Glasgow Clan vs Belfast Giants

The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan were bettered by a bold Belfast Giants side in a fairly even contest as the league leaders picked up two valuable points as they close in on the title.

Last night, the sides met in Belfast for the first tie of the weekend, which could have seen the Giants lift the EIHL trophy at Braehead if they recorded four points across the two games, but Glasgow rained on their parade with a 3-1 win at the SSE Arena.

Belfast were out for revenge tonight, and it showed early with Scott Conway and JJ Piccinich battling for every loose puck in the Clan zone in the first period, setting the tone for a cagey game to come.

The opening frame ended goalless with Jake Kupsky denying all five Glasgow shots on net while Liam Souliere had to keep out 11 at the other end.

Brady Risk opened the scoring early in the second period as his shot from the right wing took a wicked bounce off a Belfast stick and looped over Kupsky into the back of the net.

Brandon Whistle came close to equalising with a slot shot which struck the crossbar before Mick Messner was denied on a breakaway by a low kick save.

A Jake Gaudet wrist shot a few plays later eventually did spark an equaliser for the Giants as Souliere launched the puck back into open play with a punch save only for Jordan Kawaguchi to bat it back past him on the rebound.

Kawaguchi then grabbed his second of the game in the final minute of the period as he stole possession from Brayden Burke in the neutral zone and burst north before slicing a shot low past Souliere.

In the third period, Ciaran Long made it 3-1 to Belfast as Ben Freeman’s close-range shot was blocked in the crease and fell straight to Long who swept it through the five hole and in.

David Goodwin then sent a rebound of a Piccinich shot into the roof of the net from a sharp angle to better the Clan’s result from last night and secure a 4-1 win for the Giants in Glasgow.

GALLERY