Reddox: I’ve got so much more to offer

DESPITE scoring a hat-trick in the Belfast Giants’ final pre-season victory over Herning Blue Fox on Saturday, winger Liam Reddox has admitted he’s still adjusting to British ice hockey.

The 33-year-old scored a second period treble in the 6-3 win, the Giants’ fourth exhibition triumph that takes them into competitive action having gone unbeaten in pre-season.

Although they perhaps weren’t as impressive as they were in dispatching Mora IK a week previous, the Giants were still convincing in their performance against Herning, headlined by Reddox’s hat-trick.

Even more exciting for Belfast fans is that Reddox believes he has plenty more to offer once he’s acclimatised to the British style.

“I played eight years in Sweden where the games are faster, and having more time with the puck, having more time to make reads and make plays is a bit of an adjustment,” said Reddox.

“It’s still going to take some time, but my game is about getting to the hard areas, getting to the net and jamming in those greasy, garbage goals.

“The more I can do that, the more success I’m going to have.”

The Giants’ attention now switches for the first time this season to competitive matters as they prepare for their first Champions League group match against Czech side Bili Tygri Liberec at the SSE Arena on Thursday (7.30pm).

The new-look Giants have been impressive in going unbeaten during pre-season — defeating Mora and Herning both twice — but Reddox, who played in the CHL final with Vaxjo Lakers in 2018, knows they’ll need evenmoretobeinwithachance.

“It’s nice that we finished 4-0 (in pre-season) and we’ve seen a little bit of chemistry building between some of the lines,” added Reddox.

“At the same time, I don’t think anyone in that room is satisfied, we want to get better, so we’ll show up on Monday ready to work so we’re up for the CHL.

“It’s going to be fast and good hockey, so we need to step it up if we want to compete.”