Giants Comeback Falls Short in Seattle

The Vancouver Giants scored two goals in a five-second span in the third period to come back from a 3-1 deficit and force overtime against the Seattle Thunderbirds at the ShoWare Centre. The G-Men went on to lose 4-3 in a shootout. Arvin Atwal, Mason Geertsen and Cain Franson scored for Vancouver.

It was the Giants who struck first with an early power play goal to take the lead. Franson won an attacking zone face-off cleanly, and Atwal scored on a quick slap shot from the point. The T-Birds responded with a power play goal of their own before the end of the period when Shea Theodore hammered a hard slap shot past Payton Lee to send the teams to the dressing room tied at 1-1 after the first.

Alexander Delnov put Seattle ahead in the middle frame when he found the net on a backhander from the slot, sliding the puck into the Vancouver net through traffic. Jerret Smith put the Thunderbirds up by two goals when he rippled the mesh on a delayed penalty, sneaking in from the blue line to tip a Scott Eansor centring pass inside the post for his third goal of the season.

Lee made an important save early in the third period when he stopped Branden Troock on a breakaway after the Seattle forward was sprung in on net by a nice stretch pass from Theodore. The Vancouver comeback began just after the midway mark of the third period when Geertsen blew a hard slapper past Seattle net minder Danny Mumaugh on the power play to pull Vancouver to within one goal. Franson evened the score mere seconds later when he won the face-off forward and scored with a high wrist shot off the rush.

Both teams had opportunities in the overtime period, but neither side could find the net, and the T-Birds would outlast the G-Men in the shootout to take the extra point. The single-point that the Giants earned in the game means they will finish in seventh place in the Western Conference.

Vancouver was 2-for-3 on the power play while the T-Birds were 1-for-5. Seattle finished ahead on the shot clock 47-35.

The Vancouver club will now return home to host the Victoria Royals on Wednesday evening. Face-off is set for 7:00pm. For tickets, call 604-4-GIANTS or visit vancouvergiants.com.

Game Summary

3 Stars:
1. Shea Theodore - Seattle
2. Payton Lee - Vancouver
3. Alexander Delnov - Seattle