Pre-Game Report: Giants at Americans

The Vancouver Giants (10-11-2-1) will play the first of a two game US Division road trip when they visit the Tri-City Americans (13-10-0-2) on Tuesday evening. The G-Men are coming off a 5-2 win over Tri-City at the Pacific Coliseum on Saturday night.

Vancouver scored five goals in the third period on Saturday after the game remained scoreless through 40 minutes. The victory over the Americans marked the first win for the G-Men against a US Division team as Vancouver has now gone 1-5-1-0 against teams from south of the 49th parallel. Carter Popoff had a goal and two assists in the win. The 18-year-old now has six goals and 20 assists on the season and sits tied with Brett Kulak for the team lead in points.

Despite the loss to Vancouver, the Americans have won five of their last seven games. Tri-City has also been very good at home, winning eight of 11 games at the Toyota Center this season. The Americans also have the fourth best penalty kill in the WHL as they've allowed only 16 goals on 100 shorthanded situations. Brian Williams and Connor Rankin have done the bulk of the scoring for Tri-City this year as the two forward have combined for 49 points.

Where: Toyota Center; Kennewick, WA

When: 7:00pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30pm.)

Listen: TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca.

Eder Reassigned to Munich

The Giants announced on Monday that German forward Andreas Eder has been re-assigned to Munich. The 17-year-old scored two goals in 18 games with the Giants, finding the net against the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos during Vancouver's six-game East Division road trip. Eder had been a healthy scratch in a number of games in recent weeks.

Here's the release from the Giants:

The Vancouver Giants have reassigned 17-year old German forward Andreas Eder to Munich.

Eder, who was selected 61st overall in the 2013 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft by the Giants, had 2 goals and 1 assist (3 points) in 18 games with Vancouver.

"Andy is a great kid but with the returning players, we didn't feel it was fair to keep him if he wasn't going to dress every game," said Giants' Executive Vice President and General Manager Scott Bonner. "He's only 17 and needs to develop his play."

Eder's Stats:

Giants Defeat Americans 5-2

Carter Popoff had a three point night to lead the Vancouver Giants to a 5-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans at the Pacific Coliseum on Saturday night. The Giants got goals from Popoff, Dalton Thrower, Tyler Morrison, Cain Franson and Jackson Houck to pick up their first win over a US Division team this season.

The game was scoreless after one period, but it was the Giants who had the better of the chances in the opening frame. Tyler Benson, who made his WHL debut, had an early chance at the side of the net before Franson was stopped by Americans goalie Eric Comrie on a partial break. Vancouver had to kill off a lengthy Tri-City power play as well after Mason Geertsen took two minor penalties on the same play, but the Giants penalty kill, which only allowed one goal on eight opportunities against Medicine Hat on Friday, was successful in keeping the Americans off the board.

Franson was denied again early in the second when he hammered a one-timer off Comrie's mask from the right circle while Giants goalie Payton Lee made a couple of big saves in the latter half of the middle stanza including an impressive stop with his right pad on a redirected Tri-City point shot. Comrie responded with a few nice saves of his own on a Vancouver power play late in the period, stopping a Brett Kulak point shot and denying Houck on the rebound as well to keep the game scoreless through 40 minutes.

The Americans got into penalty trouble early in the third, and the Giants finally opened the scoring 1:37 into the period when Popoff beat Comrie with a one-timer from the top of the left circle on the man advantage. Shortly thereafter, the G-Men went to the power play again, and Thrower netted his seventh of the season on a slap shot from the right boards that found the top left corner. Connor Rankin put the Americans on the board when he walked out of the right corner and beat Lee from in close on a Tri-City power play, but Morrison answered back for Vancouver with a long wrist shot that got through Comrie to make it 3-1. Mitch Topping would pull Tri-City to within one, but Franson and Houck added empty netters to clinch the victory for Vancouver.

The Giants will now head south of the border for a two game trip to Tri-City and Spokane. The G-Men and Americans will renew acquaintances on Tuesday night. Catch the action on TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show begins at 6:30pm, followed by the face-off at 7 o'clock.

Game Summary

Highlights

3 Stars:
1. Carter Popoff - Vancouver
2. Dalton Thrower - Vancouver
3. Mitch Topping - Tri-City

Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Americans

The Vancouver Giants (9-11-2-1) will host the Tri-City Americans (13-9-0-2) on Saturday night at the Pacific Coliseum. The game marks the first meeting of the season between the two teams. The Americans swept the season series last year, going 4-0 against Vancouver.

