BELFAST GIANTS END CHL CAMPAIGN IN SWEDEN
Stena Line Belfast Giants saw their Champions Hockey League campaign come to an end after a 4-1 loss to Swedish Hockey League leaders Skellefteå, at Skellefteå Kraft Arena on Tuesday night.
Three power play goals for the home team were the difference between the two teams, with Oscar Möller, Linus Lindström and Filip Sandberg – who also scored an even strength goal – all finding the back of the net in the win.
The Giants’ only goal came from Colby McAuley, who scored his second in as many games, as they finished bottom of Group H with one win from their six games, but with plenty of respect after some excellent performances.
FIRST PERIOD
An early rush by the home team saw Linus Lindström almost open the scoring shortly after the clock had ticked over a minute when he crashed the net and the puck nearly trickled over the line, but Peyton Jones recovered just in time to stop it. the red color.
Matt Foley went to the box for tripping on the play but the Giants saw the penalty ruled out, and they had several chances to open the scoring when Mark Cooper and Will Cullen were both denied by home keeper Alexander Hellnemo.
But Skellefteå were deadly on the power play and when Cooper had a tripping minor near the end of the period, home captain Möller capitalized by unleashing a laser of a slapshot into the back of the net from the left circle at 19:01. (1-0)
THE SECOND PERIOD
The Giants killed off another fumbling call, this time against Will Cullen, to start the middle frame and their penalty kill was rewarded when McAuley tied the game at 25:11, his shot from the blue line going through traffic and all the way in. (1-1)
But the tie would last just over two minutes when Filip Sandberg put the Swedes back in front, cutting through the middle of the ice and snaring it over Jones to regain their one-goal lead at 27:30. (2-1)
After failing to score on an Elias Salmonsson elbowing call, the Giants needed to knock down the hatches as Gabe Bast sat for hooking and Ben Lake joined him to hold, and they survived to see Elias Stenman’s tip on Måns Forsfjäll’s shot hit the post on the power play. .
Skellefteå netminder Hellnemo produced a massive save to deny David Goodwin to keep the hosts’ lead at one in the second break as Scott Conway set up his captain in the two-on-one break, while a boarding call on Leo Bergström also went unpunished.
THIRD PERIOD
But in the final period, it was a devastating power play that eased the home team to victory, with Lindström grabbing his third at 42:21 when he was found in the left circle by Sandberg for the finish after Chad Butcher was sent to the box for hooking. (3-1)
And Sandberg himself rounded out the scoring at 49:47 when Conway was boxed for slashing, the winger forcing the puck home under Jones in a scramble downfield for the game’s final goal. (4-1)
The Giants had one more chance with the final play of the game to grab a consolation when Cooper found the rebound of Conway’s first attempt, but the winger could only hit the post to end the visitors’ European adventure.
NEXT UP
The Giants return to domestic league action at The SSE Arena, Belfast on Saturday 15th October against Coventry Blaze for a Premier Sports Elite Ice Hockey League match, kick off at 7pm. Tickets are available here.