Jordon Cooke stopped all 31 shots he faced as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the Vancouver Giants 6-0 at Prospera Place in the first of a home-and-home set between the two clubs on Friday night. Nick Merkley scored twice for the Rockets in the win while Kelowna also got goals from Myles Bell, Mitch Wheaton, Tyrell Goulbourne and Madison Bowey.
The Giants had the majority of the shots in the first period but couldn't generate any high quality scoring chances around Cooke's net. Merkley opened the scoring for the home team moments after missing a one-timer in front when he re-directed a Damon Severson point shot past the right pad of Payton Lee that snuck just inside the left post.
Vancouver nearly tied the game after a goal-mouth scramble in the middle frame that nearly saw Thomas Foster find the net, but Cooke stood tall, and the Rockets doubled their lead a few moments later when Bell netted his team-leading 41st goal of the season, banking the puck off the back of Lee's legs and into the net from below the goal-line.
Kelowna blew the doors off the game with four goals in the third period. Wheaton beat Lee with a long point shot that changed directed a couple of times before rippling the mesh. Merkley chipped in again with his second of the night before Goulbourne snuck one across the line from the left circle, and Bowey completed the Rockets' scoring party on a long shot that Lee never saw.
Vancouver went 0-for-4 on the White Spot Power Play while the Rockets were 1-for-2. Kelowna out shot Vancouver 35-31. The two teams will meet again on Saturday evening at the Pacific Coliseum. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Jordon Cooke - Kelowna
2. Nick Merkley - Kelowna
3. Damon Severson - Kelowna
Friday, February 28, 2014
Pre-Game Report: Giants at Rockets
Vancouver is coming off arguably its most important win of the season after a depleted G-Men squad beat the Eastern Conference leading Edmonton Oil Kings 5-1 last weekend. The Vancouver blue line will be bolstered by the returns of Brett Kulak and Tyler Morrison. Kulak missed the last two games due to illness while Morrison was suspended for the game in Edmonton. Despite their win in Edmonton, the Giants now sit in seventh in the Western Conference after the Everett Silvertips passed them with a Prince Albert on Wednesday.
The Rockets sit atop the WHL standings with 104 points, leaving them seven points ahead of the second place Portland Winterhawks. The Kelowna club has won seven of its last eight games, and the Rockets boast the WHL's top penalty kill. Goaltender Jordon Cooke continues to post strong numbers for Kelowna. The 20-year-old net minder has a 2.43 goals-against-average and 34 wins in 44 games played. Friday's game will also mark the first time that former Giant Marek Tvrdon faces his old Vancouver teammates after being traded prior to the January deadline.
Where: Prospera Place; Kelowna, BC
When: 7:00pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30pm.)
Listen: TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Giants Win Big in Edmonton
Jackson Houck scored twice as the Vancouver Giants picked up a big 5-1 win over the Eastern Conference leading Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday evening at Rexall Place. Vancouver was without four regular defensemen with Brett Kulak, Dalton Thrower, Tyler Morrison and Arvin Atwal all out of the line-up. Forward Joel Hamilton played on the blue line while also chipping in with three assists in the win.
The Oil Kings had some early pressure in the Vancouver zone, and the Giants took a couple of penalties, sending Edmonton to a five-on-three power play, but the Vancouver penalty kill unit kept the Oil Kings of the board. Houck opened the scoring on the man advantage, knocking the puck past Edmonton goalie Tyler Santos. Carter Popoff added to the lead with a power play goal of his own, firing a shot between Santos' legs from the left circle. Just 43 seconds after Popoff's goal, Trent Lofthouse gave the G-Men a three goal lead when he scored from below the goal line, banking the puck off an Oil King defender and into the net.
Edmonton got on the board with a power play goal off the stick of Curtis Lazar, but Sward quickly answered back for the Giants when he forced a turnover behind the Edmonton net, walked out front, and scored on his own rebound. Houck struck again for his second of the night and 30th of the season on a power play with a nice shot underneath the cross-bar after a great pass from Hamilton that found him alone in front of the net.
The Vancouver club played a very strong defensive third period, limiting the Oil Kings to just six shots to complete a very thorough victory. The Giants will now return home after picking up four of a possible six points on their Alberta road swing. The G-Men will get back at it on Friday when they visit the Kelowna Rockets. Catch the action on TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca. The face-off is set for 7:00pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Jackson Houck - Vancouver
2. Joel Hamilton - Vancouver
3. Payton Lee - Vancouver
The Oil Kings had some early pressure in the Vancouver zone, and the Giants took a couple of penalties, sending Edmonton to a five-on-three power play, but the Vancouver penalty kill unit kept the Oil Kings of the board. Houck opened the scoring on the man advantage, knocking the puck past Edmonton goalie Tyler Santos. Carter Popoff added to the lead with a power play goal of his own, firing a shot between Santos' legs from the left circle. Just 43 seconds after Popoff's goal, Trent Lofthouse gave the G-Men a three goal lead when he scored from below the goal line, banking the puck off an Oil King defender and into the net.
Edmonton got on the board with a power play goal off the stick of Curtis Lazar, but Sward quickly answered back for the Giants when he forced a turnover behind the Edmonton net, walked out front, and scored on his own rebound. Houck struck again for his second of the night and 30th of the season on a power play with a nice shot underneath the cross-bar after a great pass from Hamilton that found him alone in front of the net.
The Vancouver club played a very strong defensive third period, limiting the Oil Kings to just six shots to complete a very thorough victory. The Giants will now return home after picking up four of a possible six points on their Alberta road swing. The G-Men will get back at it on Friday when they visit the Kelowna Rockets. Catch the action on TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca. The face-off is set for 7:00pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Jackson Houck - Vancouver
2. Joel Hamilton - Vancouver
3. Payton Lee - Vancouver
Pre-Game Report: Giants at Oil Kings
The Giants are coming off a 5-3 loss at the hands of the Red Deer Rebels on Friday. The Vancouver club now sits only two points ahead of the seventh place Everett Silvertips in the Western Conference standings. The 'Tips have three games-in-hand on Vancouver. The line of Cain Franson, Joel Hamilton and Jackson Houck has been contributing well offensively of late, combining for 23 points in their last three games.
