Belfast Giants: Blog 1

Blog from Door 8

The atmosphere inside the Odyssey Arena is always electric and Friday against the Caps was no exception. The familiar faces and excited chatter makes it feel like home, as if it's where we truly belong, united by our love of our team. The steaming hot chocolate and oversized game-worn Walsh Gardener Cup jersey made me cosy and comfortable ready for my boys to take on the Caps and hopefully bag two points. The pulsing lights and bass, heavy music welcomed the Caps and Giants onto the ice for their warm up.

The strong dynamics of the players on the Giants could clearly be seen even from the pre game skate. Players such as Walsh and Johnson hitting firm slap shots to test Murphy and Craze to warm up the rest of the team. Big hitters; Szwez and Shields showed off their skills and the reason why they are two of the top scorers on the squad. The ice freshly cleaned with the Zamboni and Sub man entertaining the crowd, bottoms hit seats and the arena began to fill up.

Not highly publicised as the 9th anniversary game at the Odyssey the real fans all knew, a large group of school children that had warmed up the crowd with carol singing had settled into their block of seats and the lights were turned down. The large screens that usually displayed the video of the team to get the crowd going premièred something special on Friday night. The Belfast Giants ten year anniversary video with die hard fans and the players of the future built, on a personal level anyway, something such to a kinship, a sense of belonging, a sense that everyone there that night were Giants,not only spectators, but part of a large organisation, part of the team. The slogan emblazoned on the screen that united the fans with the players were, "These are my colours."

The Capitals entered on a disadvantage, their depleted roster and being billed on radio sports reports as the under dogs, but they entered the arena with the class that they always do. Resting back on my seat I prepared to enjoy a good old time hockey match, suddenly my heart dropped and I clutched my head in my hands. The referee; Hicks, the bane of the Giant's games, the last game he reffed at the 'O' against the Blaze hadn't ended well; an assault, a penalty shot and threats of a lynching, but I was upbeat we had a good chance of snatching two points and taking top place in the league.

Sean 'the Sheriff' McMorrow immediately made good on his threat on his facebook status calling out 'the boy Sharp' and had a scrap off the opening face off. The crowd were ecstatic and cheered Sean as he floored Sharp giving the desired result of making everyone very vocal and behind their team. Both 'hard men' were shown to the box for a wee five minute rest and the business of serious hockey began.

Personally in the first period I began to get a bit frustrated, the Caps, although they were a good side, they had a depleted roster and we had easily beaten them on previous occasions in the Odyssey and in Fortress Dundonald. But we couldn't score! The Capitals goal tender Cody Rowdovski seemed to be having a good game saving every single shot fired at him (including two cannons from Walsh) and we remained at a score of nil all at the end of the first, Murphy having his usual excellent form.

The period break began with the usual Sub Canon firing foot long sandwich 'bullets' into the crowd. I have seen so many times before people knocked off their feet with a steak and cheese on plain baguette, so I sank into my chair with my eye on the trajectory at all times not wanting to be hit with a stray tasty treat. The second period began with a lot more urgency, both teams desperate for the points on offer. The Caps stunned the crowd by doing the unthinkable; they scored! The under dogs had put a goal past Murph and piled on the pressure for the Giants to answer.

Fresh from shaving off his 70s style 'tashe Benedict opened the scoring for the giants, a fan favourite and dependable for racking up the points for Belfast, the crowd went wild, the disallowed goals from both sides in the first period had the players and spectators hungry for a goal and that was sated. Szwez scored his first goal of the night not that long after Benny's opener, cementing the fact that he was a fantastic purchase to replace injured captain George Awada. Jeffrey Szwez impressive from his debut providing a plethora of points to again prove the point that Steve Thornton has the ability to find awesome players from obscurity.

