THE Belfast Giants are headed to the Challenge Cup final and will host the event for the second year in a row after beating the Guildford Flames on aggregate in their semi-final despite falling to a 3-2 defeat at the SSE Arena.
A pair of goals from Logan Fredericks and a late strike from Ryan Tait gave the visitors the win on the night but, having led 4-0 from the first leg, it was still a comfortable night on the scoreboard for the Giants, whose goals came from Mark Cooper and David Goodwin.
It was certainly tighter than they would have liked as Fredericks scored a goal in each of the first two periods to halve the Giants' lead to two goals, but Cooper put any nerves to bed early in the third period and Goodwin sealed it with a late empty-netter.
The Fife Flyers or Sheffield Steelers now await the Giants in the final and, even better for Adam Keefe's side, it will be hosted at the SSE Arena and memories will flood back of that unforgettable overtime win against the Cardiff Devils a year ago.
And it is a timely boost for the Giants ahead of a massive double-header weekend with the Steelers in the Elite League, although they will be disappointed with the fact that they lost on the night to their rivals for the fourth time in their five meetings this season.
The Giants were behind early and it came from the stick of Fredericks, the Flames winger crashing the back door on the powerplay - Ben Lake off the ice for delay of game for Belfast - and supplying the finish on the rebound just 4:47 in.
Gabe Bast also sat for slashing in a first period that was low on entertainment for its remainder until the two sides clashed on the buzzer for the intermission as Scott Conway and Michael Crocock came together.
The crowd would have hoped that would have sparked something in the second period for the Giants, and it seemed like they had a big chance to do so when Ben O'Connor was called for holding.
But instead, Fredericks was the man on the spot to double their lead shorthanded instead, the winger getting the breakaway on Beskorowany and sliding the puck through his five-hole without even shooting at 25:48.
Guildford could have extended their lead further when Josh Roach was boxed for a high stick towards the end of the period, but a cross-check from Sam Marklund straight off the face-off ended that powerplay before it ever got going.
And instead Cooper effectively ended the tie only 13 seconds into the third period, the winger driving to the crease and forcing the puck under the pads of Eamon McAdam for the opening goal which all but confirmed the Giants' victory over the two legs.
They could have made it even more secure had they capitalised on a McAdam tripping call late on, but they failed to score and instead Tait made it interesting once more when scrambled the puck home at the crease with just 2:16 left on the clock.
However, just 19 seconds it was definitely game over when Goodwin stripped his man of the puck in the neutral zone and, with McAdam pulled for the extra skater as the Flames chased the game, he put it into the empty net to ensure there was no way back for the Flames.
Defeat on the night but a win overall, the Giants are final-bound.