The Edmonton squad has won three straight games, most recently defeating the Swift Current Broncos 4-1 on Friday evening. The Oil Kings have already clinched a playoff spot but are still battling for the Central Division crown with the Calgary Hitmen. Both teams have 88 points on the season, but Edmonton has played three less games. Edgars Kulda has been hot for the Oil Kings lately, tallying three goals and three assists in his last four games.
Where: Rexall Place; Edmonton, AB
When: 6:00pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 5:30pm.)
Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca
Friday, February 21, 2014
G-Men Fall in Red Deer
Cain Franson scored twice, but the Vancouver Giants dropped a 5-3 decision to the Red Deer Rebels at the Enmax Centrium on Friday evening. Joel Hamilton had the other Vancouver goal. As a result of the loss, and the fact that the Everett Silvertips defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday as well, the G-Men remain in sixth in the Western Conference but are now only two point ahead of the 'Tips who hold three games in hand.
The Giants had a strong start to the hockey game and had a number of scoring chances in the early stages of the game. Franson opened the scoring just after the midway mark of the first when he walked out from behind the net and beat Patrik Bartosak with a nice wrist shot that snuck in underneath the cross-bar. The Rebels answered back later in the period when Wyatt Johnson scored just after a Vancouver penalty had expired, tipping an Adam Musil shot past Jared Rathjen in the Vancouver net.
Vancouver retook the lead in the first few minutes of the second period on a power play when Jackson Houck took a shot off the left wing, and Hamilton dug the rebound across the goal line for his ninth of the season. However, the Red Deer squad would strike twice in the latter half of the stanza to go ahead. First, Rhyse Dieno tied the game with a nice shot from the bottom of the left circle before Conner Bleackley scored on a rebound to make it 3-2.
The Rebels shut the game down in the third period, limiting the G-Men to just eight shots. Eventually, Kayle Doetzel scored on a long wrist shot that snuck past Rathjen through traffic to give Red Deer a two-goal advantage, but Franson netted his second of the evening with just under two minutes remaining to pull Vancouver back to within one. The Giants pulled the goalie in favour of an extra attacker in an attempt to tie the game, but Dieno tallied his second of the night into an empty net to clinch the win. But the game wasn't finished there. In the final minute a brawl broke out after a whistle with a couple of large scrums involving all of the players on the ice and three fights. Arvin Atwal, Mason Geertsen, Tyler Morrison, Kolten Dixon, Aspen Sterzer and Devan Fafard were all given fighting majors while Bartosak was given a minor penalty for leaving the crease after he and Rathjen nearly fought as well.
Despite the loss, the Giants out shot the Rebels 34-25. Vancouver was 1-for-2 on the power play while Red Deer went 1-for-4.
The G-Men will continue their road swing in Edmonton on Saturday night against the Oil Kings. Catch the call on TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show will start at 5:30pm, followed by the puck drop at 6 o'clock.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Conner Bleackley - Red Deer
2. Cain Franson - Vancouver
3. Haydn Fleury - Red Deer
The Giants had a strong start to the hockey game and had a number of scoring chances in the early stages of the game. Franson opened the scoring just after the midway mark of the first when he walked out from behind the net and beat Patrik Bartosak with a nice wrist shot that snuck in underneath the cross-bar. The Rebels answered back later in the period when Wyatt Johnson scored just after a Vancouver penalty had expired, tipping an Adam Musil shot past Jared Rathjen in the Vancouver net.
Vancouver retook the lead in the first few minutes of the second period on a power play when Jackson Houck took a shot off the left wing, and Hamilton dug the rebound across the goal line for his ninth of the season. However, the Red Deer squad would strike twice in the latter half of the stanza to go ahead. First, Rhyse Dieno tied the game with a nice shot from the bottom of the left circle before Conner Bleackley scored on a rebound to make it 3-2.
The Rebels shut the game down in the third period, limiting the G-Men to just eight shots. Eventually, Kayle Doetzel scored on a long wrist shot that snuck past Rathjen through traffic to give Red Deer a two-goal advantage, but Franson netted his second of the evening with just under two minutes remaining to pull Vancouver back to within one. The Giants pulled the goalie in favour of an extra attacker in an attempt to tie the game, but Dieno tallied his second of the night into an empty net to clinch the win. But the game wasn't finished there. In the final minute a brawl broke out after a whistle with a couple of large scrums involving all of the players on the ice and three fights. Arvin Atwal, Mason Geertsen, Tyler Morrison, Kolten Dixon, Aspen Sterzer and Devan Fafard were all given fighting majors while Bartosak was given a minor penalty for leaving the crease after he and Rathjen nearly fought as well.
Despite the loss, the Giants out shot the Rebels 34-25. Vancouver was 1-for-2 on the power play while Red Deer went 1-for-4.
The G-Men will continue their road swing in Edmonton on Saturday night against the Oil Kings. Catch the call on TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show will start at 5:30pm, followed by the puck drop at 6 o'clock.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Conner Bleackley - Red Deer
2. Cain Franson - Vancouver
3. Haydn Fleury - Red Deer
Pre-Game Report: Giants at Rebels
Friday's game will mark the return to Red Deer for a couple of former Rebels. Giants forwards Joel Hamilton and Dominik Volek both played under Brent Sutter. Hamilton was acquired by Vancouver in May for a 3rd round pick while Volek was added just before the trade deadline in January. The G-Men will be looking for their third win in a row after victories over the Kamloops Blazers and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The Rebels come into Friday's game looking to end a three-game losing slide. Since their last meeting with the Giants, the Rebels have struggled to pick up victories. The Red Deer club is 1-7-0-0 in the eight games since facing the G-Men at the start of the month. The Rebels are in a battle for a playoff spot as they currently sit in ninth in the Eastern Conference, but they are tied with the eighth place Prince Albert Raiders.
Where: Enmax Centrium; Red Deer, AB
When: 6:00pm
Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Giants Open Trip With Win Over Hurricanes
The Vancouver Giants got five goals from five different players as they skated to a 5-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre. Travis McEvoy, Alec Baer, Carter Popoff, Cain Franson and Joel Hamilton all found the back of the net in the victory.
