WATCH: Giants 9-5 Flyers

The Stena Line Belfast Giants fell to a 9-5 defeat on Sunday away against the Fife Flyers. Despite battling back to level terms from a 4-1 deficit, a dominant final performance by the home side ended the Giants seven game league winning streak. Following the weekends’ results, the Giants sit second, three points behind next weekends’ opponents, the Cardiff Devils.

It was the home side who opened the scoring with a Brendan Brooks strike at 3:31, assisted by Philippe Paquet and Mathew Sisca. However David Rutherford brought the Giants level with a goal at 13:10, assisted by Jeff Mason and Colin Shields.

Justin Fox and Chase Schaber gave the hosts a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period. Fox netted at 14:15, assisted by Ryan Dingle and Sebastien Thinel while Schaber’s goal came 94 seconds from the end of the period assisted by Russ Moyer and Brendan Brooks.

Ryan Dingle gave the Flyers a three goal cushion at 22:35 with the opening goal of the second period, assisted by Carlo Finucci.

The Giants comeback began at 32:15 with Michael Quesnele firing the visitors’ second of the game, assisted by Brandon Benedict and Matt Towe. Blair Riley brought the Belfast side within one with a powerplay goal at 34:47, assisted by Chris Higgins and David Rutherford.

Colin Shields, assisted by David Rutherford, grabbed an equalising goal for the away side at 37:18 with the game now tied at 4-4 at the end of 40 minutes of play.

Blair Riley gave the Giants the lead for the first time in this game when he scores the visitors second powerplay goal of the night at 42:02, assisted by Michael Forney and Chris Higgins.

However the Flyers regrouped and they were level again at 44:04 thanks to Ryan Dingle’s goal, assisted by Kyle Haines. Philippe Paquet gave the hosts a 6-5 lead when he struck at 46:09, assisted by Brendan Brooke and Mathew Sisca.

Brendan Brooks scored on the powerplay at 48:44, assisted by Richard Jackman and Russ Moyer, to extend Fife’s lead to 7-5.

With the Giants desperately in need of a goal, Belfast netminder Jackson Whistle was pulled for the extra outskater and, despite piling pressure on the home side, the Flyers scored an empty net goal at 57:20 through Russ Moyer, assisted by Brendan Brooks. Chase Schaber completed the scoring with the Flyers’ ninth goal of the night at 58:28

Up next for the Giants are the two biggest games of the season so far. The league leading Cardiff Devils visit The SSE Arena, Belfast on both Friday 17th and Saturday 18th February. Both games face-off 7pm and tickets are on sale now online at ticketmaster.ie as well as from The SSE Arena Box Office in person or by calling 028 9073 9074.

Belfast Giants Man of the Match Blair Riley

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