Swindlehurst makes his a double as Giants build on their perfect start
PAUL Swindlehurst marked his Belfast Giants home debut with a double strike as the winning start to the season reached three games with a 4-1 Challenge Cup victory over the Dundee Stars.
And at the other end, Stephen Murphy returned to the Giants line-up for the first time in almost a year with a towering performance that deservedly won him the man of the match award.
Swindlehurst gave the Giants a dream start when he scored the first after just 63 seconds — although at the time the goal was credited to Colin Shields.
Jim Vandermeer and Dustin Johner were on the mark as the Giants took a firm grip of the game in the first period and although Francois Bouchard pulled one back for the Stars in the second period, Swindlehurst’s second early in the third made it a comfortable victory.
It was a landmark moment for defenceman Swindlehurst when he helped the Giants get off to a flying start as he notched his first goal at the SSE Arena — and a frustrating one for Stars goaltender Craig Holland. He got something on the puck, but couldn’t prevent it from crossing the line.
Holland came up with a couple of big saves before the Giants did well in defending 21 seconds of a five-on-three penalty before successfully seeing off the rest as Patrick Dwyer followed Blair Riley into the box.
The Giants missed a great chance right in front of goal on a delayed penalty, but when Mike Sullivan went to the box they took full advantage, while also getting a slice of luck, to score the second goal at 18:16.
Dwyer slipped a pass to Vandermeer who cut inside and sent off a quick-fire shot and the puck found the tiniest of gaps to squeeze through via the post and Holland’s hip.
Just 30 seconds after the goal, Vandermeer ended up in the penalty box, but it didn’t affect the Giants as they took control of the game with a fine short-handed goal.
Johner stole the puck in his own zone and skated clear before slipping it into the net with 66 seconds of the first period to go.
Murphy showed no signs of rustiness after almost 12 months out when he made a crucial save five minutes into the second period after his defence left an opponent on his own in the slot.
Francis Beauvillier then pounced on a lucky bounce and skated in on goal, but his finish let him down and the chance to score his first goal for the Giants was lost.
Seconds later, with the Giants having just seen off another fiveon-three, Dundee struck back with a powerplay goal.
Shawn Boutin found Bouchard in front of goal and although his shot didn’t appear to be particularly powerful, it was strong enough to just beat Murphy’s pad on his right-hand side.
Just a couple of minutes later, Murphy produced another top save from a speculative shot that could easily have caught him out.
The Giants came out flying at the start of the third period, throwing plenty of rubber at Holland and it was a surprise that it took them four and a half minutes to extend their lead.
It was another goal that had a slice of good fortune attached to it — both in the build up and the finish.
Beauvillier’s pass to Johner took a bounce off the latter’s skate and Swindlehurst’s shot from the left of goal hit both the pipework and the goaltender before crossing the line just before Holland could scoop the puck back.
It should have been 5-1 to the Giants late in the game when a fine pass from Lewis Hook found Jonathan Boxill unmarked in the slot, but his shot was straight at Holland.