Elite League, Wednesday 5th December.
At Dundee Ice Arena.
Game Report by Mark Brooks.
Dundee Stars 6 Stena Line Belfast Giants 4.
The Stena Line Belfast Giants fell to a mid-week defeat in Dundee as an impressive final period from the hosts downed the league leaders.
With the game tied at 3-3 after 40 minutes of action, the Stars took control of the final period and won their fifth successive league game.
Despite defeat the Giants remain in top spot, one point clear of the Nottingham Panthers and Cardiff Devils. Stephen Murphy started in the Giants net with the visitors missing Tyler Beskorowany, Pat Dwyer, Colin Shields and Matt Towe.
Jonathan Ferland opened the scoring at 6:54 when Blair Riley picked him out at the back post on a delayed penalty.
But just after the celebrations by the Giants Shawn Boutin equalised for the hosts 53 seconds later when he bundled a rebound into the Giants net, assisted by Brian Hart and Lukas Lundvald Nielsen.
The game was a close cut affair with both side well balanced but it was Francois Bouchard who gave Dundee the lead for the first time in this game early in the middle period, assisted by Brian Hart and Matt Bissonnette at 22:29.
Dustin Johner grabbed the first of his two goals in the second period at 28:04 with a classy unassisted finish past Sjogren in the Dundee goal. Johner helped Belfast regain the lead at 32:30 with a powerplay strike, assisted by Kyle Baun.
Dundee pegged the Giants back once again right at the end of the period when Bouchard doubled his tally on the night at 37:44, assisted by Lukas Lundvald Nielsen.
In the final period Dundee landed the first blow in the final period as Brian Hart pulled the Stars back into the lead, firing home a wrist shot at 45:07, assisted bu Craig Garrigan.
55 seconds later and the hosts had a two goal advantage. Jordan Cownie and Fabrizio Ricci combined well with Matt Marquardt finishing at 46:02.
Francois Bouchard completed his hat-trick at 50:13 when he netted a one-timer as the Stars took a three goal advantage into the final 10 minutes.
Blair Riley snatched one back for the Giants at 55:51 when he battle hard in front of the Dundee net and scored at the third time of trying, assisted by David Rutherford and Darcy Murphy.
Final Score
Dundee Stars 6-4 Stena Line Belfast Giants
Giants Man of the Match
#83 Dustin Johner (2 Goals)
Photography
Derek Black
Next Up?
The Giants remain on the road with an Elite League clash on Saturday against the Guildford Flames, face-off 6pm.
Next at home for the Giants is the Cardiff Devils on Sunday 9th December, face-off 5pm, before facing the Dundee Stars two days later on Tuesday 11th December in the Challenge Cup Quarter-Final 2nd Leg, face-off 7pm.
Tickets are available from the Arena Box Office, in person or by calling (028) 9073 9074 as well as online from ticketmaster.ie.
