By Ricky Blayney
January 12, 2008

These past few days five years ago, the Belfast Giants went on their one and only competitive trip into mainland Europe. For those of us that were there the memories will last a lifetime and the weekend still ranks as one of the greatest moments in the teams’ history. Fewer events have captured the imagination of Belfast Giants fans than that Continental Cup run of 2002-2003 and never again since have we seen such a quality team wear the red, white, teal and Finn McCool crest of the Giants jersey.

As this weekend marks the closest weekend to that trip exactly five years ago, I found it only fitting to look back through the haze of Giants memories to that weekend - The pinnacle weekend of our organisation.

That weekend may well have nearly killed the Giants financially. The semi-final weekend we hosted in Belfast the previous November as we tried just to get to the finals almost ruined the Giants and we’ll likely never embark on such a journey again, certainly not host one of the rounds, but ask any fan and they wouldn’t change a thing. They wouldn’t exchange it for anything.

2002-2003

It wasn’t just a matter of showing up for the Giants; we had to go through the qualification group. We skipped the quarterfinal stage that the Scottish Eagles had won out in simply because we were hosting one of the semi-final group stages. That was back in late November and we were drawn against Valerenga, HC Rouen and EC Linz. The Scottish Eagles were meant to be there but had run into financial trouble along with fellow Superleague team Manchester Storm and had folded. It had left the Superleague in somewhat of a mess but for the weekend of the 22nd November we could forget about that and concentrate on a different kind of hockey.

Going into the contest not too many people gave the Giants much hope. Valerenga were seen as very strong opposition and the favourites to win the group. The Giants playing in a fancy new Continental cup uniform with alternative logo surprised everyone when they beat Valerenga 3-0 with back-up goalie Colin Ryder picking up the shutout. Ryder played the rest of the weekend in the absence of starter Ryan Bach and won two more games with another shutout against HC Rouen in an 8-0 win and a 5-3 win against EC Linz. The Giants were headed to Europe.

I walked into the Belfast International Airport on the Thursday morning, 9th January not really knowing what to expect. The overly excited Giants owners had ordered a charter flight to take the fans and team over to the event and I had my place quickly booked. There was definitely a lot of talk of people who were going but I was interested to see how this was going to go down. The biggest surprise of all was the TV camera’s doing the rounds. Interviewing fans, players and filming the supporters on mass checking in for their flight.

The flight to Milan was followed by a bus trip North over the border into Lugano. Lugano was a small town that lies at the edge of Lake Lugano between the Brè and the San Salvatore mountains. With a population of about 50,000 people, most of whom lived in the hills surrounding the town. It was the kind of place that looked like it was home to the rich; especially the rich Italians who wanted to avoid paying tax. Someone called Fabio Capello had a home somewhere in the hills. The town centre was typically small town European - It had the town square, which this weekend had a large man made Snowboarding hill erected for some show or another, with side streets leading away from the square in all directions lined with fashion shops hosting stuff that had probably arrived right off the Milan catwalks at the latest fashion show. I just hoped the beer wasn’t as pricy as some of the tags on the clothing.

Our hotel was located somewhere on the edge of town, only a ten-minute walk from the town centre. Conveniently there was a small pub located directly across the road from the hotel. It was the kind of pub that typically does not get much trade mid-week and probably only moderate trade on the weekends. You know what these Europeans and their lack of binge drinking are like! Lets just say though it didn’t take long for the Giants faithful to land up in that bar much to the shock of the young bar-girl serving the drinks as well as the three men sitting at the bar who called this their local. As a handful, then a dozen, then a large crowd of Belfast resident’s descended on the bar she struggled to keep up. Before long there was another couple of staff members drafted in and eventually the manager/owner himself was on the taps with a large grin on his face at the unsuspecting trade. His smile didn’t fade when we announced we were here for the weekend, the bargirl however didn’t look as thrilled at the prospect of serving this mob.

On the Saturday morning we all slowly, some slower than others, and in our own time made our way into town and then on our to the arena for the big game.

The arena was bloody freezing and the stands uncomfortably steep but after a few early beers both were quickly forgotten about as the Giants fans started to gather and make some noise down at the far end of the rink. The Rink announcer started calling out the Lugano Roster, but nobody really listened, they were to busy just making noise. HC Lugano, the home team, sported some quality players and certainly a bench of more depth than the lowly Belfast Giants. The Lugano fans were there in force to support their local team. Behind the goals at the far end of the rink from were we sat was a huge raised flag that covered the entire stand. Just before face-off the flag lowered, replaced by a few thousand fans huddled together in the standing terrace making some serious noise.

The announcer then turned to the Belfast Giants team. Number 4 is Shane Johnson. Currently in his third season with the club Shane had won team MVP honours in the Giants first season. A reliable defenseman Shane was quick and mobile who played a gritty game for a small man in the defence.

Number 6 is Robby Sandrock, a flashy, quick skating offensive defenseman with a bullet of a shot who had arrived the previous summer. He had been the find of the summer and lead the league in scoring by a defenseman by the time the trip to Lugano came round. In fact he was one of the Giants top points scorers period. This trip would be the ideal opportunity to put the young Canadian in the shop window for the European scouts.

