Belfast Giants: Class of 2020

With the unfortunate early ending to the 2019/20 EIHL season, fans did not get a proper chance to say goodbye and thank you to the players that put on the teal jersey this season. I want to take this opportunity to try and do this now. The hockey season being cut short means Belfast Giants players and fans alike did not realise that their post-game lap on March 6^th would be our last all together.



To each and every one of the players, thank you for being a part of my club this year. You made us happy, you sometimes made us mad, but many times you created moments so special that you may never imagine could mean so much. I looked forward to coming to the arena each weekend to watch my team and be with my hockey family (you know who you are). Hockey really does mean so much in Belfast and that’s something that becomes evident to players and anyone visiting the arena.



What have been my standout moments this year?



Saturday 17^th August- Belfast Giants vs Mora IK

This exhibition game was pretty special. I don’t remember all the details of this game, it was a good while ago. But, what I do remember is how impressed I was by this team. The speed, the physicality, this was Belfast Giants hockey. The summer drought had ended and hockey was back. Fans saw just how good this team was.



CHL

I’m going to group the CHL home games together. The CHL was a pretty big deal. After not being able to take their place in its inaugural season, I was pretty excited to finally watch my Giants in the CHL. The away fans brought great passion and it was great to see Liam Morgan in his first professional season wear the Top Scorer jersey. It was especially exciting to watch Lulea in Belfast, a team I remember from the EIHL’s first CHL adventure and was very excited to see how the Giants would fare against them. We might have lost but we still got three goals past them!



Skate With The Giants

I really enjoyed getting on the ice with the Belfast Giants players after the game on Saturday 7^th December. It was so great to have one of these events on a Saturday. The players were really great with us fans, whether taking photos with us or even taking the time to skate a couple of laps with us. One of my favourite players this season has been Ryan Lowney and it was really a special moment for me to be able to skate with Lowney on the Giants ice- another item ticked off the bucket list!



Saturday 1^st February- Belfast Giants vs Cardiff Devils

Ah, the Cardiff double-header weekend. In a very tight game (1-0 win), Belfast came away with the first two points. It was great fun afterwards as the fans were singing and having a great time.



Saturday 22^nd February- Belfast Giants at Manchester Storm

So, I wasn’t exactly there. But thankfully some teams have webcasts! The game didn’t start off so well- we were down 4-0 less than 25 minutes into the game. But, instead of giving up, we came back! Goals from Hook, Goodwin, Lake and Farnham tied the game at 4-4 and we went to a shootout where we did eventually lose but hey, we still got a point.



Saturday 29^th February- Belfast Giants vs Guildford Flames

Another comeback. After being 4-1 down at the end of the second period, Smo and Mullen got us back to within one just under halfway through the third period. But it was when Brian Ward scored a powerplay goal inside the last minute that really got Giants fans excited! Jumping in the air, hugs, cheering, this celebration had it all. We did lose in overtime but it was another moment that proved what we were truly capable of.



Standout Players

There’s lots of players that I could talk about but I’m going to stick to three:

Kevin Raine- My favourite Giants player, Kevin Raine, Kevin continues to get even better season upon season with the Giants and his leadership on the ice and shot-blocking are incredible. Kevin is not only one of the best defencemen, but one of the best players on our team night in night out.

Bobby Farnham- Where do you start? Farnham brings so much energy each game and is not afraid to make a hit. It’s also very clear to see how much he loves this team. The excitement when #46 puts the puck in the net or when one of his teammates does brings us Giants fans so much happiness. And, because of Bobby Farnham, I’ve managed to recruit a new Giants fan. Seriously.

Ryan Lowney- A late arrival into Belfast this season, Lowney impressed me since the first time I seen him play. I loved the way he wasn’t afraid to push forward and create offence but at the same time was outstanding in defence.



And finally, a moment of appreciation for Adam Keefe

Adam Keefe is absolutely the heartbeat of this team. I have been fortunate enough to watch Keefer as captain and now as coach. Keefer is so dedicated to this team and its clear that his passion for our club continues to get stronger year on year. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a coach who cares just so much and there’s nothing more we could ask from our coach, the leader of our team.



So, whether you were here for a few weeks, a few months or right from August up to the final game, thank you Giants.