2014 - Giants v Steelers EC/EIHL

Sunday 30^th November 2014 – Belfast Giants (11-5-1) v Sheffield Steelers (13-5-0) @ Odyssey Arena. Face-off: 4pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Belfast Giants – 4
Mike Kompon (2) – 2^nd, 3^rd PP
Ray Sawada – 2^nd

Sheffield Steelers – 3
Michael Forney (2) – 2^nd PP, 2^nd
Jonathan Phillips – 2^nd

1^st Period in Belfast got underway and it was Doyle who had to make a few early saves but Sheffield were digging in deep and got themselves into the game by making Chubak work early. Sheffield got the first power play of the game as Elfring was called for hooking and Sheffield were show some really good play and forced a great save out of Chubak as Fretter played to Sarich on the point but couldn’t get his shot past the body of Giants netminder. Belfast were pressuring high up the ice and even had a power play of their own and former Nhler Kevin Westgarth tipped a puck up from just in front of Doyle but the Steelers netminder caught it up high. Both teams were getting physical and both teams were having chances but it would be all square at the end of the 1^st period.

End of the 1st Period: Belfast Giants 0–0 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 7-12 Steelers

Second period started fairly even and despite early pressure by the visitors it was the home side who took the lead at 23:18 Mike Kompon beat one out of mid-air from just in front of Doyle for a 1-0 lead. Sheffield were trying to level the game and it started with young Luke Ferrara who chasing the puck deep into the Giants zone before being blatantly blocked by Mason but there was no call and before the visitors knew it the home side doubled their lead to 2-0 on 26:03 after Kevin Westgarth was allowed to skate into the Sheffield zone unchallenged and behind Doyle’s goal and he played to Sawada in the right hand circle and Sawada coolly shot over the right shoulder of Doyle and Sheffield had a lot of work to do. A timeout by Gerad Adams seemed to do the trick just after Shields missed an open goal but Keefe was called for a minor penalty and Sheffield made the power play count almost straight away at 29:20 after a smart pass by O’Connor to Forney the Steelers forward pulled a nice turn to lift the puck of Chubak at his near post to score his 20^th of the season and to bring the Steelers within one. Unfortunately both players would receive injuries during the second as Sarich blocked a shot of Lloyd and was eventually helped to the bench and then down the tunnel looking in a lot of pain though and then Jeff Mason took an unfortunate puck to the face and would eventually skate off but the Zamboni would have to come out to clean up the Ice and from the restart the Steelers levelled the game timed at 37:41 when the puck dropped to Jonathan Phillips he fired a fierce slap shot from the right of Chubak to the netminders back post and we was all tied at 2-2. In the very next attack Sheffield took the lead at 38:38 when Forney was able to slot home on the doorstep as he swiped a loose puck past Chubak assisted by Roy for his 21^st goal of the season in which Keefe received a misconduct for abuse to an official as he was clearly unhappy with something but Sheffield took a 3-2 lead into the break.
End of the 2nd Period: Belfast Giants 2–3 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 8–13 Steelers

Sheffield started the third period on the man advantage but couldn’t extend their lead as they was being kept to the edges but Belfast were playing as a unit and after Forney was denied on the wrap around Doyle had to poke the puck away from just in front. There was also another injury to a Giant but I do believe he was ok as David Phillips took a shot from Roy into the face that went up of his stick but the Giants man did skate off. Sheffield were giving away stupid penalties and luckily for the visitors the home side couldn’t make them count as Sheffield defended well and kept them to the edges as and when they could with the clock ticking down and both teams attacking well Mathieu Roy headed to the penalty box with 1:40 left and then Chubak was pulled Mosienko had the chance to win it after being played in by Phillips but could only shoot wide of the empty net and it was then that we know we was having an off weekend and it wasn’t going to be our night and in the next attack timed at 59:30 Mike Kompon scored his second of the night to level the score after roofing his wrist shot from the point past Doyle and we was going to overtime.
End of the 3rd Period: Belfast Giants 3-3 Sheffield Steelers
Shots on Goal: Giants 7–12 Steelers

Overtime was more of a one way traffic as Giants couldn’t register a shot on Doyle’s goal but did managed to hit the side netting and the post but Sheffield were creating offence and Chubak kept them out to ensure the game went to penalty shots.

Sheffield missed both of their first two penalty shots as Mosienko was lucky to even take his shot as he lost possession from the moment he started but Chubak managed to save both his and Roy’s and for the Giants first Kompon scored a nice wrist shot before Sawada pulled a move on Doyle and slotted past him at close range to take the win for the Giants as the Steelers would return home with just a one point weekend.
Shots on Goal: Giants 0-4 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Belfast Giants 4–3 Sheffield Steelers SO

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Belfast     - 0-2-1-0-1-[20]-{1/4}-23

Sheffield - 0-3-0-0-0-[8]-{1/5}-41

Belfast Man of the Match: #17 Mike Kompon
Sheffield Man of the Match: #14 Michael Forney

Belfast Points Round Up: - 9 Points
Robby Sandrock (0+2), Ray Sawada (1+0), David Phillips (0+1), Kevin Westgarth (0+1), Mike Kompon (2+0), Colin Shields (0+1), Darryl Lloyd (0+1)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 5 Points

Michael Forney (2+0), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Jonathan Phillips (1+0), Ben O’Connor (0+1)

Referee: #6 Matt Thompson

Referee: #26 Dean Smith

Linesman: #25 Andy Dalton

Linesman: #31 Ally Flockhart

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