www.BCSportsBeat.ca
05-20-2007, 05:24 PM
Great game and energy at the coliseum today. Each game of this tournament just keeps getting better.
Giants comeback win earns them a spot in the semis (http://bcsportsbeat.ca)
Post game audio should be up on my site by 8pm.
Wacey Rabbit scored his first goal of the 2007 Memorial Cup with 4:13 left in the third period, as the Vancouver Giants defeated the Lewiston MAINEiacs 2-1 Sunday at the Pacific Coliseum.
*
The Giants are now the only team in the tournament with a perfect record at 2-0, and are guaranteed at least a berth in a semi-final match-up on Friday. But with a win over Medicine Hat Wednesday, Vancouver can move straight to the championship game.
*
Heading into the third period down 1-0, the Giants upped the tempo playing physical and peppering MAINEiacs goalie Jonathon Bernier, who played yet another fantastic game, stopping 31 of 33 shots.
*
After nearly 50 minutes without a goal, the Giants finally put one past Bernier at 9:52 of the third period, as Kenndal McArdle whipped a Mario Bliznak rebound into the open net, causing the record Memorial Cup crowd of 13, 724 to erupt into a frenzy.
*
McArdle’s marker seemed to give Vancouver a shot in the arm as the host Giants dominated the play for the rest of the period.
*
With 4:13 left in the game, Giants Forward Wacey Rabbit scored the go-ahead goal, slipping in a loose puck laying just outside Bernier’s crease, which turned out to be the game winner.
*
Rabbit said it was probably the biggest goal he’s ever scored in his junior career, and gives credit to his linemates Milan Lucic and Michal Repik.
*
“My line didn’t play very well the first two periods, and Don (Hay) challenged us between the second and third, and I think we really stepped up.”
*
Vancouver goaltender Tyson Sexsmith stopped 19 of 20 shots for his second consecutive win at the tournament.
*
The Giants now have two days off before facing Medicine Hat in their final round-robin match-up.
*
Sunday’s game began in the Giants’ favour with MAINEiacs right-winger Marc-Andre Daneau getting caught playing with an illegal stick at 1:50 of the opening frame.
*
Vancouver had two great chances on the ensuing power play, including a beautiful one-timer by McArdle, but Bernier’s cool play denied the Giants the game’s first goal.
*
Vancouver continued to pressure Lewiston early in the period, but at the 5:48 mark, MAINEiacs forward David Perron deflected a weak Pierre-Luc Faubert shot past Sexsmith to open scoring on just the second shot of the game.
*
The Giants’ calmed down play in their own zone following the opening goal, but penalty troubles prevented Vancouver from making headway.
*
The Giants were called for too many men on the ice at 17:09 of the first, giving Lewiston their first power play.
*
But it was Vancouver who had the best chance during the penalty kill, with Repik nearly scoring on a shorthanded break, as he slipped past Lewiston’s pinching defence.
*
J.D. Watt was then called for boarding with just 11 seconds left in the opening frame, leaving the Giants to kill yet another penalty.
*
Vancouver started the second period strong, killing off the rest of Watt’s penalty.*
*
The Giants then proceeded to pour on pressure of their own, keeping the puck in the MAINEiacs zone.
*
But Bernier refused to give up his team’s lead, denying 21 shots after two periods of play.
*
The Giant’s penalty troubles shifted to the MAINEiacs during the second, with Sebastien Piche and Michal Korenko heading to the box with interference and hooking calls.
*
But once again, the Giants were unable to capitalize on the man advantage, mustering only one shot on goal.
*
The best chance of the period for either team came as Lewiston left winger Triston Manson slipped by the Giants’ defence, and came in all alone against Sexsmith, who was forced to make a massive glove save with just over seven minutes left.
*********** *
The Giants showed urgency at the start of the third with several solid scoring opportunities, but didn’t actually manage to get the puck on net.
*
Once again, the Giant’s physical brand of hockey got them into trouble as Repik was called for goaltender interference at 3:52 after colliding with Bernier, knocking Lewiston’s net off its moorings.
*********** *
But Vancouver successfully killed off their third disadvantage of the game, icing the puck several times, preventing the MAINEiacs from setting up anything meaningful.
*
Finally, McArdle’s marker tied the game at one goal apiece, giving some life to the near capacity crowd at the Coliseum.
*
Rabbit’s tally followed just over five minutes later, forcing Lewiston to pull their goalie in the final minute of play to try and send the game into overtime.
