ICE HOCKEY: Belfast Giants fall to Edinburgh in Cup game

The Stena Line Belfast Giants were defeated by the Edinburgh Capitals 6-4 in a Challenge Cup Group B clash. With Andrew Dickson in net for the home side, an impressive performance from the Ballymoney netminder and goals from Connolly, Ferland, D.Murphy and Kurtz were not enough to stop the Capitals.

In spite the loss, the Giants hold onto second place in the Challenge Cup Group B standings with five points from four games played and the top two sides advancing to the Quarter Finals.

Dylan Anderson opened the scoring with a powerplay goal for the visitors after 5:54, assisted by Tyroon and Cazzola.

However the Giants hit back almost immediately and just under three minutes later the game was level. Brendan Connolly got the equaliser at 7:37, assisted by Blair Riley and Sebastien Sylvestre.

Jonathan Ferland grabbed the go-ahead goal for the Giants at 10:23 with a highlight reel finish after following up on his own rebound. The Capitals made it a tied game after the opening period when Tyroon netted at 16:56, assisted by Cazzola and Teslyukevich.

Into the middle period and Tyroon began the period just as he finished the first, with a goal. His strike at 23:55, assisted by Cazzola and Anderson, gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead.

Darcy Murphy struck with a powerplay goal to equalise, assisted by Blair Riley and Sebastien Sylvestre at 26:44.

Edinburgh’s Vorobyev edged the visitors into a 4-3 lead at 32:05, assisted by Valeyev. However the Giants had the last word in the second period when John Kurtz finished off a rebound following Colin Shields’ shot on the powerplay at 37:29.

Julius Nyqvist, assisted by Banashkov and Valeyev, sent the Capitals into the lead once again with the visitors fifth goal of the game at 46:11.

Then, with 36 seconds remaining, the Capitals ended the Giants hopes of a home win when Sergei Banashkov scored into the empty Giants net.