Giants focus on weathering storm and winning the EIHL says Jeff Mason

This weekend, with games against the Guildford Flames and the Manchester Storm at the SSE Arena, the Giants will be looking to bounce back and further solidify their league topping position.

Mason said: “The Saturday night at Fife we liked our game for significant portion of the game. But I think we had it well and truly in hand. Unfortunately we allowed them to get back into the game.

“Any time you let a team back into a game, and certainly a team that might not be feeling very confident at the minute, if you give them that glimmer of hope then they are going to take advantage of it.

“As we saw last Saturday, their barn can then get very loud and hectic as it did.

“When they felt that they had an opportunity to get back into the game they rallied.

“We probably didn’t handle it the best looking back now.”

He continued: “Fortunately for us, we were able to the last two goals at near the end of the final period to get the win in regulation but it was very close to going into overtime.

“That said, that game in Fife will certainly a lesson that we need to learn, that we can’t switch of at any point in a game.

“That you have to manage your game and never give a team that seems out of a game that hope of getting back into it.”

Turning his focus to the defeat against Dundee, Mason said: “If you look back at the numbers and statistics of the game against Dundee maybe we did enough to win that game.

“Dundee played well, they had a hot goaltender that night.

“We couldn’t generate enough quality looks to get pucks passed their goalie.

“There were a few key mistakes let to goals in the back of the net, it is what it is, they are always a tough team to play.

“We didn’t have the jump that we usually have and inevitably pull that game back.

“It was disappointing to have lost that game but we just need to remember that we have built ourselves a good position in the league with a tiny gap at the top.

“We need to make sure that we now get business of winning this championship done.”

Mason agrees that there are positives from last weekend and lessons to be learned.

He said: “The big lesson is that we need to learn is that we can’t be taking the foot of the gas in a game.

“You have to play a game and not unnecessarily give a team any life and let them back into a game.

“A full sixty minutes has to be played every game.”

Mason added: “We are a really good hockey team. If we are playing to our capabilities and we are executing our systems, then we are a very good team and very difficult to beat.

“If we stray from one of those, then we are vulnerable, like all other teams in this league.

“Hopefully we can use last week’s games as motivation to make sure that we are fully switched on every game.”

Mason concluded: “There are some big games coming up and then the Challenge Cup games too, we need to be focused and ready for each game as it comes.

“The Elite League is tough, it is a long marathon with its ups and downs, you have to weather the storms and move on.

“We need to go out there and get the job done week in and week out now.”