McEvoy opened the scoring for Vancouver just after the 11 minute mark of the first period when he found the rebound of a Dominik Volek shot in the crease and chipped the puck past Hurricanes goalie Teagan Sacher to give Vancouver the lead. The Giants made it 2-0 just 19 seconds later when Baer rippled the mesh after a nice cross-crease pass from Dalton Sward. Jared Rathjen came up big late in the period when he stopped Riley Sheen on a breakaway to keep the Giants ahead by two.
The second period was much closer than the first with both teams generating chances. The Hurricanes got on the board with less than five minutes left in the stanza when Carter Folk netted his third of the season on the power play to pull the Lethbridge club to within one goal. The G-Men got a man advantage of their own late in the frame when Tyler Bell was called for closing his hand on the puck, and Popoff capitalized, finding the back of the net on a shot from the left circle after a nice feed from Franson.
Vancouver went ahead by three early in the third when Franson tallied his 25th goal of the year with a nice shot, beating Sacher from the high slot. Hamilton added to the lead a few minutes later, completing a nice tic-tac-toe passing play that also involved Volek and Jackson Houck. The Hurricanes would put another one on the board in the late going when Giorgio Estephan scored on the power play.
Vancouver went 1-for-4 on the power play while the 'Canes were 2-for-5. The Giants outshot Lethbridge 48-29.
The G-Men will continue their road-trip on Friday night against the Red Deer Rebels. Tune-in to TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca for the play-by-play at 6:00pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Cain Franson - Vancouver
2. Jackson Houck - Vancouver
3. Carter Folk - Lethbridge
McEvoy opened the scoring for Vancouver just after the 11 minute mark of the first period when he found the rebound of a Dominik Volek shot in the crease and chipped the puck past Hurricanes goalie Teagan Sacher to give Vancouver the lead. The Giants made it 2-0 just 19 seconds later when Baer rippled the mesh after a nice cross-crease pass from Dalton Sward. Jared Rathjen came up big late in the period when he stopped Riley Sheen on a breakaway to keep the Giants ahead by two.
The second period was much closer than the first with both teams generating chances. The Hurricanes got on the board with less than five minutes left in the stanza when Carter Folk netted his third of the season on the power play to pull the Lethbridge club to within one goal. The G-Men got a man advantage of their own late in the frame when Tyler Bell was called for closing his hand on the puck, and Popoff capitalized, finding the back of the net on a shot from the left circle after a nice feed from Franson.
Vancouver went ahead by three early in the third when Franson tallied his 25th goal of the year with a nice shot, beating Sacher from the high slot. Hamilton added to the lead a few minutes later, completing a nice tic-tac-toe passing play that also involved Volek and Jackson Houck. The Hurricanes would put another one on the board in the late going when Giorgio Estephan scored on the power play.
Vancouver went 1-for-4 on the power play while the 'Canes were 2-for-5. The Giants outshot Lethbridge 48-29.
The G-Men will continue their road-trip on Friday night against the Red Deer Rebels. Tune-in to TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca for the play-by-play at 6:00pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Cain Franson - Vancouver
2. Jackson Houck - Vancouver
3. Carter Folk - Lethbridge
Pre-Game Report: Giants at Hurricanes
The Giants will be looking for their second consecutive win after they bumped a five-game losing streak with a 7-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers on Sunday at the Pacific Coliseum. Jackson Houck finished with a goal and two assists in the win to end a run of 10 consecutive games without a point. The win vaulted the G-Men past the Everett Silvertips and back into sixth place in the Western Conference after the Everett club had overtaken Vancouver with a overtime win against the Giants on Friday.
The Hurricanes are coming off their worst loss of the season after falling 12-0 to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Monday. The Lethbridge squad has lost three in a row and been outscored 24-3 in that stretch. Despite their poor form of late, the Hurricanes can move out of the WHL basement with a win on Wednesday as they would overtake the Kamloops Blazers who sit in last in the Western Conference but are level on points with the 'Canes.
Where: Enmax Centre; Lethbridge, AB
When: 6:00pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 5:30pm.)
Listen: TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Giants End Losing Skid; Defeat Blazers 7-2
Cain Franson scored twice as the Vancouver Giants ended a five-game losing skid with a 7-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers at the Pacific Coliseum on Sunday. The G-Men also got goals from Tyler Morrison, Mason Geertsen, Jackson Houck, Joel Hamilton and Dominik Volek while Jared Rathjen made 19 saves in a winning effort between the pipes.
Morrison found the net first to put Vancouver on the board in the opening frame when he beat Kamloops goalie Cole Kehler between the legs with a slap shot from the right point on the power play. Geertsen tallied his third of the year on a rebound after the puck was shot off the post by Joel Hamilton and bounced back into the slot. Houck found the net as well with a power play goal, ending a 10 game goalless drought with a nice move to the forehand from close range to give the home team a three-goal lead after one period.
Franson made it 4-0 in the middle frame, picking up the pieces in front after a point shot from Geertsen and firing the puck past Kehler into the goal. Hamilton added to the lead when he picked up his third point of the evening, scoring on a wrister from the right wing face-off circle on a man advantage. Former Giant Matt Bellerive put the visitors on the board with just over five minutes to go in the stanza, netting his 12th of the season to pull the Blazers to within four goals.
The goals kept coming for the Vancouver club in the third. Volek picked up his 20th of the year on a pretty rush from his own blue line that eventually saw him fire a wrister just underneath the cross-bar. Franson rippled the mesh for his second of the evening and 24th of the season, knocking a centring feed from Hamilton into the Kamloops cage to make it 7-1. Bellerive found the net again for the Blazers, wiring a wrist shot past Rathjen from the high slot, but that was as close as the Kamloops squad would get.
Vancouver went 3-for-4 on the White Spot power play while the Blazers were 0-for-3. The Giants out shot the Blazers 51-21 in the hockey game.
The Giants will now head out on the road for four consecutive games starting on Wednesday in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes. Catch all the action on TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show begins at 5:30pm, followed by the opening face-off at 6 o'clock.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Cain Franson - Vancouver
2. Joel Hamilton - Vancouver
3. Jackson Houck - Vancouver
Morrison found the net first to put Vancouver on the board in the opening frame when he beat Kamloops goalie Cole Kehler between the legs with a slap shot from the right point on the power play. Geertsen tallied his third of the year on a rebound after the puck was shot off the post by Joel Hamilton and bounced back into the slot. Houck found the net as well with a power play goal, ending a 10 game goalless drought with a nice move to the forehand from close range to give the home team a three-goal lead after one period.