Stephen Murphy was determined to stop each shot that flew at him, showing that he is capable of protecting the Giant's hard work and keeping the Caps at as low a score as possible. Murphy, coming to Belfast from the Manchester Phoenix, who we faced in the Challenge Cup final and the Knockout Cup final in 2008-2009 season, proving the critics wrong and showing that it is highly likely that we could win the league with a British netminder.

Bateman, who had a fight with the Caps goalie at the last match we faced them at the Odyssey, scored the Giant's third goal of the night assisted by the 'Assist Machine' that is Evan Cheverie. A penalty call against Shields gave the Caps a man advantage, but the away side were getting tired and the Giants had a two goal lead to spur them on. The puck was misplayed and Szwez was ready to hammer the puck into the net assisted by Steve Thornton.

The Second period ended four to one and the game was looking sewn up, but I had been going to the Giants long enough to know if you had rested on your laurels it could very quickly turn around, twenty minutes can be the difference maker in a hockey game. Settling down to watch the last period everyone fidgeted for their 50 50 tickets and the coveted 'shirt off the back' raffle tickets, the music ushered the players back onto the ice and once again the Capitals stunned the crowd by opening the period with their second goal of the evening provided by Jordan Steel.

The Giants answered this with a goal from defence man Kevin Phillips, his first of the season, proving that he was not just the brother of last year's favourite David Phillips but that he could also play well and put some points onto the board. The goals came thick and fast; top scoring Captain Colin Shields scored his first of the night pulling his signature goal celebration move and delighting the crowd. Szwez scored his third of the night sealing his man of the match performance of the evening.

The score lying at seven to two, the Giants wanted a nice even number and went for another attack, smiling it was nice to see Roby Brown on the ice, as he rarely got iced and he got into the thick of it poised at the goal to grab a point. Tom Walsh, who had been desperately trying to hammer home the puck all night went for it and slapped the puck into the net. That got my biggest cheer of the night, he wasn't flashy or show offish, pure class scoring his third goal of the season, and I was proud to have his name and number on the back of my jersey.

The match finished on eight to two, a sense of elation as it was announced around the arena that we were top of the league, Todd Kelman sounded as proud as we felt pleased. Leaving the arena we stepped out into the cold night air, spitting rain, and a dark winter night. It's kinda sad whenever I leave the 'O' all the excitement over for another week, but the Vipers on Friday the eleventh gave me something to look forward to.

• EL
• PL
• NL1N
• NL1S
• NL2N
• NL2S

• Adam Walker
• Alex Birch
• Andy Pierce
• Chris Gent
• Christopher Beal
• Craig Simpson
• Dave Simms
• Elliott Stanley
• Gareth Chalmers
• James Broughton
• James Gordon
• Katy Madgwick
• Luke Catterson
• Mark Briggs
• Mark Duell
• Mat Young
• Patrick Smyth
• Promotion
• Russ Morrell
• Seanna Murdock
• Stephen Dowson
• Stewart Roberts
• Tom Forster
• Vicki Smart
• William Lyon

British Ice Hockey

• About Us
• Advertising
• Contact
• Write for BIH

Elite League

• Belfast Giants
• Braehead Clan
• Cardiff Devils
• Coventry Blaze
• Dundee Stars
• Edinburgh Capitals
• Fife Flyers
• Hull Stingrays
• Nottingham Panthers
• Sheffield Steelers

Premier League

• Basingstoke Bison
• Bracknell Bees
• Guildford Flames
• Manchester Phoenix
• Milton Keynes Lightning
• Peterborough Phantoms
• Sheffield Steelers
• Slough Jets
• Swindon Wildcats
• Telford Tigers

Partner Information

If you are looking for the best online bingo rooms online, look no further! Here at www.123bingoonline.com you can enjoy of the best bingo games for free!

Only at the best online casino you'll be able to enjoy over 100 casino games for free!

Learn how to place risk free bets on any ice hockey match and convert online bookmakers free bet offers into guaranteed cash using the risk free matched betting technique.

All the online bookies best Free Betting offers and free bets.