They lost the battle but won the war and the crowd of 5107 will go home happy.

The Belfast Giants will host the Challenge Cup Final against either Sheffield or Fife and over the two legs of this semi-final no one can say they didn't deserve it.

The Giants performance in the first leg in Guildford did all the damage but coach Adam Keefe will still be a little disappointed with losing the second leg against a side they look set to battle for the Elite League title with.

The Flames were the better side in the second leg and have now beaten the Giants in four of their five meetings this season with three still to come in the league. Coach Paul Dixon will be delighted with the attitude of his players in what was always going to be an uphill task but with 20 minutes remaining they still had hopes of a big upset. It wasn't to be but they can now concentrate on the league title race.

The Giants have a fourth Challenge Cup to look forward to in the last five editions of the competition.

Thanks for following - we'll leave you with a picture of Mark Cooper striking a pose after scoring the goal that probably extinguished the Flames hopes.

I'll be back on Friday night for the first of the big weekend doubleheader between the Giants and Sheffield.

Image source, Press Eye

Almost immediately and with the netminder still pulled for the Flames captain David Goodwin scored the empty netter for the Giants and the'll head to the Challenge Cup Final

Not often you see a team pull their netminder when leading a game but trailing by three on aggregate the Flames do just that and skating with the extra attacker score through Ryan Tait

Stoppage in the game as the puck hit one of the linesmen Vytas Lukosevicius who is receiving treatment but is going to continue.

7:24 to go - the Giants goal has halted the comeback of the Flames but they're not giving up

It took just 13 seconds after the puck drop for the third period for Mark Cooper to force the puck through the pads of Flames goalie Eamon McAdam - huge cheers from the Giants faithful - maybe more relief than anything else

Image source, Press Eye

I wonder what Giants coach Adam Keefe said to his players during the second intermission. They are twenty minutes away from hosting the Challenge Cup Final but it's the Guildford Flames who carry the momentum into the final period. I'm not sure he shouts but I'm sure he got his message across.

Flames coach Paul Dixon has already gotten a massive performance from his players that bodes well for the rest of the season regardless of how this game finishes but they will fancy their chances of grabbing at least two goals and sending this to overtime.

Let's go.....

Image source, Press Eye

Flames playing at a punishing pace - they're quicker to the puck, they're winning the 50/50 battles but because they are having to gamble they are giving the Giants chances. So far they haven't taken them and the Flames are well worth their lead and if they score the next goal then restlessness will turn to panic.

Image source, Press Eye

The Flames have done what they set out to achieve - with 30 minutes gone they've halved the four-goal deficit on aggregate.

The Giants are still creating chances but McAdam is still stifling them and the Flames are hunting the puck relentlessly.

Image source, Press Eye

Now the Giants crowd is getting restless. A pretty awful powerplay, a mistake at the Flames blueline and Logan Fredericks breaks away and scores his second of the game. Momentum with the visitors

Image source, Press Eye

Interesting middle period ahead of us - can the Flames put the Giants under pressure? Will the physical play continue? Can Giants solve McAdam?

Image source, Press Eye

Entertaining twenty minutes with more than a little needle between the two sides at the buzzer with both sets of players having to be separated and sent to the locker rooms.

No need to panic for the Giants yet, they still have that three goal lead on aggregate and they've created enough chances but Eamon McAdam is standing tall at the moment.

Flames coach Paul Dixon will be pleased with his sides efforts. Not only have they the lead but physically they haven't taken a backwards step.

Image source, Press Eye

The Flames didn't make the most of a second powerplay chance but at the other end Eamon McAdam looks to have his 'A' game tonight with a string of good stops including a double save from Grant Cooper.

It's a frantic pace, end-to-end stuff - 5 minutes left in the opening period

Image source, Press Eye

Game on - after early chances for the Giants with Eamon McAdam stopping Ben Lake and Matt Foley, a delay of game penalty on Lake sees the Flames powerplay go to work and Logan Fredericks taps in a rebound after an Ian McNulty shot wasn't squeezed by Tyler Beskorowany.

Here we go...interesting to see how Guildford approach the game. They have bigger fish to fry in terms of chasing an Elite League title and on paper a 4-goal deficit is almost impossible to overturn....or is it??

The Giants are looking to maintain their incredible recent run in the Challenge Cup. Champions in 2018, 2019 and 2022 they are looking to reach their fourth final in the last five times the competition has been played - missing one year because of Covid.

The Flames lost out to the Giants in that 2019 final but continue to lead the Elite League standings by three points with 20 games remaining and up until last week's first leg had beaten the Giants in three previous meetings this season.

However it's tough to shut out the Giants - no domestic team has managed that all season - and only Manchester have scored five goals in a game at the SSE Arena and they did it twice.

So comfortable passage to another final for the Giants or comeback for the ages for the Flames - stay with us to find out.

Image source, Press Eye

Belfast Giants

G Tyler Beskorowany D Sam Ruopp D Gabe Bast LW David Goodwin C Scott Conway RW Mark Cooper

Guildford Flames

G Eamon McAdam D Jordan Klimek D Bradley Lalonde LW Peter Crinella C Logan Fredericks RW Levi Cable

Image source, BBC Sport

The Belfast Giants shut-out the Guildford Flames 4-0 at the Spectrum last week to take the advantage into tonight's second leg...enjoy the goals

Hi everyone it's time for the second leg of the Elite League Challenge Cup semi-final between the Belfast Giants and Guildford Flames from the SSE Arena in Belfast.

The hometown team carry a 4-0 lead from the first leg in Guildford a week ago - can the Flames mount a comeback?

Image source, Press Eye