Challenge Cup | Belfast Giants 4 Glasgow Clan 1

The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan failed to pick up points in their visit to Belfast after another loss in the Challenge Cup to the Giants.

Belfast held the majority of early offensive pressure in the game, but a Mike Lee turnover in the neutral zone to Josh Tarzwell allowed the #89 to race ahead all alone and force a good save out of Jackson Whistle in the first good look at net.

Scott Conway dumped a shot at Rasmus Tirronen’s net from distance which sparked a scramble at the goal mouth with Jake Gaudet and Cole Shudra prodding at the rebound, but they couldn’t cram the puck over the line on the powerplay.

Matt Spencer wrangled the puck off JJ Piccinich at the blue line and created another breakaway for Glasgow against the run of play, this time curling a pass to the slot where it pinballed around with Cole Kodsi before falling just wide of the post.

Deven Sideroff was penalised for hooking later on in the period which allowed enough space for Pearson to pick his spot from the right circle and snipe home a great top corner finish to give the Giants a lead just before the break.

In the second period, Jake Johnson rifled a strong shot from the blue line which Tarzwell deflected on its way through, drawing a good stop down low from Whistle.

Lee later doubled Belfast’s lead after a nice move up the right side granted him a wide open look at Tirronen’s net which he took advantage of with a precise shot past the Finn.

Ross Armour played Brady Risk in on a breakaway with a great switch pass across the blue line. Risk charged in on net and tried to pull a late dangle move at the edge of the crease but Whistle robbed him of possession just in time.

Risk then set up a nice move on the powerplay as he fed the puck to Kodsi in the slot who’s shot was tipped by Cade Neilson deflected narrowly wide.

Scott Conway pulled a nice move to shift in between the Clan defence through centre ice and slide a five hole finish underneath Tirronen and extend Belfast’s lead to three.

Piccinich was battling in behind the Clan net with Johnson in the third period and the two lost track of the puck, guiding Tirronen’s eyes away from it too as it rolled out front behind the Finn’s back, straight to David Goodwin who dished a fourth Giants goal past him.

Steven Seigo helped bring the Glasgow offence back to life with some tenacious forechecking, hunting for a shooting lane and holding lengthy offensive pressure before fizzing a low shot past Whistle to get the visitors on the boards.

The Clan had the majority of the chances in the final period, with Armour being denied by a super diving save from Whistle while Rautanen sent two first-time bombs from deep marginally wide of the target.

Glasgow couldn’t find a second goal though, and the buzzer sounded at the O2 Arena with a 4-1 victory for the Giants securing their first place finish in the Challenge Cup group B standings.

Glasgow are still scrapping for a spot in the elimination game, jostling with Dundee and, tomorrow’s opponents at Braehead, the Fife Flyers.