*
In the dying seconds of the third, chaos ensued around the Giants net as it appeared the puck crossed the goal line, but after reviewing the play, it was determined the whistle had already been blown.*
*
Prior to that whistle, however, the MAINEiacs claimed a Vancouver defenceman had stopped the puck in the blue paint with his glove, with Lewiston head coach Clement Jodoin asking for a penalty shot.
*
The on-ice officials, however, claimed to have seen otherwise, dousing the MAINEiacs hopes.
*
After the game, Jodoin remained tight-lipped about the referee’s decision.
*
“The interpretation they handed out was the puck came up but the defenceman didn’t freeze it,” he said.* “I’ll check on the video.
*
“There’s a judge, and the judge took a decision,” Jodoin added.
*
The confusion was certainly enhanced by the roar of the hometown crowd, as the timekeeper was forced to add 0.9 seconds onto the game clock, just enough for one final faceoff before the Giants claimed victory.
*
Following the game, Bernier said his team needed to play with more urgency and confidence, more like the MAINEiacs showed with their 3-1 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday.
*
“We didn’t play our ‘A’ game, it seems like we’re still nervous.* We just have to be more focused and confident in ourselves.”
*
Giants head coach Don Hay says after winning the first two games of the tournament it’s important to stay focused heading into Wednesday’s tilt against the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers (Sportsnet/CKNW, 7:30 p.m. PT).
*
“It’s important we get rest tomorrow, and get re-energized and obviously re-focused.* Medicine Hat’s a very good hockey team as we’ve just seen over the last seven games.* So our focus once we get to the Memorial Cup is just one game at a time, and that’s the most important game.”
*
Monday’s game features the Medicine Hat Tigers and the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers (Sportsnet, 5:00 p.m. PT).
*
Tuesday sees the Whalers take on the MAINEiacs in both of the teams’ final round-robin games (Sportsnet, 5:00 p.m. PT).
*
NOTES: Lewiston’s captain Mark-Andre Cliché did not play Sunday after jamming his shoulder into the boards in Saturday’s game against the Medicine Hat Tigers…Ice and board issues continue to be a factor in the tournament as play had to be stopped midway through the second to repair the Vancouver bench’s gate that became unhinged…The WHL announced it ‘s championship trophy has been renamed the Ed Chynoweth Cup, who was the league’s commissioner for 23 years.
-- Jeff Sargeant
Giants comeback win earns them a spot in the semis (http://bcsportsbeat.ca)
Post game audio should be up on my site by 8pm.
Wacey Rabbit scored his first goal of the 2007 Memorial Cup with 4:13 left in the third period, as the Vancouver Giants defeated the Lewiston MAINEiacs 2-1 Sunday at the Pacific Coliseum.
*
The Giants are now the only team in the tournament with a perfect record at 2-0, and are guaranteed at least a berth in a semi-final match-up on Friday. But with a win over Medicine Hat Wednesday, Vancouver can move straight to the championship game.
*
Heading into the third period down 1-0, the Giants upped the tempo playing physical and peppering MAINEiacs goalie Jonathon Bernier, who played yet another fantastic game, stopping 31 of 33 shots.
*
After nearly 50 minutes without a goal, the Giants finally put one past Bernier at 9:52 of the third period, as Kenndal McArdle whipped a Mario Bliznak rebound into the open net, causing the record Memorial Cup crowd of 13, 724 to erupt into a frenzy.
*
McArdle’s marker seemed to give Vancouver a shot in the arm as the host Giants dominated the play for the rest of the period.
*
With 4:13 left in the game, Giants Forward Wacey Rabbit scored the go-ahead goal, slipping in a loose puck laying just outside Bernier’s crease, which turned out to be the game winner.
*
Rabbit said it was probably the biggest goal he’s ever scored in his junior career, and gives credit to his linemates Milan Lucic and Michal Repik.
*
“My line didn’t play very well the first two periods, and Don (Hay) challenged us between the second and third, and I think we really stepped up.”
*
Vancouver goaltender Tyson Sexsmith stopped 19 of 20 shots for his second consecutive win at the tournament.
*
The Giants now have two days off before facing Medicine Hat in their final round-robin match-up.
*
Sunday’s game began in the Giants’ favour with MAINEiacs right-winger Marc-Andre Daneau getting caught playing with an illegal stick at 1:50 of the opening frame.
*
Vancouver had two great chances on the ensuing power play, including a beautiful one-timer by McArdle, but Bernier’s cool play denied the Giants the game’s first goal.
