Finishing the Cup semi final at Belfast Giants, Flames managed to score the first 2 goals of the contest to cut the original 4 goal aggregate deficit in half, but an early 3rd period reply by the home team doused any thoughts of a full comeback effort as the Flames are eliminated from the competition with a 6-3 aggregate defeat despite a 3-2 road win in Leg 2.
Less than 5 minutes into the 1st, Flames bagged the only goal of the period when Jordan Klimek found the net to cut the Flames aggregate deficit to 3.
Flames nudged a bit closer when they also recorded the only goal of the middle set, closing within a pair on aggregate, thanks to Logan Fredericks who was on target with a 26th minute shorthanded marker.
Just 13 seconds into the 3rd, however, Mark Cooper burst the comeback bubble when he got the home team on the board and more importantly re-stored a 3 goal combined goal spread. At 57:44 Ryan Tait put Flames in front 3-1 on the night, but an immediate empty net reply by David Goodwin just 18 seconds later completed the evening’s score and the series.
Eamon McAdam made 27 saves on 29 shots while Tyler Beskorowany handled 18 of 21 for the Giants.
“We knew going in that a 4 goal hole against a team of that quality was going to be very difficult to overcome,” admitted Paul Dixon.
“All you can ask guys to do is turn a page and just play the game that is in front of them, and hats off to them for not throwing in the towel, but instead coming in here and getting a win and even putting us in a position to start the 3rd where a comeback seemed more realistic.”
“It didn’t work out that way, but we have had a good Cup run and ended the competition with a road win. Congratulations to Belfast who are very deserving finalists and we look forward to seeing them in games to come as we set our eyes back on league competition the rest of the way.”
