Giants streak stalls at six

Cardiff Devils travelled to the Odyssey Arena for the first time in the 2012/13 season, looking for revenge after the 4-0 thumping they took in their Big Blue Tent in Cardiff Bay in their only previous meeting this season.

The Devils opened the scoring with a strike from Tyson Marsh. Soon after, on a Devil’s power play, Giants captain, Adam Keefe, found the back of the net scoring a short handed goal to tie the game up at 1-1.

Daymen Rycroft was the next Belfast goal scorer followed by Andrew Fournier all in the opening period. However, it was the Devils’ time to shine with two goals just 18 seconds apart to bring the Welsh side right back in the second period.

Devine Didiomete followed by Phil Hill in making it a one-goal game at the end of the second period.

The third period went Belfast’s way, first with Noah Clarke scoring then Keefe netting his second of the game to restore the Giants three-goal lead.

Any chance the Devils had after that of reducing the score line was minimal especially after Ben Davies missed a penalty shot, and so the score finished up 6-3 in favour of Giants.

Next stop – Sheffield

There was little in it all night, but come the final hooter it was the Steelers who were back on track after winning by the odd goal in three, with a game winner from Steven Goertzen in the first minute of the second period keeping the points in the Steel City.

A power play goal with just over three minutes played gave the Giants hope plus the early initiative.

Sheffield hit back on their own powerplay, which gave their new NHL signing, Tom Sestito, a goal to tie it up.

In the first minute of the second period and Steelers scored what proved to be the game winner with Steve Goertzen in position to fire past Stephen Murphy in the Giants cage.

There was no further scoring but Sestito picked up his first UK fight in the second period as he exchanged pleasantries with Giants Greg Stewart. Giants did pressure the home net on several occasions but John DeCaro stopped everything thrown at him and Steelers were celebrating both points at the final buzzer.

Following the game Sheffield’s head coach Ryan Finnerty said: “It was a must-win night for us, we played it simple, didn’t get away from our systems and everyone saw the kind of team we can be,”

“Of course Tom [Sestito] will get the headlines and rightly so, but other guys tonight dug deep. Goertzen was excellent and Esders again showed why we rate him so highly, with Belfast pulling their goalie we had Esders out there in the final seconds – that’s because he is the best man for that job.”

Steelers’ Tom Sestito said after the game: “It was a fun night, the fans gave me a great reception at the start of the night and I’d like to think it gave them something back by the end of the night

“I loved it out there,” said the locked out Phillie Flyer, “Scoring was a bonus, we worked that power play very well and I was just on the end of it. On Steven Goertzen’s goal, I just made the pass.”

Sestito also had every fan in the building off their seat during the rumble with the Giants’ Greg Stewart: “We were on a line change and it all blew up. I’m going to stand up for my team mates and the other guy was more than willing. I didn’t think I deserved the instigator but that happens some nights.”

“I love being here and I’ve been made to feel most welcome, the guys in the room are great and the fans were amazing” finished Tom Sestito.

The Giants now fly off to Germany on Thursday for the first round of Europe’s Continental Cup.