Number 7 is Lee Sorochan, An experienced blue liner brought in to add defensive depth to the Giants defensive. He isn’t a big points producer but he chipped in when he could and patrolled the blue-line with a physical presence that kept his opponents honest. Dave Whistle has played him with the young offensive Robby Sandrock.

Number 10 is Kory Karlander. The Giants top point’s producer in their first season in the Superleague in 00-01. He had left to go back to North America last season but had found his way back to the team this season. His defensive as well as offensive qualities as a forward makes him a key asset to the Giants in all situations.

Number 11 is Colin Ward. Wardy, many would tell you is the hardest working player on the team. Excellent in the corners as well as having a nose for goal he was a key asset to the Giants that coach Dave Whistle loved. So long as he wanted to be here there is always a place for that kind of player on the team.

Number 12 is Doug MacDonald. The 33-year olds season had got off to a slow start and he was struggling to produce the points he and many had expected him to produce right off the bat and it was beginning to tell. Dave Whistle had tried him on a number of lines and currently he found himself as the spare forward. Seen by many as a replacement for Jason Ruff who had left the previous summer Doug was certainly hoping Lugano would kick-start the second half of his season.

Number 14 is Kevin Riehl. One third of the best line many Giants fans had ever seen last season and arguably the Superleague had ever seen. Along with Jason Ruff and Sean Berens they scored for fun and lead the Giants to their first league championship win. Now paired with new line mates the scoring wasn’t coming with as much ease but he still lead a team in scoring that was getting production from all three lines.

Number 16 is Rob Stewart. Old Golden skates is just a month shy of his 37th birthday heading into Lugano. A Canadian by birth but a veteran of the British hockey scene he was also the assistant coach of the team. Popular with the fans and an absolute rock in defence he carried with him one of the hardest shots in the league from the blue-line and was therefore a must on the Giants power play unit with Sandrock.

Number 19 is Steve Thornton. Looking for a little more depth going into the second half of the season the Giants took a chance on Steve Thornton who had been suffering injury problems for the past year. The chance has so far paid off and Thornton was playing some fine hockey. He brought a scoring touch that was helping the Giants win games lately, keeping them in touch with league leaders Sheffield Steelers.

Number 21: Dave Matsos. A speedster and defensive forward Dave was in his second season with the Giants. Popular with the fans and with his fellow players he is one of the most reliable players on the team. Along with his line mates Paul Kruse and Kory Karlander they have become the Giants primary shutdown unit this season.

Number 22: Curtis Bowen. Also in his second season with the Giants, Curt has found himself playing as much time on the blue-line as he has on the wing this season. Dave Whistle has moved him back to his preferred left-wing slot of late and he has seen ice time with Riehl and Ward. A fine two-way player who brings a physical element to the team, Bowen’s versatility will be vital in Luagno for a Giants team that rolls just five defensemen.

Number 24 is Rod Stevens, a player with a set of wheels unmatched by anyone else in the league. Speed is the key to his game and he can burn even the best of defenders. It’s his third season in Belfast and he’s become one of the real core players in the line-up. His scoring production is not what it should be this year but Lugano is the kind of place that his style of game will really suit.

Number 27 is Paxton Schulte. Without a doubt the fans favourite, Paxton is the teams enforcer and the face of the team but also has an ability to play well and has a keen eye for goal. He currently leads the team in penalty minutes but it’s his playing style that will be vital on this trip as fighting is usually at a minimum on the European stage.

Number 28: Paul Kruse, the captain. His leadership abilities are unquestioned and he brings a wealth of NHL experience to the Giants line-up. The big pressure situation in Lugano should allow Kruse to thrive and he’ll help his teammates throughout. A hard-hitting forward who can drop the gloves with the best of them. Last season when with Sheffield he had one of the fights of the year with his current teammate Paxton Schulte. With both guys on the ice this weekend nobody will care to play physical against Belfast.

Number 44 is Todd Kelman, who has fitted into Belfast over the first few seasons of the teams life as well as anyone. Solid on the blue-line ‘Killer’ as he is known to the fans and his team-mates shows good signs of an offensive game and provides end to end rushes that compliment those of Sandrock. Killer is a heart and sole player in Belfast.

Number 71: Ryan Kuwabara, a Canadian forward with a Japanese passport. He has played for Japan at international level and has spent the past several seasons in the land of the rising sun playing his club hockey. This is his fist venture to play hockey in Europe and like Sandrock will look to put himself in the shop window for Scouts at this tournament.

The two remaining players dressed for tonight’s game are goaltenders and everybody knows who will be getting the start. Ryan Bach has been outstanding for the Giants throughout the early seasons going and baring an injury in November he has played almost every game. He will probably be the key player in how the Giants go this weekend. Should he play to his ability the Giants will be reasonably competitive, should he go above and beyond, which many fans hope he will, many believe the Giants could win a game or two at this competition.

