Giants secure silverware
Mike Burgoyne's late short-handed strike secured Belfast Giants victory over Manchester in the Challenge Cup final on Tuesday night.
Last Updated: 18/03/09 9:27am
Mike Burgoyne's late shorthanded strike secured Belfast Giants a 6-5 aggregate victory over Manchester Phoenix in the Challenge Cup final on Tuesday night.
Phoenix travelled to the Dundonald Ice Rink for the second leg of the final holding a narrow one-goal advantage from the home leg in Altrincham.
But the visitors went behind early when Paul Deniset redirected a shot from Andrew Martin at close range to put the Giants ahead on the night in the seventh minute.
Player-coach Steve Thornton then edged the hosts 2-0 up in the 17th minute, lifting a short range shot past Stephen Murphy into the top corner.
Phoenix fought back, though, and eventually made their pressure tell when Tony Hand forced home a Brett Clouthier pass to tie the aggregate score at five each in the 34th minute.
But with little over three minutes remaining Burgoyne got the winner for the Giants, despite Manchester being on a four-on-three powerplay.
The broken-hearted Phoenix were unable to force overtime and so it was left to former Manchester and now Giants captain George Awada to lift the cup to the delight of the Northern Irish crowd.