Saturday will be a big night at the Coliseum. The Giants will wear special uniforms to honour the 1945-46 Vancouver White Spots of the Pacific Coast Junior League, and Gordie Howe will be on hand for the ceremonial puck drop. First overall pick Tyler Benson will make his WHL debut for the G-Men as well. The 15-year-old has 43 points in 20 games with the Pursuit of Excellence program in the Okanagan. Vancouver is coming off a 3-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday evening.

The Americans played at home on Friday as they defeated the Regina Pats 5-3. Tri-City sits in fifth in the Western Conference, seven points up on the eighth place Giants. Brian Williams leads the Americans offensively with 18 goals and nine assists in 24 games while goaltender Eric Comrie has been solid with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. He's also posted two shutouts.

Where: Pacific Coliseum

When: 7:00pm

Tickets: Visit vancouvergiants.com or call 604-4-GIANTS

Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30pm.)

Rathjen Backstops Giants to Win Over Tigers

Jared Rathjen made 31 saves to help the Vancouver Giants to a 3-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers at the Pacific Coliseum on Friday evening. The G-Men got goals from Ty Ronning, Jackson Houck and Dalton Sward in the victory.

Ronning gave Vancouver the early lead 5:03 into the game when Brett Kulak drove the net, and the 16-year-old was there to chip the rebound past Tigers goalie Daniel Wapple for his third of the season. Vancouver was given a five-on-three power play later in the period after Ty Stanton and Cole Sanford took penalties for Medicine Hat, and Houck converted on the man advantage to double the Giants' lead. The G-Men added another goal before the end of the first when Sward willed the puck over the goal line on a wraparound.

The second period was much quieter than the first. Neither side generated many scoring chances until the Tigers found their first of the game when Tommy Vannelli wired a slap shot past Rathjen from the left circle on the power play. Houck was robbed by Wapple in the late going as the Medicine Hat goaltender made a nice right pad save to keep the puck out.

Rathjen came up big for the Giants in the third, making a couple of huge stops as the Tigers turned up the pressure, trying to fight back into the game. Miles Koules did find the net with his eighth of the season, but Rathjen stood strong the rest of the period, making a couple of phenomenal stops in the final minute when the Tigers had their goalie pulled. Emotions boiled over at the end of the game with a large scrum around the Vancouver net. Dalton Thrower and Hunter Shinkaruk dropped the gloves with Thrower picking up a decisive victory.

The Giants will be right back at it at the Coliseum on Saturday for White Spot Legends night. The G-Men will wear special jerseys, Gordie Howe will be on hand for the ceremonial face-off and first overall bantam pick Tyler Benson will make his WHL debut. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.

Game Summary

Highlights

3 Stars:
1. Jared Rathjen - Vancouver
2. Dalton Sward - Vancouver
3. Tommy Vannelli - Medicine Hat

Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Tigers

The Vancouver Giants (8-11-2-1) will host the Eastern Conference leading Medicine Hat Tigers (15-3-3-0) on Friday night at the Pacific Coliseum. The match-up is the first of two meetings in the season series between the teams. The Tigers will be back at the Coliseum on January 22nd.

The Giants had a good week of practice after falling to the Everett Silvertips in overtime on Monday afternoon. The G-Men sit one point back of the Prince George Cougars for eighth in the Western Conference, but Vancouver holds two games in hand. Friday's game will be an opportunity for the Giants to improve their record against Eastern Conference teams as Vancouver has gone 1-5-1-1 against teams from the East, with their lone victory coming over the Calgary Hitmen in overtime.

The Tigers enter Friday's action as the second best team in the WHL, sitting only one point back of the Portland Winterhawks. The game against the Giants will be the fourth of a five game road trip for Medicine Hat. The Tigers have won their last four in a row as well as eight of their last nine games. The Medicine Hat club is led by Canucks first rounder Hunter Shinkaruk who has five goals and eight assists in 13 games this year.

Where: Pacific Coliseum

When: 7:30pm

Tickets: Visit vancouvergiants.com or call 604-4-GIANTS

Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca (The Pre-Game Round Table starts at 6:00pm.)

Elson Joins Giants

The Vancouver Giants announced on Thursday that forward Trace Elson has joined the team. Elson was the leading scorer on the Whitecourt Wolverines of the AJHL, prior to joining the G-Men. The 18-year-old put up two assists in four games for Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge en route to a bronze medal earlier this month.

Here's the full release from the Giants:

The Vancouver Giants have added 18-year old right-winger Trace Elson to their active roster after being placed on their Protected Player List earlier in the season.

The St. Albert native was the captain of the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).

Elson had been leading the AJHL in scoring with 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 20 games for the Wolverines when he left to represent Canada West in the World Junior A Challenge.

The 5'10", 181lbs forward played five games with the Red Deer Rebels in the 2011-2012 season where he registered an assist.