Franson made it 4-0 in the middle frame, picking up the pieces in front after a point shot from Geertsen and firing the puck past Kehler into the goal. Hamilton added to the lead when he picked up his third point of the evening, scoring on a wrister from the right wing face-off circle on a man advantage. Former Giant Matt Bellerive put the visitors on the board with just over five minutes to go in the stanza, netting his 12th of the season to pull the Blazers to within four goals.
The goals kept coming for the Vancouver club in the third. Volek picked up his 20th of the year on a pretty rush from his own blue line that eventually saw him fire a wrister just underneath the cross-bar. Franson rippled the mesh for his second of the evening and 24th of the season, knocking a centring feed from Hamilton into the Kamloops cage to make it 7-1. Bellerive found the net again for the Blazers, wiring a wrist shot past Rathjen from the high slot, but that was as close as the Kamloops squad would get.
Vancouver went 3-for-4 on the White Spot power play while the Blazers were 0-for-3. The Giants out shot the Blazers 51-21 in the hockey game.
The Giants will now head out on the road for four consecutive games starting on Wednesday in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes. Catch all the action on TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show begins at 5:30pm, followed by the opening face-off at 6 o'clock.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Cain Franson - Vancouver
2. Joel Hamilton - Vancouver
3. Jackson Houck - Vancouver
Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Blazers
Vancouver enters play on Sunday having lost the last five straight games after falling 7-4 to the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday night. The Giants will look to avoid losing six in a row for the first time since October when the Vancouver club dropped eight consecutive games. The G-Men will look to get some scoring from their big guns as Jackson Houck has gone the last nine games without a point while Brett Kulak has only one assist in his last five games.
The Blazers ended an 11 game losing streak with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Prince George Cougars on Saturday night. The Kamloops squad, who sits in last in the Western Conference, hasn't won back-to-back games since a three game winning streak in mid-December. Cole Ully leads the Blazers with 28 goals and 33 assists while Chase Souto is the only other Kamloops player to reach the 20-goal mark this season.
Where: Pacific Coliseum
When: 5:00pm
Tickets: Visit vancouvergiants.com or call 604-4-GIANTS
Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca (The Pre-Game Show starts at 4:30pm.)
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Winterhawks Blitz Giants 7-4
The Portland Winterhawks scored five goals in the second period en route to a 7-4 win over the Vancouver Giants at the Pacific Coliseum on Saturday night. Tim Traber had two goals for Vancouver while Trent Lofthouse and Ty Ronning found the net as well.
The Winterhawks generated a lot of early pressure and nearly opened the scoring on a great chance for Taylor Leier as he wired the puck off the post from the left circle. Vancouver was given a five-on-three power play late in the period, and Trent Lofthouse nearly found the net on a chance from the top of the crease but just missed wide of the right post. Portland's best opportunity came in the dying seconds of the frame when Derrick Pouliot was sprung on a breakaway, but Payton Lee made a big stop to keep the game scoreless through one.
The Portland club took control of the game in the middle frame, scoring five goals. Paul Bittner made it 1-0 on a redirect in front before Pouliot scored off the rush, Brendan Leipsic found the net by banking the puck off Arvin Atwal and in, Keoni Texeira beat Payton Lee glove side with a wrist shot, and Alex Schoenborn knocked the puck across the line from close range.
The Winterhawks took a six goal lead in the first minute of the third as Nic Petan added his name to the scoresheet. Lofthouse spoiled Corbin Boes' shutout bid, digging a puck across the goal line to put Vancouver on the board later in the stanza, but Dominic Turgeon tallied a shorthanded marker to make it 7-1. Ronning scored Vancouver's second of the night on a power play with a nice shot from the right circle, and Traber scored two goals in the late stages to complete the scoring for the Giants.
Vancouver returns to action against Kamloops at the Rink on Renfrew on Sunday. Face-off is set for 5:00pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Nic Petan - Portland
2. Brendan Leipsic - Portland
3. Tim Traber - Vancouver
The Winterhawks generated a lot of early pressure and nearly opened the scoring on a great chance for Taylor Leier as he wired the puck off the post from the left circle. Vancouver was given a five-on-three power play late in the period, and Trent Lofthouse nearly found the net on a chance from the top of the crease but just missed wide of the right post. Portland's best opportunity came in the dying seconds of the frame when Derrick Pouliot was sprung on a breakaway, but Payton Lee made a big stop to keep the game scoreless through one.
The Portland club took control of the game in the middle frame, scoring five goals. Paul Bittner made it 1-0 on a redirect in front before Pouliot scored off the rush, Brendan Leipsic found the net by banking the puck off Arvin Atwal and in, Keoni Texeira beat Payton Lee glove side with a wrist shot, and Alex Schoenborn knocked the puck across the line from close range.
The Winterhawks took a six goal lead in the first minute of the third as Nic Petan added his name to the scoresheet. Lofthouse spoiled Corbin Boes' shutout bid, digging a puck across the goal line to put Vancouver on the board later in the stanza, but Dominic Turgeon tallied a shorthanded marker to make it 7-1. Ronning scored Vancouver's second of the night on a power play with a nice shot from the right circle, and Traber scored two goals in the late stages to complete the scoring for the Giants.
Vancouver returns to action against Kamloops at the Rink on Renfrew on Sunday. Face-off is set for 5:00pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Nic Petan - Portland
2. Brendan Leipsic - Portland
3. Tim Traber - Vancouver
Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Winterhawks
The G-Men will look to bump a four game losing skid after falling 2-1 in overtime to the Everett Silvertips on Friday night. After the loss, Vancouver now sits in seventh in the Western Conference, four points ahead of the eighth place Tri-City Americans. Prior to the game on Saturday, former Giant and current Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher will be inducted into the Ring of Honour. The 21-year-old holds the Giants franchise records for both goals (136) and points (280) in a career.
The Winterhawks are coming off a 7-4 win against the Kamloops Blazers on Friday night. The Portland club has won its last 15 consecutive games but remains nine points behind the Western Conference leading Kelowna Rockets. Delta native Nic Petan leads the WHL in scoring with 31 goals and 67 assists while Danish forward Oliver Bjorkstrand is third in the league with 40 goals and 45 assists. Brendan Leipsic is also in the top 10 in league scoring.
