Belfast Giants: Coach Adam Keefe eyeing more success after another Challenge Cup victory

Belfast Giants coach Adam Keefe was already looking to the future as the raucous celebrations which followed the Belfast Giants' convincing Challenge Cup final win over Fife Flyers were still in full swing.

The retention of the cup made it six trophies in six years during the reign of the former Giants player, but such is his hunger for success that his attention quickly turned to securing more silverware in the coming weeks.

The Giants currently hold a four-point lead at the top of the Elite League with 10 games to play and are riding an 11-game winning run. A double-header against Coventry Blaze is next up this weekend.

"We have a plan. We'll enjoy this and we'll get together on Thursday night, sober up and be ready to go against Coventry. It's gut-check time in the title race," said Keefe after the 9-3 triumph over Fife at the SSE Arena.

The hosts raced into a 4-0 lead in Wednesday's decider but their opponents pulled two goals back, before the Giants made it 5-2 going into the third period.

Keefe, whose brother Sheldon has one of the biggest jobs in the ice hockey world as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, was quick to give credit to his players and fellow coaches in the aftermath of his team's victory.

"I've been very fortunate to stand behind the bench of some great hockey players and a great coaching team. I've been the benefactor of that," enthused Keefe.

They say a team reflects the personality of their coach and you do not win trophies without that strong work ethic and the willingness to go that extra mile for your team-mates.

That is how Keefe was as a player when he joined the Giants in 2011 and that is how he has continued to be as the coach, commanding respect from his players.

"First of all, he's extremely passionate about Belfast and his players," said forward Mark Cooper. "He wants the best for everyone as a person and as a player. I've enjoyed my time learning from him and he's a fun guy to play for."

More than 7,000 supporters were inside the arena to witness the Giants' latest major victory, which assuredly has, just like their coach, whetted the appetite of Giants fans for more success.

The attendance represented a new record for the Giants in their 23-year history and with four Challenge Cups and two Elite League titles in six years under the leadership of Keefe, expectation has grown.

The Canadian played tough, fairly and with a passion that he has brought to the role of head coach since taking over in 2017.

His partnership with another former Giants player and coach Steve Thornton who moved 'upstairs' to be head of hockey operations has proven to be the most successful in the club's history and the club's future is secure and successful both on and off the ice.

Keefe won the Challenge Cup in his first season in charge in 2018, retained it a year later and added the league title.

The following season was curtailed by Covid, and ice hockey then went missing for 18 months,but the Giants went on to repeat that league and cup double in 2022 when it returned.

One trophy is now back in the cabinet a year later and a triple-double may not be far in the future.

The only blemish is the Giants have twice reached the Elite League play-off decider with the opportunity for a Grand Slam and twice failed to get the job done. Might that change this season?