That pretty much says it all Nottingham dominated the entire game scoring within the first two minutes, the final score 4:1. There was no web cast for the game and the only transmission was via the "Cats Whiskers" of the Nottingham Panthers. Thank you to the kind folks in the Kingdom of the Giants chat room for the color commentary along the way.
Stats courtesy of the Belfast Giants Game Report.
Period Scores: 2-0, 1-1, 1-0
Penalty Mins: Not 21 - Bel 29
Powerplay: Not 3/11 - Bel 0/7
Shots On: Kevin St Pierre 32 - Stephen Murphy 35
Referee: Matt Thompson
Looking at the stats it brings three questions. First the goalie question, Stephen Murphy the Giants nettie turned away 31 shots. It begs the question whether he had proper defensive support? Not having had a visual of the game I can't comment beyond this is a coaching problem. A goalie should not be left all alone flapping in the breeze like laundry left out overnight. However this is something Coach Steve Thornton can best answer by proper coverage in today's game.
The second issue is the number of penalties, no team can win if they hand a man advantage to the opposition every shift change. Ugly goals may win games but stupid penalties loose them. While thinking of penalties Sean McMorrow gained his first time in the box for the season for "taking on the Panthers bench" according to the "Cats Whiskers" feed in the closing minutes of the game. McMorrow was given two minutes for roughing according to the feed, something has to be missing, that doesn't sound like a bench brawl by the time given.
Power play, needs work, the Giants were handed seven and did not capitalize on any of them.
Still it is early days and an away opener. These are the games where kinks are worked out. This game might have been kinkier than most but hockey unlike American football is a marathon not a sprint. Should the Giants finish the weekend with 2 points in their pocket and no injuries it will be well done. Tomorrow is another day and there will be yet another chance for the Giants they will be playing in Hull against the Stingrays 17:30 London time. That's 12:30 pm Central, grab a s sandwich and follow on Twitter.
For as Scarlett O'Hara says"Tomorrow, is another day."
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Correction:Belfast's Sean McMorrow was given a total of 6 minutes for the incident during the closing minutes of the game, earlier reports of 2 minutes for roughing were inaccurate.
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