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.)
Silvertips Sneak Past Giants in OT
Kevin Davis scored 2:32 into overtime to give the Everett Silvertips a hard fought 2-1 win over the Vancouver Giants on Friday night at Comcast Arena. Joel Hamilton had the lone Vancouver goal in the loss. For Everett, the victory moved them into a tie in the standings with Vancouver, but the Silvertips sit in sixth by virtue of the fact that they have two games in hand.
The first period was a quick one with only four whistles over the entire 20 minutes. Mirco Mueller had a couple of early chances on long shots from the point, including one that produced a rebound right at the top of the crease, but Kohl Bauml couldn't find the loose puck. Thomas Foster had the best Vancouver chance of the opening frame when he forced a turnover at the Everett blue line and skated in alone on goal, but Silvertips net minder Austin Lotz stopped him with the left pad.
Dalton Sward nearly opened the scoring for the G-Men early in the second period when he fired a shot off the post from in close off the rebound of an Alec Baer shot. The Silvertips opened the scoring shortly thereafter when Dawson Leedahl beat Jared Rathjen from the bottom of the right circle. Cain Franson had a golden chance to tie the game later in the middle frame when Jackson Houck found him with a beautiful cross-crease pass on a two-on-one, but Lotz slide across to his left to make a strong glove save.
The Giants found an equalizer less than four minutes into the third period when Hamilton knocked a loose puck across the goal line after a hard net drive off the left wing from Tim Traber. The G-Men thought they had taken the lead later in the stanza when a loose Dominik Volek fired a shot on net from the slot that was stopped by Lotz, and the rebound bounced back out, off Volek's leg, and into the net. However, it was ruled that Volek kicked the puck into the net, and the game would eventually need overtime.
Davis scored his first of the year to end the game on a long one-timer from the blue line that beat Rathjen glove side.
The Vancouver club will look to end their four-game losing streak on Saturday when they host the Portland Winterhawks at the Coliseum. Former Giant and current Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher will be inducted into the Ring of Honour prior to the game. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Kevin Davis - Everett
2. Jared Rathjen - Vancouver
3. Austin Lotz - Everett
The first period was a quick one with only four whistles over the entire 20 minutes. Mirco Mueller had a couple of early chances on long shots from the point, including one that produced a rebound right at the top of the crease, but Kohl Bauml couldn't find the loose puck. Thomas Foster had the best Vancouver chance of the opening frame when he forced a turnover at the Everett blue line and skated in alone on goal, but Silvertips net minder Austin Lotz stopped him with the left pad.
Dalton Sward nearly opened the scoring for the G-Men early in the second period when he fired a shot off the post from in close off the rebound of an Alec Baer shot. The Silvertips opened the scoring shortly thereafter when Dawson Leedahl beat Jared Rathjen from the bottom of the right circle. Cain Franson had a golden chance to tie the game later in the middle frame when Jackson Houck found him with a beautiful cross-crease pass on a two-on-one, but Lotz slide across to his left to make a strong glove save.
The Giants found an equalizer less than four minutes into the third period when Hamilton knocked a loose puck across the goal line after a hard net drive off the left wing from Tim Traber. The G-Men thought they had taken the lead later in the stanza when a loose Dominik Volek fired a shot on net from the slot that was stopped by Lotz, and the rebound bounced back out, off Volek's leg, and into the net. However, it was ruled that Volek kicked the puck into the net, and the game would eventually need overtime.
Davis scored his first of the year to end the game on a long one-timer from the blue line that beat Rathjen glove side.
The Vancouver club will look to end their four-game losing streak on Saturday when they host the Portland Winterhawks at the Coliseum. Former Giant and current Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher will be inducted into the Ring of Honour prior to the game. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Kevin Davis - Everett
2. Jared Rathjen - Vancouver
3. Austin Lotz - Everett
Friday, February 14, 2014
Pre-Game Report: Giants at Silvertips
Entering Friday's action, the Giants sit one point ahead of the Silvertips in sixth place in the Western Conference, although Everett has two games in hand. Vancouver is coming off a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Victoria Royals on Monday afternoon that saw Travis Brown score the winning goal late in the third period. The Giants have a record of 5-7-3-1 against teams from the US Division and have had success against the 'Tips on the power play this year, operating at over 26 per cent in the season series.
The Everett squad won its last game 3-2 on Sunday against the Spokane Chiefs, bumping a two-game losing skid. The Silvertips have struggled of late, winning only four games since the calendar turned to 2014. 20-year-old forward Joshua Winquist has continued to lead the Silvertips offensively. The St. Albert, Alberta native sits in fourth in the WHL in goals with 36 and sixth in the league in points with 76.
Where: Comcast Arena; Everett, WA
When: 7:30pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 7:00pm.)
Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca
Monday, February 10, 2014
Royals Outlast Giants 3-2
The Royals started the game with some heavy pressure, generating a number of shots and scoring opportunities in the Vancouver end in the early going, but the G-Men weathered the storm, and Volek opened the scoring with his 19th of the season, hammering a hard slap shot past Victoria goaltender Coleman Vollrath from between the face-off circles. The Royals out shot the Giants 11-5 in the opening period, but Vancouver led 1-0 after one.
Logan Fisher found the net just 33 seconds into the second period to tie the game for the Royals when he deflected a Jordan Fransoo point shot past Jared Rathjen in the Vancouver goal. The G-Men would retake the lead just a few minutes later though as Franson scored on a nice re-direct, tipping a centring feed from Carter Popoff into the Royals' net for his 22nd of the year. Austin Carroll pulled the Royals back into a tie before the end of the stanza when he scored on a tip in front.
Both teams had good chances to take the lead in the third, but both goaltenders stood tall to keep the game tied. The best save of the game came when Vollrath robbed Brett Kulak on the door step with a remarkable left pad save to prevent the G-Men from taking the lead. Brown would score the winner late in the third period on a long shot from the point as Travis McEvoy looked on from the penalty box. The Vancouver club pressured late with the goaltender out but couldn't find an equalizer.
