Elite League play-offs: Giants held to draw by Blaze in quarter-final first leg
- Published
Coventry's Nathanael Halbert and Giants opponent Ben Lake battle for possession in the first leg
Belfast Giants played out a 2-2 draw with Coventry Blaze in the first leg of the Elite League play-off quarter-final at the SkyDome on Saturday night.
Darcy Murphy put the league champions in front in the first period before three goals in the final 10 minutes.
Janne Kivilahti levelled for Coventry and Slater Doggett restored Belfast's lead before Nathanael Halbert netted the equaliser in the 59th minute.
The sides will meet again in Sunday's second leg at the SSE Arena.
Ben Lake's wrister from the high slot at 5:50 was parried into the path of Murphy, who made no mistake in front of goal. Coventry surged offensively after the drop and had the edge mid period, with Tyler Beskorowany turning away a series of decent attempts.
Joey Raats sent a puck to the crease for Ryan Penny to tip down inside the last five minutes, but again Beskorowany held strong, before Janne Laakkonen's shot was saved with the blocker seconds later.
It was a close encounter between the Blaze and Giants in England
Ryan Penny stirred the crowd on the opening faceoff of the second period, taking advantage of an early lapse in concentration from the Giants defenders to call Beskorowany into a blocker save.
The Giants players silenced that energy after five minutes, celebrating a goal when the puck was sent into traffic at Motte's crease, but after a lengthy conversation referees Tom Pering and Steve Brown waved play on.
A fairly end-to-end period came to a head when Evan Bloodoff shot off the backhand after a forced turnover with two minutes remaining, but again Beskorowany was alert to the danger.
Penny was denied his second breakaway of the game by Beskorowany after three minutes of the final period, followed by a grade A Bloodoff shot moments later. The Giants goalie and his defencemen were holding back the tide as the game entered its final ten.
David Goodwin came close with nine minutes remaining, skating in from the left and dangling the puck around a diving Halbert before Motte stepped up with a big save.
Kivilahti tied the game at 51:50, a fair reward for a decent period from the hosts as he finished a Ross Venus puck in the slot. Murphy was there to set up Doggett for the go-ahead goal as the pendulum swung again in a frantic third period at 55:04.
The Giants saw away a Doggett high sticking penalty at 55:09, but a puck from the right side boards was flicked from the edge of the crease by Conner Chaulk into the path of Halbert, who tied proceedings for the Blaze at 58:11.