Giants look razor sharp ahead of new season

NEW-LOOK Belfast Giants showed the depth of scoring talent in this season’s team as five different players scored to help secure back-to-back victories in their pre-season series with the University of Manitoba Bison.

On Saturday night there were six scorers as the Giants took the first instalment of the double-header 6-1 and already the forward pack is looking productive ahead of the new season.

After trailing early in both of the first two periods, with first David Rutherford and then Fran- cis Beauvillier getting the Giants back on level terms each time, Adam Keefe’s team surged ahead with three goals in less than a minute-and-a-half just after the midway point of the game, putting them 5-2 ahead.

Although Kamerin Nault scored twice for Bison, once in the second period and again late in the game, the Giants held on to win and give Keefe the perfect platform for the season, which starts with a Challenge Cup weekend away to Dundee Stars and Fife Flyers in a fortnight.

After that 6-1 defeat on Saturday, the travelling Bison came out strongly and they took advantage of the first powerplay of the game when Sean Christiansen’s initial shot appeared to be tipped in by Liam Bilton.

The Giants were level just three minutes late when Rutherford finished after great skating by Darcy Murphy followed by an accurate pass to set up his linemate.

Bison led again early in the second period when Brett Stovin pounced on a rebound after Giants goaltender Tyler Beskorowany had made the initial save.

But just 30 seconds later, Beauvillier netted his first Giants goal on a powerplay to tie up the scores for the second time.

Halfway through the second period Lewis Hook sparked a flurry of goals when he put the Giants in front for the first time with a slight touch on a shot he deflected the puck into the net.

A minute later Jonathan Ferland extended the lead and the game hadn’t settled back down before Jim Vandermeer fired a shot from distance to make it 5-2.

Andrew Dickson was introduced to a rapturous welcome when he replaced Beskorowany in goal shortly after the fifth goal.

He had to scoop the puck out of the net as the Giants found themselves defending a five-onthree penalty soon after he entered the fray, when Nault scored his first of the game four minutes from the end of the second period.

The Giants were comfortable in the final period, but they had to fend off a potential fightback in the closing minutes when Nault scored his second four minutes from the end.

Big hand: Giants’ Francis Beauvillier takes the salute for his goal