Giants’ intensity increasing as winning games become more crucial

Reflecting on the win against the Clan, Keefe said: “The win was down to the first period. Getting of to a good start was so important and we did that.

“I didn’t love our second period to be honest. I thought we took the foot of the gas. It can be tough to fight doing that off, there guys have their eyes on tomorrow night’s game against the Fife Flyers.

“The game could have been turned around on us but Besko was there and he was solid throughout the second period.

“Things turned for us a little in the third period. We found a bit more energy in that period and saw out the game with Donovan Neuls late on in the game.”

Keefe added: “Overall is was a really good start to the weekend.”

Keeping up a hot form of winning and keeping the Guildford lower down the order in the EIHL is a key objective of the Giants.

Keefe continued: “We are well aware that we are now in playoff mode. It just seems that Guildford doesn’t want to lose ever.

“We have to stay right on their heels and make sure that we keep winning games.

“Every weekend from here on in will simply be playoff games. Every game is that important at this part of the season.”

But he agreed that it does appear that the momentum is with the Giants right now.

The Giants’ coach remarked: “Yes, we have some good momentum right now. The guys want trophies.

“We have been waiting for the business end of the season to kick in, it is a long journey to get there but now that it is here it starts to feel real.

“You are seeing the intensity levels in the guys starting to rise and you will see that from here on out for sure.

“It will also be seen in every team in the league to be honest. We know that there is going to be a real dogfight to make playoffs as well. Every game is going to be intense.”

Reflecting on the first period hat-trick from Scott Conway and Keefe said that he record speaks for itself.

“He seems to know to go to those right areas and find those pucks. His first two tonight were backdoor empty net goals.

“While the third goal he was sitting in a good spot to get on to it and is able to direct it goalward.”

Turning his attention to the Giants’ travels up to Kirkcaldy to play the Fife Flyers.

He reflected it was an opportunity to get a look of them ahead of the Challenge Cup final.

Keefe said: “We know that we are in for a battle against Fife. They have been playing well as of late.

“We have had some difficult games in Fife, we are well aware that they are going to come out to prove a point ahead of the final. But for us it is another playoff game, it is a league game that really matters to us.

“So we will need to lick any wounds that we got against Glasgow and go out for another big one and finish the job.”