Giants blow as Blaze out of Playoffs

THE Belfast Giants edged past the Genting Casino Coventry Blaze in the quarter-finals of the Elite League Playoffs with a 1-1 tie and 3-2 aggregate victory at Skydome Arena.

Both teams began the game on Sunday with a far higher intensity and physicality level compared to the previous night in Belfast which ended with a 2-1 Giants victory.

After Jackson Whistle was forced into a couple of early saves, Taran Kozun at his opposite end had his goalpost to thank for the Giants not doubling their aggregate lead ahead of the ten-minute mark.

Both teams had powerplay opportunities Danny Stewart towards the end of the first period, but unlike in Belfast neither were able to convert as the first period ended scoreless.

The opening goal came at 26.43 when Daniel Tedesco converted on an opportunity right in front of Kozun to give the Giants a 3-1 aggregate advantage.

Blaze pushed hard to get on the board, but Whistle was the star of the show pulling off several outstanding saves to keep the home side out.

Frustrations began to boil over in the final few minutes of the second period with each team assessed a couple of minor penalties following a scuffle in front of Whistle’s net.

With both teams looking tired, the tempo dropped in the third period, but Blaze continued to push and with 1.06 remaining pulled Kozun for the extra skater.

Chances came and went before Danny Kristo finally beat Whistle, but with just a second remaining on the clock it was a consolation for Coventry whose season was ended cruelly by the narrowest of margins.

Blaze head coach Danny Stewart said: “The series reminded of old-school hockey, the battle, the compete, fighting for every inch out there and both teams had to. Nobody likes to lose, but at the same time, we left everything out there. It was a series as tight as anything I have ever seen and they got the extra bounce, it’s as simple as that.”