The Belfast Giants could clinch their place in the Challenge Cup Semi-Finals as early as this weekend after they smashed seven past the Fife Flyers to cruise to a shut-out win in Kirkcaldy.
Adam Keefe’s men were out of sight by the end of the first period, streaking ahead to a 3-0 lead at the first buzzer, and they added two more in both the second and third periods as Pierre-Olivier Morin scored a double on his return to the line-up and a seventh goal of the season for stand-out forward Jordan Kawaguchi backed up a stellar performance from netminder Jackson Whistle.
It might not have been his most taxing night but the Great Britain international turned away all 21 shots he faced at the Fife Ice Arena for his second shut-out in his last three starts and continue to give Keefe a headache in nets after it seemed like Tom McCollum had edged ahead in the stakes with two impressive displays against Cardiff and Sheffield.
Where the head coach has no such headaches is when it comes to goalscoring as, no matter what combination of forwards he sends out there, his side just continue to score in their droves as the Giants made it 41 goals in just eight games to start the season, and not only that but they had six different players on the scoresheet in Scotland.
Defenceman Mike Lee’s second goal of the season set them on their way just 5:34 in before Morin and Grant Mismash both got off the mark for the campaign to have the Giants three to the good at the first intermission over the significantly short-benched Flyers.
J.J. Piccinich’s second goal of the season came in the second period before Ciaran Long got off the mark for the year as well, with Kawaguchi and Morin — who both had three-point nights — rounding off the scoring in the third, both on the powerplay.
Keefe will also be delighted to not only hand a competitive debut to former Great Britain Under-20s captain Rhodes Mitchell-King but to give the young defenceman 11:26 of ice time at the Fife Ice Arena, while fellow two-way forward Mack Stewart dressed for his second game of the season.
With five wins from five games in the Cup, the Giants could wrap up top spot in Group B five games early if they can double up on the Glasgow Clan at the weekend and would put them firmly on track for top seeding and home advantage in a potential Final.
Lee opened the scoring before Maxim Musorov hit the post for the Flyers in their best chance of the game but from there it was all Giants.
Morin finished off a nice move at 13:13 before Mismash produced a beautiful solo finish from the left circle at 15:07, with Piccinich banking a shot off former Giants netminder Shane Owen at 33:00 for the fifth and Long going bar down off Morin’s feed at 38:06.
Kawaguchi added 1:16 into the third on the powerplay as Noah Delmas sat for slashing, with Morin rounding off the scoring at 51:06 on the 5-on-3 powerplay on a devastating night for the Giants’ attack.