The Giants play next on Friday when they visit the Everett Silvertips. Vancouver currently sits one point ahead of the seventh place 'Tips, although Everett has two games in hand. Catch the action on TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca on Friday night. The face-off is set for 7:30pm.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Coleman Vollrath - Victoria
2. Jared Rathjen - Vancouver
3. Brandon Magee - Victoria
Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Royals
The G-Men will look to bump a two-game losing skid after losses to the Calgary Hitmen and Edmonton Oil Kings at the weekend. The Vancouver power play has struggled of late as the Giants have failed to score on their last 20 consecutive opportunities with the man advantage. The G-Men now sit just one point ahead of seventh place Everett after the Silvertips picked up a 3-2 win over the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday.
The Royals have won two straight entering Monday's game and are coming off a 6-4 win over the BC Division leading Kelowna Rockets on Saturday. Despite the win, the Royals still sit 12 points back of the Rockets. Victoria sits in third in the Western Conference, three points ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Logan Nelson has been on a tear for the Victoria club, picking up points in his last six games and scoring six goals and four assists over that span.
Where: Pacific Coliseum
When: 2:00pm
Tickets: Visit vancouvergiants.com or call 604-4-GIANTS
Listen: TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca (The Pre-Game Show starts at 1:30pm.)
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Oil Kings Down Giants 5-1
Cody Corbett nearly opened the scoring for the Oil Kings in the early going when he wired a hard shot off the post from the right circle. The Edmonton club nearly scored on the ensuing rebound as well with a number of players crowding the crease looking for the loose puck, but Payton Lee kept it out to keep the Oil Kings off the board. However, Curtis Lazar opened the scoring for Edmonton just a few minutes later with a hard shot off the rush. Foster tied the game later in the period with a shorthanded goal, and it looked like the Giants would escape the first period in a tie game, despite being heavily out shot, but Edgars Kulda scored a quick goal off a face-off on the power play with just three seconds remaining in the period to give the visitors the lead.
The Oil Kings held onto the 2-1 lead for most of the second period, but Dysin Mayo made it 3-1 in the final minute of the middle frame when he scored a highlight reel goal off the rush. After a give-and-go with Henrik Samuelsson, Mayo received a pass in the slot as he was falling to the ice but held onto the puck and scored, beating Lee top shelf from his knees.
Edmonton added two more goals in the third period. Brett Pollock scored a pretty end-to-end goal that saw him dance through the Vancouver defence and put the puck into the net from close range. Brandon Ralph added his name to the score sheet as well, completing a pretty passing play with Mads Eller to net his sixth goal of the season.
The Giants will wrap up their four-game home stand on Monday afternoon against the Victoria Royals. The puck drop is set for 2:00pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Curtis Lazar - Edmonton
2. Griffin Reinhart - Edmonton
3. Thomas Foster - Vancouver
Wesley Signs with Giants
The Vancouver Giants announced the signing of 16-year-old forward Johnny Wesley on Friday, prior to the team's game against the Calgary Hitmen.Here's the release from the Giants:
The Vancouver Giants have signed forward Johnny Wesley to a Western Hockey League Standard Player Agreement.
The 16-year old White Rock native is currently playing for the Richmond Sockeyes of the Pacific Junior Hockey League. In 40 games with the Sockeyes so far this season, Wesley has 48 points (22 goals, 26 assists).
"We are excited that Johnny has decided to join our program,” said Giants’ Executive Vice President and General Manager Scott Bonner. “He is having a great season in Junior B with a strong program in Richmond, and we have had lots of luck with graduates from Junior B such as Milan Lucic, Cody Franson, Mitch Bartley, and Carter Popoff.”
Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Oil Kings
The Vancouver club is coming off a 5-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Calgary Hitmen on Friday night. The loss marked just the fourth time the Giants have been held off the scoreboard this season. The Vancouver power play, which went 9-for-16 (56.25%) in its six previous games, was 0-for-9 on Friday night. The G-Men have a record of 5-3-0-0 against teams from the Central Division and are 5-7-1-1 when facing teams from the Eastern Conference.
The Oil Kings also played on Friday night, edging the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in a shootout for their tenth win in a row and their 16th victory in their last 17 games. The Edmonton squad has outscored its opposition 49-20 over the course of the last 10 games. Saturday's game will mark the return of former Giants defenseman Blake Orban to Vancouver. Since being dealt to Edmonton prior to the trade deadline, the Calgary native has one goal and five assists in 15 games with the Oil Kings.
Where: Pacific Coliseum
When: 7:00pm
Tickets: Visit vancouvergiants.com or call 604-4-GIANTS
Listen: TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30pm.)
Driedger Blanks G-Men
Jared Rathjen started between the pipes for Vancouver and made a couple of big saves early, stopping Brady Brassart on a shot from the slot and robbing Adam Tambellini on the rebound as well. The Hitmen would eventually break through to open the scoring though when Brassart sent a long shot in on Rathjen from the right wing, and the puck got caught up in the Vancouver goalie's equipment before he inadvertently knocked it into his own goal. The G-Men had an opportunity to tie the game later in the period on a five-on-three power play that last 1:13, but they couldn't find the net.
The Giants took a number of costly penalties in the second period, and the Hitmen capitalized on the ensuing power plays to extend their lead. Jake Virtanen made it 2-0 at the 7:05 mark, wiring a hard snap shot past Rathjen from the top of the right circle before Tambellini gave the Hitmen a three goal lead, scoring from the same spot on another power play later in the stanza. After the third goal, Rathjen was pulled from the net in favour of Payton Lee.
The Calgary club gave the Giants four power plays in the third period, including another five-on-three, and the G-Men peppered Driedger with 24 shots in the final frame alone but couldn't ripple the mesh. Tambellini added another goal on a nice tic-tac-toe play on a man advantage while Chase Lang added his name to the score sheet with a goal from the high slot in the closing seconds of the game.
The Vancouver squad will get right back at it on Saturday night when they host the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Coliseum. The face-off is set for 7:00pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Chris Driedger - Calgary
2. Adam Tambellini - Calgary
3. Jake Virtanen - Calgary
Friday, February 7, 2014
Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Hitmen
The G-Men have picked up at least a point in their last four games and are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Red Deer Rebels at the Coliseum on Tuesday night. Vancouver now holds a three point lead on the Everett Silvertips for sixth place in the Western Conference. Cain Franson, who scored the overtime winner on Tuesday, is on a four-game point streak in which he has put up four goals and one assist while Thomas Foster has posted two goals and two assists in his last three games.
