REPORT: Belfast Giants 1 Glasgow Clan 3

By Craig Anderson; photos by William Cherry/Press Eye

A double from Jake Bolton and a goal from Darien Craighead secured a morale boosting road win for Aspray Glasgow West sponsored Glasgow Clan as they defeated Belfast Giants 3-1.

Having suffered losses in the previous three outings, Jason Morgan’s side were able to celebrate their first victory to beat last season’s Grand Slam winners at the SSE Arena.

Giants certainly gave the Clan some food for thought when visiting goalie Antti Karjalainen was called into action in the first period.

A blue line shot from Jeff Baum and a close range effort from Daniel Tedesco both gave the Finn early tests, which he dealt with well.

The visitors broke the deadlock after 11 minutes when Dyson Stevenson showed great tenacity to win the puck from Jacob Friend to set up Bolton, who finished at the back post.

Barely a couple of minutes had passed when Belfast were level as Tedesco picked out Quinn Preston with a perfectly timed pass and the Giants forward blasted his chance into the Clan net.

Karjalainen was again on top form in the second period to deny Kohei Sato and Ciaran Long, while Darien Craighead saw his effort on the Belfast doorstep dealt with by Jackson Whistle.

However Bolton was on hand to drive a shot screaming into the net after Pelech won the puck on the left side, played back to Reddick, who teed it up for his defensive partner.

Greg Printz hit the post as the Giants to get back on level terms, but it was the best of their efforts in what was left of the second stanza.

Clan nearly squeezed in a third goal early in the final period as Robert Lachowicz tried to find a gap at Whistle’s left hand post, but the Giants goalie had his angles covered.

However it wasn’t long before the visitors delivered as Philippe Sanche’s shot was slapped away by Whistle, but he couldn’t recover quickly enough as Craighead tapped into the exposed net.

Belfast almost pulled one back as Printz took off through the middle to go backhand-forehand on Karjalainen, but the final effort hit the post as Clan were on the back foot.

Adam Keefe’s side tried to get something as the clock ticked down, but it wasn’t to be as Glasgow ended the weekend with a win that takes them nicely into the Challenge Cup next week.