dondo
03-11-2007, 08:16 PM
a shortened recap only half-watched game, but saw all the replays -- seemed like a lot of good individuals out there but offensive team unity was lacking for both teams, but late in the game the Giants finally got some opportunities and good puck movement to take the game.
Vancouver 4 Kelowna 1
A much closer game than the score indicated, but the Giants break it open in the third with two quick goals to put the Rockets out of it.
Rockets score first but Vancouver comes back with a PP marker in the same period (Franson wired one top shelf), but two back-to-back goals in the third (11 seconds apart), McArdle who was getting chances all night and finally tickled the twine with a beauty picking top far corner glove -side -- Jung didn't even have time to get his glove up. Then Rabbit with his 10th of the campaign rips one stick side from the other side of the ice 11 seconds later when the Rockets had a breakdown.
JD Watt had one of the funniest EN goal I think I have ever seen, Mikkelson stripped the puck, and got it to Lucic who comes down the right wing and feeds it to watt streaking down the centre of the sheet. Watt pounds it with a huge one-time slapper into the centre of the net -- no celebration afterward just a huge shot dead centre -- it made me chuckle as it wasn't meant as disrespect it just was how the pass came to him.
After the Giants were up 3-1 a Bloodoff ran Franson into the boards from behind (pretty blatant from my point of view- but w/e). Franson understandably took exception and went right at Bloodoff (I think it was Lucas) beating him a bit before being pulled. Franson got 5 and a game and Bloodoff got nothing -- halfway through killing the 5 min major Mikks put the puck over the glass -- delay of game 5 on 3 for 2:00 ... Sexsmith stands on his head and defense do an excellent job clearing the net of rebounds, Rockets had a bit of bad puck-luck though as the puck jumped over a few Rocket sticks with wide-open chances. Tyson looked like a quality playoff 'tender in that flurry the best fo the night for the Rockets, but the Rockets had other good chances which were turned aside by Tyson. Only goal to get by him was Cody Almond on a breakaway -- cuts across the net and slips it five-hole when Sexsmith opens the pads to slide across.
Three Stars
1 - Wacey Rabbit
2 - Kenndal McArdle
3 - Cody Almond
Joey's version of the game
by Joey Kenward (Voice of the Giants)
In their final meeting of the regular season against the Kelowna Rockets, the Vancouver Giants extended their winning streak to three straight games with a 4-1 win at Prospera Place on Saturday night. It was goalie Tyson Sexsmith’s 30th win of the season, giving Vancouver 96 points with three games remaining before the playoffs.
The two teams were scoreless through the opening twenty minutes of action and it stayed that way until less than seven minutes remaining in the middle frame. Cody Almond was able to break up the left wing and get loose behind the Giant defence. His move to the back hand beat Sexsmith through the pads. For Almond, who leads all Rockets in scoring, it was his 14th of the season at 13:06.
That goal Kelowna scored was the first time Sexsmith had allowed a goal against in a long time. Vancouver's puckstopper wound up going a stretch of 165:52 without giving up a goal!
The Giants were able to respond before the period was out and it came when they had a 5-on-3 power play. Wacey Rabbit got the puck to the top of the right face off circle for Jonathon Blum. He quickly moved it across the zone for Cody Franson who stepped into a one-timer. His blast beat goalie Torrie Jung for his 12th power play goal of the season. It was also Franson’s 17th of the campaign at 18:04.
Kenndal McArdle had a great chance in the third period to give Vancouver the lead on a breakaway, but he would be denied on a good stop by Jung. However McArdle who be able to give the Giants the go-ahead goal as a short-time later he broke in on a 2-on-1 rush. His wrist shot from the left face off circle hit the top corner. Tim Kraus gets the lone assist on McArdle’s 18th at 9:39.
On the next shift, the Giants built on their lead. After Blum forced the puck low into the Rockets end, Michal Repik dished it to the right face off dot for Rabbit. His wrist shot beat Jung high over the stick side. Rabbit’s 10th goal helped extend his point scoring streak to ten straight games at 9:50.
Kelowna had a great chance to get back into the game as they had a full two minutes to work a 5-on-3 man advantage. However Sexsmith was the difference coming up with some big glove stops off the likes of Almond and Chris Ray.
Jung would be pulled to the bench for the extra attacker but the Rockets couldn’t convert. Eventually Brendan Mikkelson got the puck free to Milan Lucic who skated into the Rockets end. He passed it off to J.D. Watt who wired home his team-leading 33rd of the year at 19:49.
Vancouver finished off the night out-shooting the Rockets 24-21. The Giants went 1-for-7 on the power play as well as a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. It was Vancouver’s 11th win this season when giving up the first goal and it was the 40th victory this season when allowing the opposition three goals or less.
The only disappointing news for the Giants in their win came when Nolan Toigo suffered a fracture to his collar bone. He collided into the glass barrier between the two benches and had to leave the game in the second period. The prognosis for Toigo isn’t good as he’ll likely be out of action for the next month.
Now with a record of 43-16-3-7, the Giants prepare for their final weekend of the regular season. They will be back on home ice for their final game of the year at the Pacific Coliseum next Friday night when the Prince George Cougars come to town. Game time for the Giants annual Fan Appreciation Night is 7:30pm PST.
