ICE HOCKEY: Giants in safe hands with Whistle

Whistle in action for the Giants

Pic: Dean Woolley

WHEN you talk about form players, Jackson Whistle has to come into the mix.

Used to playing in tandem with Stephen Murphy, the Scot's likely season-ending injury has forced Whistle into the everyday role at the Belfast Giants, and so far all the indications suggest he's thriving.

In his last eight starts, Whistle has gone 5-2 - with a rare tie game in Fife as well - and posted an outstanding .940 save percentage, which is backed by an equally impressive 1.88 GAA in that space, numbers that the top NHL ‘keepers would be delighted with.

His form has been so good that newly-signed backstop Chris Truehl - who has also been excellent in his three starts - has barely been given a look in, instead having to settle for the bench role.

Everything culminated in a 30-save shutout of the streaking Fife Flyers in their Challenge Cup quarter-final second leg on Tuesday night, Whistle providing the solid platform from the back that allowed the offense to let loose.

"It was nice to get the shutout but I thought the team played really well," the 22-year old says. "Obviously we knew it was a do or die game but I thought we really came out to play and we took it to them.

"Lately I think my game has been coming along pretty well, it's just about feeling good, tracking pucks and seeing it. I'm getting a lot of help from the team - you can't get a shutout without a team effort, so I really appreciate that from the guys."

The numbers don't lie, Whistle has been in elite form recently for the Giants, who are keeping pace with the league leading Cardiff Devils and have reached the last four of the Challenge Cup on the back of his performances.

The Great Britain goaltender is only a year off hip surgery that massively curtailed his involvement last season, but the form he's in would suggest there's been no long-lasting effects.

And, having taken over as both the Giants' figurative No.1 as well as being their literal No.1, Whistle is only focusing on getting better as the season goes on.

"It's awesome to get (the great stats), but the key is to keep moving forward," Whistle admits. "I try not to look at that, just take it day by day, get better with every practice and bring it into the next game.

"You'll look at stats a little bit, but I'll look at games where I've let in goals that I'll want back, or I'll look at certain plays. I get Keefer to show me videos of them so I can improve on them and take it into the next game. Hopefully if I do enough things right then the stats will come."

Next up, somewhat ironically, is a league and conference doubleheader against their Challenge Cup semi-final opponents the Nottingham Panthers at the SSE Arena this weekend.

The Giants haven't had much to celebrate from their games against the Panthers this season - they boast a 1-2-1 record against their conference rivals, including an overtime defeat the last time they met in Belfast.

However, they do hold the most recent bragging rights having taken a 6-2 win from the National Ice Centre in mid-December, Whistle pulling off 30 saves on his way to the road victory.

It's a chance for Belfast to inflict a hammer blow to a side who will be in the mix come the end of the season, as well as boost their own title credentials and take a big step forward in the Erhardt Conference.

"I think the guys are definitely looking forward to this weekend, the same as last weekend against Sheffield, it's a big weekend and we need some points," says Whistle.

"They're a good team, but if we play our best I think we can compete with any team in the league. That's what we have to do this weekend, just play our game and see how it goes."

Stats

Jackson Whistle

Win-Loss: 21-8-2

SAV%: .906

GAA: 2.93

Shutouts: 2

Stats provided by Davy McGimpsey of A View From The Bridge, official podcast of the Belfast Giants

ICE HOCKEY: Steelers win out in heated Belfast battle

AN ill-tempered and heated Elite League clash at the SSE Arena saw the Sheffield Steelers emerge 3-2 victors over the Belfast Giants.

A brace from Andreas Jämtin and an opener from Matt Marquardt saw the visitors home in front of a large travelling support, while Steve Saviano and David Rutherford replied for the hosts.

It was Jackson Whistle who was between the pipes for Belfast, while Sheffield had everyday man Ervins Mustukovs at the other end, but the big story was a first reunion between Spiro Goulakos and Colton Fretter,

And any hopes that the Goulakos-Fretter history had been forgotten was ended within the first minute as the Belfast defenceman dropped gloves with the Sheffield man, leaving them both on the floor.

It was a largely wasteful first period, both sides having chances but neither significantly testing the netminders at each end until the visitors finally broke the deadlock at the end of the period.

New man Eric Neiley set the tone, taking it into the offensive zone and feeding Matt Marquardt in the slot, and the forward finished at the second attempt at 17:01 after Whistle could only bat the puck back into his path.

The expected Giants reaction at the start of the second period never came, and instead it looked like Sheffield might double their advantage however Levi Nelson spurned their best chance, unable to flick it past Whistle on the angle.

Instead, Belfast levelled, a Kevin Raine slapshot taking a massive deflection at the doorstep to take it away from Mustukovs and allow Steve Saviano to steal in and finish at 31:29.

Within a minute the Steelers retook the lead shorthanded, a breakaway from their own defensive zone drawing a good save from Whistle, however Andreas Jämtin was on hand to capitalise on a poor attempted clearance at 32:05.

Then came a moment of great controversy - Steelers enforcer Zack Fitzgerald landing a massive hit to Goulakos’ head, resulting in the defenceman being left stricken on the ice for a while.

Fitzgerald was given a five minute major for the check to the head, however Belfast couldn’t take advantage of their extra man, and Robert Dowd nearly made them pay only to fire over when one on one with Whistle.

But they got that crucial third goal seconds before the end of the period, Whistle unable to hold a shot from the blueline, and Jämtin was again on hand to sweep the loose puck in at 39:38.

Five minutes into the final period the hosts struck back, a Blair Riley shot slamming off the back boards and falling to David Rutherford lurking at the back post, who flipped it into the cage over an unsighted Mustukovs at 45:19.

Dowd had another great chance to get a goal of his own, while Andreas Valdix also tested Whistle, while at the other end Darcy Murphy found space into the slot but fanned on his shot at goal.

Tensions boiled over again as Ryan Martinelli and Neiley dropped the gloves, while Sheffield took a late penalty to put Belfast on the powerplay to seemingly finish the game.

It wouldn’t end that way, Goulakos illegally checking an opponent to end his game and Sébastien Sylvestre snapping at the officials to get him ejected too, as the Giants’ frustrations ultimately manifested in a loss.

Man of the Match: Andreas Jämtin (Sheffield Steelers)