The Hitmen picked up a split in a mid-week double header on Vancouver Island against the Victoria Royals. After losing the first meeting 7-2 on Tuesday night, the Calgary squad overcame a four-goal deficit in the second period on Wednesday to win 7-6 in overtime. The Hitmen sit in third in the Eastern Conference standings although they have the second most points, but the Brandon Wheat Kings occupy second place by virtue of the fact that they lead the East Division.
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.)
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Gallagher into the Ring of Honour
Below is the full release from the Giants as well as information on how to get tickets:
The Vancouver Giants are excited to welcome back one of the most popular players in team history on Saturday, February 15.
On this night, Giants’ all-time leading scorer and current spark-plug for the Montreal Canadiens, BRENDAN GALLAGHER, will be inducted into the Giants ‘Ring of Honour’ in a pre-game ceremony. Fans are encouraged to get to their seats early as we pay tribute to one of the most exciting players to ever wear a Giants uniform.
Drafted in the 9th Round of the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft, Gallagher went on to play 244 regular season games in a Giants uniform and set team records for most goals (136) and most points (280) in a career. He was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 5th Round, 147th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and has since become a fan-favourite in Montreal.
The first 5,000 fans at the Saturday, February 15 game vs the Portland Winterhawks (7:00pm face-off) will receive a commemorative 8x10 collector piece, while 111 random lucky fans will get to meet Brendan during the game.
Tickets are available now at 604-4-GIANTS (604-444-2687) or CLICK HERE to buy online.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Franson Lifts Giants Past Rebels in OT
Tuesday night marked another milestone for Head Coach Don Hay as he picked up his 604th career WHL victory to move past Lorne Molleken into second on the all-time list.
The Rebels had the best early chance of the game when Rhyse Dieno made a nice move in the slot to get right in on goal but was stopped by Lee from in close. The first goal of the evening didn't come until the final two minutes of the opening period when Osipov netted his second of the year with a quick shot from the slot after a hard-working play on the left boards by both Luca Leone and Travis McEvoy.
Vancouver got into penalty trouble in the second period, giving the Rebels a full two minute five-on-three power play after Dominik Volek, Tyler Morrison and Dalton Sward all took minor penalties. The Rebels thought they'd tied the game when Connor Bleackley chipped the puck into the Vancouver net, but the goal was disallowed because Lee's mask came off before the puck crossed the goal line. Lee came up big later in the power play with a gigantic stop on Bleackley, and the Giants completed the kill. Moments after the penalties expired, Foster gave Vancouver a two goal lead, finding a rebound in front of the Red Deer net and beating Patrik Bartosak. The Rebels pulled to within one late in the stanza when Aspen Sterzer scored on a net drive off the right wing.
The Giants gave Red Deer two more power plays in the third period, and the Rebels capitalized on the second one when Bleackley scored a highlight reel between the legs goal to tie the game and eventually force overtime. Before scoring the winner, Franson made a big defensive play in his own zone by splitting up a two-on-one with Sterzer and Scott Feser bearing in on goal. Franson ended the game when he tipped a Tyler Morrison point shot past Bartosak for his 21st goal of the season.
The Giants will continue their four-game home stand on Friday against the Calgary Hitmen. The face-off is set for 7:30pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Payton Lee - Vancouver
2. Patrik Bartosak - Red Deer
3. Brett Kulak - Vancouver
Pre-Game Report: Giants vs. Rebels
The Giants are coming off a hard fought 3-2 overtime loss in Victoria on Saturday night that completed a back-to-back set that saw the Vancouver club pick up three of a possible four points on Vancouver Island. Tuesday's game will kick-off a four game home stand for the G-Men that will also see Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria visit the Rink on Renfrew. Vancouver has a record of 4-2-0-0 against teams from the Central Division this season.
Red Deer will begin a four-game road trip with the match-up against the Giants. The Rebels have lost two in a row and sit in eighth in the Eastern Conference with an eight point cushion on the ninth place Prince Albert Raiders. The Red Deer offence is led by 17-year-old Connor Bleackley. The native of High River, Alberta has posted 23 goals and 34 assists in 51 games this year while net minder Patrik Bartosak is the reigning CHL Goaltender of the Year.
Where: Pacific Coliseum
When: 7:00pm
Tickets: Visit vancouvergiants.com or call 604-4-GIANTS
Listen: TEAM 1410 and teamradio.ca (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30pm.)
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Royals Edge G-Men in OT
Joe Hicketts scored 36 seconds into overtime to lift the Victoria Royals to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Giants at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Saturday night. Cain Franson and Ty Ronning had the Vancouver goals while Jared Rathjen made 33 saves in his return from injury.
Neither team was able to find the net in the opening frame, despite chances for both sides. Ben Walker had the best chance of the period for Victoria when he found the rebound of a Travis Brown shot that bounced off the end boards, but Rathjen made a huge save on the Victoria forward from in close. On the ensuing counter-attack, Thomas Foster nearly opened the scoring for Vancouver but was stopped by Royals net minder Coleman Vollrath.
Logan Nelson put Victoria on the board with a power play marker in the middle frame, sneaking the puck through Rathjen from the bottom of the left circle. Ben Walker made it 2-0 for the home side when he found a loose puck in the Vancouver crease after a scramble in front of the goal and poked the puck across the line. Franson answered back for the G-Men with a power play marker of his own, scoring on a rebound after a ricochet off the back wall to pull Vancouver to within one.
Ronning tied the game for the Giants in the early stages of the third period when he drove to the net and re-directed Foster's centring pass into the net. Vancouver got into penalty trouble later in the frame and had to kill off a five-on-three Victoria power play. Rathjen was a key factor on that penalty kill as he robbed Austin Carroll on the doorstep and kept the rebound out as well to help Vancouver force overtime for a second straight night.
Hicketts ended the game when he drove down the right wing and was forced behind the net by Franson, but the Royals defenseman found a loose puck behind the net and walked out in front before scoring on the backhand to send the fans in Victoria home happy.
