Odyssey Arena is proud hosts to the Belfast Giants, Northern Ireland’s first competitive ice hockey team. The Giants’ first match was in December 2000 when they battled against Ayre Scottish Eagles in front of a sell-out crowd. In February 2002, they won the British Ice Hockey Superleague Championship, followed a year later by victory over the London Knights which earned them the League Playoff Title. This win also marked the end of the association between the Giants and their Head Coach, Dave Whistle. In 2005, the winning streak continued when the Giants took their second league title, a triumph which was largely down to the talent of Theo Fleury, an NHL ice hockey legend and a household name among the Giants’ fan base. Currently, the team is managed by Todd Kelman, who has played in defence for the Giants since that initial game in December 2000.