*
Vancouver continued to pressure Lewiston early in the period, but at the 5:48 mark, MAINEiacs forward David Perron deflected a weak Pierre-Luc Faubert shot past Sexsmith to open scoring on just the second shot of the game.
*
The Giants’ calmed down play in their own zone following the opening goal, but penalty troubles prevented Vancouver from making headway.
*
The Giants were called for too many men on the ice at 17:09 of the first, giving Lewiston their first power play.
*
But it was Vancouver who had the best chance during the penalty kill, with Repik nearly scoring on a shorthanded break, as he slipped past Lewiston’s pinching defence.
*
J.D. Watt was then called for boarding with just 11 seconds left in the opening frame, leaving the Giants to kill yet another penalty.
*
Vancouver started the second period strong, killing off the rest of Watt’s penalty.*
*
The Giants then proceeded to pour on pressure of their own, keeping the puck in the MAINEiacs zone.
*
But Bernier refused to give up his team’s lead, denying 21 shots after two periods of play.
*
The Giant’s penalty troubles shifted to the MAINEiacs during the second, with Sebastien Piche and Michal Korenko heading to the box with interference and hooking calls.
*
But once again, the Giants were unable to capitalize on the man advantage, mustering only one shot on goal.
*
The best chance of the period for either team came as Lewiston left winger Triston Manson slipped by the Giants’ defence, and came in all alone against Sexsmith, who was forced to make a massive glove save with just over seven minutes left.
*********** *
The Giants showed urgency at the start of the third with several solid scoring opportunities, but didn’t actually manage to get the puck on net.
*
Once again, the Giant’s physical brand of hockey got them into trouble as Repik was called for goaltender interference at 3:52 after colliding with Bernier, knocking Lewiston’s net off its moorings.
*********** *
But Vancouver successfully killed off their third disadvantage of the game, icing the puck several times, preventing the MAINEiacs from setting up anything meaningful.
*
Finally, McArdle’s marker tied the game at one goal apiece, giving some life to the near capacity crowd at the Coliseum.
*
Rabbit’s tally followed just over five minutes later, forcing Lewiston to pull their goalie in the final minute of play to try and send the game into overtime.
*
In the dying seconds of the third, chaos ensued around the Giants net as it appeared the puck crossed the goal line, but after reviewing the play, it was determined the whistle had already been blown.*
*
Prior to that whistle, however, the MAINEiacs claimed a Vancouver defenceman had stopped the puck in the blue paint with his glove, with Lewiston head coach Clement Jodoin asking for a penalty shot.
*
The on-ice officials, however, claimed to have seen otherwise, dousing the MAINEiacs hopes.
*
After the game, Jodoin remained tight-lipped about the referee’s decision.
*
“The interpretation they handed out was the puck came up but the defenceman didn’t freeze it,” he said.* “I’ll check on the video.
*
“There’s a judge, and the judge took a decision,” Jodoin added.
*
The confusion was certainly enhanced by the roar of the hometown crowd, as the timekeeper was forced to add 0.9 seconds onto the game clock, just enough for one final faceoff before the Giants claimed victory.
*
Following the game, Bernier said his team needed to play with more urgency and confidence, more like the MAINEiacs showed with their 3-1 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday.
*
“We didn’t play our ‘A’ game, it seems like we’re still nervous.* We just have to be more focused and confident in ourselves.”
*
Giants head coach Don Hay says after winning the first two games of the tournament it’s important to stay focused heading into Wednesday’s tilt against the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers (Sportsnet/CKNW, 7:30 p.m. PT).
*
“It’s important we get rest tomorrow, and get re-energized and obviously re-focused.* Medicine Hat’s a very good hockey team as we’ve just seen over the last seven games.* So our focus once we get to the Memorial Cup is just one game at a time, and that’s the most important game.”
*
Monday’s game features the Medicine Hat Tigers and the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers (Sportsnet, 5:00 p.m. PT).
*
Tuesday sees the Whalers take on the MAINEiacs in both of the teams’ final round-robin games (Sportsnet, 5:00 p.m. PT).
*
NOTES: Lewiston’s captain Mark-Andre Cliché did not play Sunday after jamming his shoulder into the boards in Saturday’s game against the Medicine Hat Tigers…Ice and board issues continue to be a factor in the tournament as play had to be stopped midway through the second to repair the Vancouver bench’s gate that became unhinged…The WHL announced it ‘s championship trophy has been renamed the Ed Chynoweth Cup, who was the league’s commissioner for 23 years.
-- Jeff Sargeant