Texan Baum holds defensive line as Belfast Giants look to return to form

“We don't get cold snaps like this back home too often,” he explained to the News Letter earlier this week as the mercury dropped into negative numbers.

He added: “It's not to bad when it colds here. The problem is that the wind that you have here Northern Ireland, when it gets cold like this can cut right through you and makes it really tough.”

Putting aside the weather, the conversation quickly returns to the the Giants on ice performances over the last week, and back over the last fortnight.

“There was an improvement last weekend for sure,” says Jeff. “The outcome against Cardiff was unfortunate.

“In the terms that we played all weekend and getting back to what we do, I think the past weekend was a good step in the right direction. There are a few kinks which need to be sorted out.

“We need to built off that and catch a more positive momentum and keep rolling.”

Reflecting on the scrap with Devil Jeff continued: “It was a tough one to swallow. They are an offensive team and are also high scoring. If you give them opportunities they are going to punish you.

“That is what shot us on the foot last weekend, we just had a few too many mistakes and they were able to capitalise on.

“When you play top teams like Cardiff you have to be dialled in to the play the full 60 minutes.”

Jeff explained that there is always an edge going into games against Cardiff.

He said: “You always going into a four point weekend with the aim to take all of the points on offer.

“Especially when you play against the Devils it is nice when you pinch those points. At the end of the season these against each other will add up.”

He also acknowledged that there might have been some push back from the Devils after the last game which saw the Giants travel home with the points.

“You knew right from the beginning that Cardiff were going to come out hard against us. They wanted to make sure that they were in the game from the very start. And we certainly felt that from the beginning.”

Sunday’s game against the Dundee Star was another game of getting back to basics explained Baum.

“It was once again getting back to basics. We wanted to get back to what we do best. Any time that we play against Dundee we know that it is going to be a battle and hard scoring.

“Whether we control the possession of the puck for a long time in the game, it will still be difficult to score against the Stars.

“I think Mase [Jeff Mason] has done a great job with the Stars this season, what with his recruitment and the ethos that he is getting them to play with.

“They have done a great job playing against all the other teams in the league and we have been no different, they are never an easy opponent that's for sure.”

Reflecting on the win against the Star, Baum said: “We have been a little bit of rut of late. That feeling of winning can be contagious, but at the end of the day you have to hate losing more than you love winning.

“Getting back to that winning feeling will help us moving forward. You can only build on the game behind you and look forward to the game that's coming up.

“We need to remember that win in all our prep for a really big Challenge Cup quarter final against the Nottingham Panthers on Thursday.”

Baum added: “I think that first game is always so important that you clock on time and remember that every goal in the legs truly count. You can be down several goals going into the third period but yet if you can get a goal or two you can get back into the game for the second leg. Even if you can get it close it makes the next game interesting.

“This Thursday I truly believe we need a full 60 more than ever before. So that when we come back to play them at the SSE were are in a good position to progress in the cup.”

Last time the Giants went to Nottingham they line-up was badly depleted with injuries.

“They do a great job feeding of their fans and push forward. Having our full line-up for that game will be crucial. Now that we have experienced them once already we know what to expect from them and will take the game to them.”

Baum agrees that this season the league as a whole has been a much more competitive proposition, what with the Guildford Flames sitting in first place for most of the campaign with the Coventry Blaze in second place.

Indeed, the EIHL revealed this week that Flames had had the best start in Europe with Paul Dixon's team have picked up 89% of points available to them through 23 games, with only two regulation losses in that run. Behind them is Grenoble Brûleurs de loups (Ligue Magnus/France) with 84.8%.

He remarked: “The season has shown how much this league has grown over the past number of years. I think it shows that there are more players who are willing to come over to the UK and base themselves here and give this league a chance.

“I think that is huge, not only for the league, but ice hockey generally in the UK. It will help grow the sport here and let's the kids see more the sport an encourages them to get involved too. The more that this league can build and grow it will just help it grow.”

It will also bring along British talent too. Baum remarked: “We have a couple of young Brits, Mack Stewart and Kell Beattie, who have been with the team two years now. Seeing their improvement over that period is really awesome to see.”