ICE HOCKEY: Mitch Ganzak goal gives Belfast Giants Elite League win in Coventry

COVENTRY BLAZE 1 STENA LINE BELFAST GIANTS 2
Belfast Gaints in action against Coventry BlazeBelfast Gaints in action against Coventry Blaze
Belfast Gaints in action against Coventry Blaze

A late goal from Mitch Ganzak earned the Stena Line Belfast Giants a 2-1 win in Coventry on Saturday. Ganzak’s goal, which came at 57:18, followed Jim Vandermeer’s first period equaliser for the Giants after the Blaze took an early lead through Jordan Pietrus.

The puck dropped in Coventry with the Giants missing Matt Nickerson, Johan Ejdepalm and David Rutherford.

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Jordan Pietrus made it 1-0 to the hosts after only 1:51 as he notched up his 19th goal of the season for the Blaze. Jim Vandermeer, the Giants newest signing, scored his first goal for the organisation at 15:11, assisted by Kris Beech, to leave the two sides tied up at 1-1 going into the first intermission.

The Giants dominated the second period of play, outshooting their hosts 10-5, however could not find a way past Brian Stewart in the Coventry net.

Into the third and final period and again, the Giants controlled large portions of the play, however with 64 total penalty minutes, the game was unable to flow. However with less than three minutes remaining the Giants pressure told as Mitch Ganzak firstly turned the puck over in the Giants zone from a Blaze attack and then combined well with Kris Beech to slot the puck into the Blaze net to send a large Belfast travelling support wild.

Ganzak’s goal, his eighth of the season and second in as many nights, sealed the win as the Giants followed up Friday’s home win with a fine away victory against the Coventry Blaze.

Next up for the Giants is Tuesday’s all important Challenge Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg against the Cardiff Devils at The SSE Arena, Belfast, face-off 7pm with the Devils leading 5-3 from the 1st Leg.

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