Belfast Giants reclaimed their winning form with a 5-4 victory over Cardiff Devils in a remarkable Sunday afternoon contest at the SSE Arena, with both sides scoring inside the final 30 seconds in one of the most extraordinary finishes of the EIHL season so far.
Scott Conway's empty net goal at 59:36 appeared to seal it at 5-3 — but Cardiff weren't done. Ben Bowns came back on, Cardiff pushed forwards, and Josh MacDonald tucked home at 59:48 with twelve seconds on the clock. It finished 5-4, with the final minute producing two goals from two different teams in a match that had never truly been settled until the final buzzer.
For Belfast, this avenges Saturday night's 5-2 defeat at the SSE Arena to the same opponents. Cardiff's Riley Brandt scored a hat-trick to give the Devils a huge individual performance — but it wasn't enough as Giants' strength in depth and home advantage told.
Cardiff strike rarly, Belfast level quickly
Cardiff were out of the blocks fast. Brandt scored just two minutes in — Cedric Lacroix and Kristoff Kontos assisting — to give the Devils an early advantage. But Belfast hit back almost immediately: Jake Gaudet levelled at 3:48 from Bo Hanson's assist, and the SSE Arena relaxed.
Ciaran Long was penalised for interference at 14:52 before Cardiff's Josh MacDonald was sent to the box for tripping at 18:10. Conway made them pay on the power play at 18:43 — Carsen Twarynski and Gabe Bast with the assists — to put Belfast 2-1 up at the end of the first period. A tight opening twenty minutes, but Giants had the lead and had shown their ability to take opportunities when they arrived.
The second period was extraordinary. Five goals in fifteen minutes swung the momentum repeatedly.
Hanson put Belfast 3-1 up at 24:44 — David Goodwin and JJ Piccinich assisting — and it looked like the Giants were pulling clear. Then at 25:22, both Gabe Bast (tripping, Belfast) and Ryan Barrow (diving or embellishment, Cardiff) were penalised simultaneously, producing a four-on-four situation. The offsetting minors kept the game moving but added to the edginess.
Brandt struck for Cardiff at 26:35 — Brandon Estes and Kontos assisting — to make it 3-2, her second of the evening. Ryan Smith restored the two-goal cushion at 30:48 for Belfast from Ben Lake and Twarynski's assists to make it 4-2. But Brandt was not finished. Her third goal of the game arrived at 34:01 — Kontos and Jimmy Oligny assisting — to pull it back to 4-3. Cedric Lacroix's cross-checking penalty at 34:51 gave Belfast a power play to end the second period, but they couldn't convert.
Going into the final twenty minutes: Belfast 4, Cardiff 3, and the Devils very much alive.
The third period seemed to be settling in Belfast's favour — Sanford's roughing penalty at 55:48 was killed off without damage, and the Giants were protecting the lead. Cardiff pulled their goaltender at 58:56, pushing desperately for an equaliser.
Then came 59:30 — Cardiff called a timeout, still with the net empty. Six seconds later, Conway scored into the empty net at 59:36 to make it 5-3, seemingly killing the contest. Cardiff's net was still empty. Ben Bowns returned at 59:36. Cardiff won a faceoff, pushed one more time, and MacDonald — who had assisted Sanford's power play goal the night before in the same building — scored at 59:48 with twelve seconds remaining to make it 5-4.
The buzzer came before Belfast could breathe.
For Jake Kupsky in the Giants goal, it was another evening under pressure, but his side got the points. Bowns had a difficult night conceding five but Brandt's hat-trick gave him every chance to pull Cardiff through.
Brandt's hat-trick in a losing side — and Giants' weekend context
Brandt's three goals — from six different assists across the three strikes, all featuring Kontos — is a remarkable individual display. On another night it wins the game comfortably. This was not another night.
For Belfast, a weekend split: a 5-2 defeat to Cardiff on Saturday, a 5-4 win over Cardiff on Sunday. The home crowd of 7,148 will remember the Sunday rather than the Saturday.