Vancouver 4 Kelowna 1
A much closer game than the score indicated, but the Giants break it open in the third with two quick goals to put the Rockets out of it.
Rockets score first but Vancouver comes back with a PP marker in the same period (Franson wired one top shelf), but two back-to-back goals in the third (11 seconds apart), McArdle who was getting chances all night and finally tickled the twine with a beauty picking top far corner glove -side -- Jung didn't even have time to get his glove up. Then Rabbit with his 10th of the campaign rips one stick side from the other side of the ice 11 seconds later when the Rockets had a breakdown.
JD Watt had one of the funniest EN goal I think I have ever seen, Mikkelson stripped the puck, and got it to Lucic who comes down the right wing and feeds it to watt streaking down the centre of the sheet. Watt pounds it with a huge one-time slapper into the centre of the net -- no celebration afterward just a huge shot dead centre -- it made me chuckle as it wasn't meant as disrespect it just was how the pass came to him.
After the Giants were up 3-1 a Bloodoff ran Franson into the boards from behind (pretty blatant from my point of view- but w/e). Franson understandably took exception and went right at Bloodoff (I think it was Lucas) beating him a bit before being pulled. Franson got 5 and a game and Bloodoff got nothing -- halfway through killing the 5 min major Mikks put the puck over the glass -- delay of game 5 on 3 for 2:00 ... Sexsmith stands on his head and defense do an excellent job clearing the net of rebounds, Rockets had a bit of bad puck-luck though as the puck jumped over a few Rocket sticks with wide-open chances. Tyson looked like a quality playoff 'tender in that flurry the best fo the night for the Rockets, but the Rockets had other good chances which were turned aside by Tyson. Only goal to get by him was Cody Almond on a breakaway -- cuts across the net and slips it five-hole when Sexsmith opens the pads to slide across.
Three Stars
1 - Wacey Rabbit
2 - Kenndal McArdle
3 - Cody Almond
Joey's version of the game
by Joey Kenward (Voice of the Giants)
In their final meeting of the regular season against the Kelowna Rockets, the Vancouver Giants extended their winning streak to three straight games with a 4-1 win at Prospera Place on Saturday night. It was goalie Tyson Sexsmith’s 30th win of the season, giving Vancouver 96 points with three games remaining before the playoffs.
The two teams were scoreless through the opening twenty minutes of action and it stayed that way until less than seven minutes remaining in the middle frame. Cody Almond was able to break up the left wing and get loose behind the Giant defence. His move to the back hand beat Sexsmith through the pads. For Almond, who leads all Rockets in scoring, it was his 14th of the season at 13:06.
That goal Kelowna scored was the first time Sexsmith had allowed a goal against in a long time. Vancouver's puckstopper wound up going a stretch of 165:52 without giving up a goal!
The Giants were able to respond before the period was out and it came when they had a 5-on-3 power play. Wacey Rabbit got the puck to the top of the right face off circle for Jonathon Blum. He quickly moved it across the zone for Cody Franson who stepped into a one-timer. His blast beat goalie Torrie Jung for his 12th power play goal of the season. It was also Franson’s 17th of the campaign at 18:04.
Kenndal McArdle had a great chance in the third period to give Vancouver the lead on a breakaway, but he would be denied on a good stop by Jung. However McArdle who be able to give the Giants the go-ahead goal as a short-time later he broke in on a 2-on-1 rush. His wrist shot from the left face off circle hit the top corner. Tim Kraus gets the lone assist on McArdle’s 18th at 9:39.
On the next shift, the Giants built on their lead. After Blum forced the puck low into the Rockets end, Michal Repik dished it to the right face off dot for Rabbit. His wrist shot beat Jung high over the stick side. Rabbit’s 10th goal helped extend his point scoring streak to ten straight games at 9:50.
Kelowna had a great chance to get back into the game as they had a full two minutes to work a 5-on-3 man advantage. However Sexsmith was the difference coming up with some big glove stops off the likes of Almond and Chris Ray.
Jung would be pulled to the bench for the extra attacker but the Rockets couldn’t convert. Eventually Brendan Mikkelson got the puck free to Milan Lucic who skated into the Rockets end. He passed it off to J.D. Watt who wired home his team-leading 33rd of the year at 19:49.
Vancouver finished off the night out-shooting the Rockets 24-21. The Giants went 1-for-7 on the power play as well as a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. It was Vancouver’s 11th win this season when giving up the first goal and it was the 40th victory this season when allowing the opposition three goals or less.
The only disappointing news for the Giants in their win came when Nolan Toigo suffered a fracture to his collar bone. He collided into the glass barrier between the two benches and had to leave the game in the second period. The prognosis for Toigo isn’t good as he’ll likely be out of action for the next month.
Now with a record of 43-16-3-7, the Giants prepare for their final weekend of the regular season. They will be back on home ice for their final game of the year at the Pacific Coliseum next Friday night when the Prince George Cougars come to town. Game time for the Giants annual Fan Appreciation Night is 7:30pm PST.