The Giants picked up three of a possible four points on their two-game trip to the island. Vancouver returns to action on Tuesday when the Red Deer Rebels visit the Coliseum. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Logan Nelson - Victoria
2. Jared Rathjen - Vancouver
3. Joe Hicketts - Victoria
Neither team was able to find the net in the opening frame, despite chances for both sides. Ben Walker had the best chance of the period for Victoria when he found the rebound of a Travis Brown shot that bounced off the end boards, but Rathjen made a huge save on the Victoria forward from in close. On the ensuing counter-attack, Thomas Foster nearly opened the scoring for Vancouver but was stopped by Royals net minder Coleman Vollrath.
Logan Nelson put Victoria on the board with a power play marker in the middle frame, sneaking the puck through Rathjen from the bottom of the left circle. Ben Walker made it 2-0 for the home side when he found a loose puck in the Vancouver crease after a scramble in front of the goal and poked the puck across the line. Franson answered back for the G-Men with a power play marker of his own, scoring on a rebound after a ricochet off the back wall to pull Vancouver to within one.
Ronning tied the game for the Giants in the early stages of the third period when he drove to the net and re-directed Foster's centring pass into the net. Vancouver got into penalty trouble later in the frame and had to kill off a five-on-three Victoria power play. Rathjen was a key factor on that penalty kill as he robbed Austin Carroll on the doorstep and kept the rebound out as well to help Vancouver force overtime for a second straight night.
Hicketts ended the game when he drove down the right wing and was forced behind the net by Franson, but the Royals defenseman found a loose puck behind the net and walked out in front before scoring on the backhand to send the fans in Victoria home happy.
The Giants picked up three of a possible four points on their two-game trip to the island. Vancouver returns to action on Tuesday when the Red Deer Rebels visit the Coliseum. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Logan Nelson - Victoria
2. Jared Rathjen - Vancouver
3. Joe Hicketts - Victoria
Pre-Game Report: Giants at Royals
The Giants won their second straight game with a 5-4 shootout win over the Royals on Saturday. The victory vaulted the G-Men past the Everett Silvertips into sixth in the Western Conference. Dalton Sward had another shorthanded goal in the win, moving him into a tie for first in the league with Mitch Holmberg of the Spokane Chiefs while the 20-year-old also tied James Henry's Giants franchise record for shorthanded goals in a season.
Friday's loss at the hands of the Giants snapped a three-game winning streak for the Royals. The Victoria club now sits tied for third in the Western Conference with the Seattle Thunderbirds. Despite the loss, Brandon Magee extended his point streak to six games by tallying a goal and an assist. The Royals will hold their third annual "Pink in the Rink" night on Saturday in support of the BC Cancer Foundation.
Where: Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre; Victoria, BC
When: 7:00pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30pm.)
Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca
Giants Comeback to Beat Royals
Thomas Foster and Joel Hamilton both had two-point nights as the Vancouver Giants came from behind to beat the Victoria Royals 5-4 in a shootout on Friday night at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. The victory marked the first time the Giants have come back to win when trailing after 40 minutes this season.
The Royals had a strong start and opened the scoring when Steven Hodges completed a pretty passing play with Brandon Magee and Axel Blomqvist by scoring his 13th of the season to put the home team ahead. The Victoria club had a couple of other good chances in the opening period, but Payton Lee was solid in net, including an impressive left pad stop on Logan Fisher off the rebound of a Brett Cote point shot.
Lee came up big again early in the second when he made a big save on Blomqvist on the door step to keep the Giants close, and the Vancouver club tied the game shortly thereafter when Foster and Dalton Sward skated in on a shorthanded two-on-one and Sward was robbed by Royals goalie Patrik Polivka, but he followed up and scored on the rebound to pick up his sixth shorthanded goal of the season, tying James Henry's franchise record for shorthanded goals in a single season. Victoria retook the lead on a power play goal later in the stanza as Brandon Magee wired a hard shot over Lee's left shoulder, but Cain Franson pulled the Giants back onto level terms with an unassisted marker. The Royals went ahead again late in the frame when Logan Nelson tallied his first of the evening with less than two minutes remaining before the break.
Foster tied the game at 3-3 early in the third period when he scored with a shot off the left wing, and Tim Traber found the net on his own rebound to give the G-Men their first lead of the evening. Nelson scored for a second time to tie the game again, and the teams would need overtime, and eventually a shootout, to settle the match-up. In the skills contest, Franson scored for Vancouver while Lee stopped all three Victoria shooters to complete the comeback win.
The two teams will play again on Saturday night in Victoria. Hear the action on TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show begins at 6:30pm, followed by the face-off at 7 o'clock.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Thomas Foster - Vancouver
2. Logan Fisher - Victoria
3. Joel Hamilton - Vancouver
The Royals had a strong start and opened the scoring when Steven Hodges completed a pretty passing play with Brandon Magee and Axel Blomqvist by scoring his 13th of the season to put the home team ahead. The Victoria club had a couple of other good chances in the opening period, but Payton Lee was solid in net, including an impressive left pad stop on Logan Fisher off the rebound of a Brett Cote point shot.
Lee came up big again early in the second when he made a big save on Blomqvist on the door step to keep the Giants close, and the Vancouver club tied the game shortly thereafter when Foster and Dalton Sward skated in on a shorthanded two-on-one and Sward was robbed by Royals goalie Patrik Polivka, but he followed up and scored on the rebound to pick up his sixth shorthanded goal of the season, tying James Henry's franchise record for shorthanded goals in a single season. Victoria retook the lead on a power play goal later in the stanza as Brandon Magee wired a hard shot over Lee's left shoulder, but Cain Franson pulled the Giants back onto level terms with an unassisted marker. The Royals went ahead again late in the frame when Logan Nelson tallied his first of the evening with less than two minutes remaining before the break.
Foster tied the game at 3-3 early in the third period when he scored with a shot off the left wing, and Tim Traber found the net on his own rebound to give the G-Men their first lead of the evening. Nelson scored for a second time to tie the game again, and the teams would need overtime, and eventually a shootout, to settle the match-up. In the skills contest, Franson scored for Vancouver while Lee stopped all three Victoria shooters to complete the comeback win.
The two teams will play again on Saturday night in Victoria. Hear the action on TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca. The Pre-Game Show begins at 6:30pm, followed by the face-off at 7 o'clock.
Game Summary
3 Stars:
1. Thomas Foster - Vancouver
2. Logan Fisher - Victoria
3. Joel Hamilton - Vancouver
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