After taking two games at home and then surprising Athens with a win in Greece in Game 4, the young Belfast Giants are poised to hoist the Season 4 EURO Cup as early as Thursday evening. Game 5 will be played in Belfast, where the Giants won Games 1 and 2 by 2 goals each time.

Game 1 – The third lines did most of the scoring, with T.J. Oshie and Michael Ryder scoring for Athens and Matt Duchene getting two for the Giants, but two of the Greeks’ five penalties hurt the most as Nazem Kadri, James Neal and defenseman Justin Faulk combined for two power play goals. Top centers David Backes of Athens and Sid Crosby of Belfast were each held scoreless and were minus 1 after getting off 5 shots on goal. Belfast outshot Athens 32-27 and won 4-2.

Game 2 – The teams took turns scoring 8 goals in the second and third period but it was the first period, when Kadri and Duchene scored for the Giants, that was the difference. Duchene entered the Finals with 4 goals and he scored 4 more in the next two games. Nicklas Kronwall played well for the Greeks, getting a goal and 3 assists in a losing effort. Greek defenseman Tim Gleason blocked 6 Belfast shots but ended up minus 3 with partner Chris Phillips. Athens outshot Belfast 28-25 but Belfast won 6-4.

Game 3 – Athens won on home ice with Sidney Crosby making a big mistake on his third shift of the game. Crosby kneed Scott Hartnell and put his team down a man for 5 minutes. He was also tossed out of the game. To make matters worse for the visitors, Hartnell returned to the game. Athens built a 3-0 lead with Backes getting a point on all three goals. Belfast scored twice in the second period, but that was as close as they could get as Cam Ward turned away all 18 shots he faced in the third period. Joe Pavelski and James Neal of Belfast each blocked 3 shots, but they were also minus 2. Defensemen P.K. Subban and Faulk were both minus 3. Athens outshot Belfast 33-29 and won 4-2.

Game 4 – Belfast broke Athens’ home ice advantage and took a critical Game 4. The contest was tied 1-1 as the third period began and then Oliver Ekman-Larsson and the Giants’ fourth line emerged as stars. Cody Hodgson and Ekman-Larsson set up Gabriel Bourque for the go-ahead goal 2:20 in and Ekman-Larsson added an insurance goal four and a half minutes later. Backes, who leads everyone in playoff scoring, notched one for Athens to make it 3-2, but the only other goal was off a Belfast stick and into an empty Athens goal with under a minute to play. Ian White of Athens led everyone in hits with 5 but was minus 3. His partner Dustin Byfuglien was minus 4. Belfast outshot Athens 29-27 and won 4-2.

To win the Cup, Athens has to win each of the next three games.