Bach’s substitute tonight is Colin Ryder, a twenty-six-year-old from Scotland. The only British guy on the team he is one of the main reasons we’re even in Switzerland this weekend. With Bach down injured in November it was his surprise heroics that won the Giants three games including two by way of a shutout. Although he was quickly back to the bench when Bach got healthy the Giants fans know they have someone capable of stepping in should things take a turn for the worse for Bach.

That first game against HC Lugano had Giants fans optimistically hopefully about the possibility of pulling something off. That’s what our hearts and maybe the beer we had been drinking told us. Our heads of course told us that this was Switzerland’s top team and not getting embarrassed would be good enough. By the end of the first period with the game still tied 0-0 we started to actually believe that the team could indeed respond to the insane amount of noise we were making. Unfortunately Lugano grabbed a goal in each of the final two periods and try as the Giants might they could not find a way back into the game.

We celebrated anyway - outside the rink a marquee tent had been erected with a bar for the fans to socialise in and when that closed back to that little pub to then smiling manager. After all, the partying side of things was another reason we had made the trip and it was inevitable. What wasn’t inevitable was what would occur the following day.

HC Davos were the opponents, another Swiss hockey force and arguably every bit as good as Lugano depending on which fan you listened to in the marquee. I was carrying a bit of a hangover which I was now in the process of curing with a fresh pint of Stella and truthfully expected the Giants to be a little tired after last nights effort and to possibly take a bit of a pasting. After all it was being here that mattered, right? And anyway, we had already picked up the unofficial honours as the nosiest set of fans in the building.

The Giants got off to the kind of start that had us going wild. The drummers who had made the trek from Belfast and had positioned themselves in the front rows were leading the charge and the players had fed off the support and found themselves heading into the locker room after one period up by a goal thanks to Curtis Bowen. The noise of the fans continued throughout the intermission and during the second both teams traded goals to keep the Giants ahead by one with Kory Karlander getting the Giants goal. In the third the Giants continued to get stronger when everyone expected them to tire. They score two more goals opposed to Davos’ one and finished up with the 4-2 victory. Colin Ward had made it 3-1 before MacDonald’s empty net goal sealed the victory. The atmosphere was electric and the players stayed behind on the ice for a few minutes after to thank the fans.

If last night was call for a celebration then I’m not really sure what we were expected to do but we found a way to make a hell of a lot of noise and party like we had just won the dam tournament. I think that’s what shocked a lot of other support in the Lugano that weekend. We probably weren’t going to win, we had already lost one game and yet were celebrating like champions. The players joined us in the Marquee full of praise for the support they had got. It’s the sort of stuff you often hear from players but there was something about this support, this weekend and this kind of atmosphere that you just already knew it was genuine.

The Saturday night also marked out last in Lugano. Tomorrow we would be heading back over the border to Milan were our final game would be played.

As always the fans were in good spirits on the trip down, after all we actually stood a chance of an extremely good finishing position if we could pick up the win. We at least were not going to finish last in the eight team league that required each team playing three games with the best record overall picking up the title.

Slovan Bratislava, the champions of Slovakia, is the opponent of the Giants and baring a few of their fans the rest of the arena it seemed was made up by the Giants fans behind the goal. The first period seen Bratislava score a late goal to break a 1-1 tie after a Sandrock goal had put the Giants back into the game. The second period the scoring went the same way, a 3-1 lead for Bratislava soon became 3-2 when Dave Matsos pulled one back for the Giants but a short-handed goal gave the designated home team a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame. The nerves were there to be seen with the Giants fans but it didn’t stop them making noise. In the third period the Giants threw everything at the Slovak outfit with Curt Bowen grabbing a goal but when Kuwabara was thrown from the game for boarding it killed the Giants momentum.

It wasn’t without controversy however as Belfast had two goals disallowed in the second period that would have changed the complexion of the game. It didn’t sit well with the Giants fans and certainly put a sour taste in their mouths leaving the arena having lost by just one goal.

And that was that. With that game done it was onto the buses and back to the Milan airport. The defeat to Bratislava and the manor of the defeat had kind of put a little bit of a dampener on the day but far from enough to take anything away from the weekend and while fans sat in the airport waiting on their flight, talk turned from the game that had just ended, to memories of the weekend and the good times the several hundred fans that made the journey had shared. Even the chartered flight home had an atmosphere about it that would have made an outsider looking on think we were only on our way to the tournament. There was also a great sense of optimism heading into the final months of the regular league season.

The rest of the season the Giants continued with the hot form they brought back from Switzerland. They won 8 of their last 11 games to finish second in the league and took a 7 game winning streak into the playoffs in which they were unstoppable and picked up the playoff championship.

In the summer though reality set in, the Giants started counting the cost of hosting a round of the Continental Cup as well as making the trip to Switzerland and the figures didn’t add up. In short it almost broke the club but they managed to survive and along with the other four teams left in the Superleague they realised the need to cut costs and the Superleague as we knew it was disbanded for the Elite League, as we now know it. Third lines consisting of guys like Kruse, Matsos and Karlander were a thing of the past.

So as the Giants embark on road trip this weekend, remember five years ago when the Giants wave reached its peak on a road trip to Switzerland.