Welcome to the match report of the double header weekend in Belfast as the Steelers travelled to the Northern Irish capital. I've decided to encompass both games into one article so apologies in advance if it looks bit squashed.
After building up some excellent form either side of the Christmas and New Year period, Steelers quietly fancied their chances when locking horns with a team that has had their number all season so far. Bar John Armstrong who was out with injury, Steelers started game one with a full strength roster which meant a debut for new import Eric Neiley. Giants on the other hand were still short on numbers and were without the injured trio of Stephen Murphy, Mark Garside and Dustin Johner. It was also the first time that Spiro Goulakos and Steelers Colton Fretter had faced each other in action since that infamous game back in late October.
In fact it took only 54 seconds before the two protagonists faced off each again, definitely hinting at some bad blood between them. Goulakos adding more minutes to his record with 17 minutes alone from that particular clash. In fact, the first period was quite a penalty strewn one with 38 minutes handed out, but we did have a goal in it though. Neiley skating down the wing for new line-mate Matt Marquardt to latch onto his pass, and despite Jackson Whistle saving the initial effort: the big fella pocketed the second chance for his 15th of the season.
There was no let up in the penalty minutes in the second period either. Giants levelled the score at 31:29 when a shot from Goulakos struck the post but fell kindly for team-mate Steve Saviano to tap the loose puck home. Yet Steelers struck next, and it came shorthanded. With Neiley in the box for hooking, Andreas Jämtin carved his way through the home side and again although Whistle saved the first effort: there was nothing he could do to stop Mark Matheson snaffling up the rebound for the defenceman's 7th of the season. Then came another flashpoint, Zack Fitzgerald catching Goulakos up high but too high in the eyes of the officials and getting a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. With 23 seconds left in the period, Steelers extended it to 3-1 when another rebound fell kindly and Jämtin scored his 6th of the season.
Giants knew they needed to push on and get back into it, and reduced the arrears just over five minutes into the final period. From a tight angle, David Rutherford was on hand to light the lamp and give his team hope. Chances came and went for both sides after that and more penalties got called too. Neiley dropping the gloves with Giants Ryan Martinelli, then whilst looking for the game tying goal Giants suffered more indiscipline in the last 23 seconds. First of all Goulakos got himself ejected for an illegal check to the head on Tim Wallace, taking his personal penalty count to 42 minutes in game one, and then less than 13 seconds left Sebastian Sylvestre let his emotions get the better off him and also went for an early shower. Steelers held on after that, and took game one by 3-2.
Game two, and would it be as interesting and eventful as Friday. The answer was yes. Both teams showed changes from Friday, Steelers missing Fitzgerald as he served game one of a four game suspension for his clash with Goulakos whilst Giants iced Jeff Mason and Steven Eccles as Brandon Benedict sat out and both Goulakos and Sylvestre were suspended. Unfortunately as much as Giants had been indisciplined more on Friday, Steelers suffered the same fate on the Saturday. Just before the 6 minute mark Jämtin turned from Friday's hero to Saturday's villain as he was sent for a very early shower for cross checking Rutherford after being penalised for a hook on the same player. This put the Giants on a massive seven minute powerplay! Less than two minutes into it, who else but Colin Shields opened the scoring. 21 seconds later, it became 2-0 with Rutherford on the scoresheet.
A third goal arrived just before the 13 minute mark, Jonathan Ferland lighting the lamp a second after Steelers had seen off the two minute minor part of a 2+10 checking from behind issued to Miika Franssila. The game was put beyond the visitors just before the halfway stage in the contest, Rutherford scoring his second of the night and third of the two game series with a neat finish. Could Steelers salvage any pride? Well they kept at it, and broke Whistle's shutout bid at 47:14. With Giants Cole Jarrett sitting for slashing, Steelers worked the puck back from a face off and Ben O'Connor zinged home a fizzer for 4-1; his 9th of the season. Yet Giants had the last word with just over a minute to go, that man Shields scoring once more after a loose puck landed conveniently for him.
Time for the statistics:
Goals: Game 1 - Giants 2 Steelers 3, Game 2 - Giants 5 Steelers 1
Steelers Scoring: Game 1 - Jämtin 1+1, Matheson 1+1, Marquardt 1+0, Wallace 0+1, Neiley 0+1. Game 2 - O'Connor 1+0, Valdix 0+1, Marquardt 0+1.
Giants Scoring: Game 1 - Saviano 1+0, Rutherford 1+0, Goulakos 0+1, Murphy 0+1, Ferland 0+1, Riley 0+1. Game 2 - Shields 2+1, Connolly 0+3, Rutherford 2+0, Riley 0+2, Ferland 1+0, Jarrett 0+1, Vandermeer 0+1, Saviano 0+1, Murphy 0+1.
Shots On Goal: Game 1 - Giants 31 Steelers 50. Game 2 - Giants 58 Steelers 31.
Powerplay: Overall - Steelers 1 from 15 (7% conversion), Giants 2 from 19 (11% conversion)
Penalty Minutes called: Game 1 - Giants 89 Steelers 49 , Game 2 - Giants 18 Steelers 61.
Steelers Goaltender Stats: (Initial figures are both games combined) Mustukovs 82 Saves (866), GAA: 3.50 (2.24), Save Percentage: 82.80% (92.20%).
Man of the Match: Game 1 - Andreas Jämtin (Steelers), Jonathan Ferland (Giants). Game 2 - Mark Matheson (Steelers), Colin Shields (Giants).
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