PDA

View Full Version : Cunning Seals Giants Win In Overtime



Kassian
03-16-2005, 02:18 AM
From: http://www.vancouvergiants.com

The Vancouver Giants were down but not out on Tuesday, staging a third period comeback and a 4-3 overtime triumph over the Prince George Cougars. The two clubs traded goals in each frame, the Giants second-last tally coming with 10.2 seconds left in regulation time. They won the match at 2:42 of a frantic extra session.

“I thought we showed a lot of character and we also showed a lot of emotion,” Vancouver Head Coach Don Hay beamed. “We came out, we were physical, I thought we battled for a full 60-plus minutes and it's great for the guys to enjoy the thrill of winning after you tie it up late like that.”

Gritty winger Kyle Lamb opened the game's festivities at 9:24 of the first period, before Mitch Bartley scored on a partial breakaway during a powerplay at 17:53 of the second. Bartley was also the hero, converting a loose puck after a mad scramble on a play started by Adam Courchaine with six attackers late in the game. Cam Cunning scored the game-winner from the high slot a little past the halfway mark of OT.

PG's first goal was ultra-strange as Giants goalie Marek Schwarz got caught napping when Dustin Byfuglien took a harmless looking shot from near the penalty boxes. The Czech netminder stopped 22 of 25 shots on the night after recovering from his faux pas and let Colin Patterson and Brett Parker score as well. Vancouver sent 31 shots at Scott Bowles in net for the Cougars, who couldn't hold the G-Men in check when it counted.

“We talked about trying to make this a best-of-three, like a little playoff series and we got two wins out of three,” Hay reported after the Giants split a weekend series with the Cats in PG. “That's the beauty of playoffs – you don't have to be perfect every night. You can have some off-games, but as long as you respond, (it's OK). I thought we responded really well tonight.”

Bartley was one happy camper after his tying marker, an enthusiastic celebration for his 30 th goal of the season, to be sure. He scored his 29 th on a breakaway, his first such tally this year after a few golden chances.

“I guess I was just in the right place at the right time,” the veteran sighed. “I didn't score on my last breakaway in the Brad May & Friends game, so I just didn't think about it and managed to get in and tuck it under his (Bowles') arm.”

Bartley worked his way from the right boards to the slot area on the even-up score. He battled after the faceoff and was probably the only player on either side to follow the puck once Courchaine turned toward the goalie with great purpose.

“I didn't think anybody else saw where the puck went,” said Bartley. “I know Courchaine tried to throw it out front and it hit a skate and just popped right up. I followed it the whole way and saw it bounce right in front of the net and nobody else knew where it was. So I just went to it and swung my stick at it and luckily enough it went in.”

The Giants wrap up the regular season with a road-and-home set against Kelowna , still a possible first round opponent at this juncture. Vancouver plays the Rockets at Prospera Place on Friday and then host the BC Division leaders – by just two points over Kootenay – on Saturday.

C.F
03-16-2005, 09:39 AM
A more convincing win would have been nice.

Playoffs should start now as for as the Giants are concerned, I would hope.

Kassian
03-16-2005, 11:00 AM
A more convincing win would have been nice.

Playoffs should start now as for as the Giants are concerned, I would hope.

I for one wasn't too impressed.

What a goal Schwarz let in well past the blue line off the stick of Byfuglien. :skeptical :mad:

Beaner
03-16-2005, 11:47 AM
A more convincing win would have been nice.

Playoffs should start now as for as the Giants are concerned, I would hope.


Yeah that would have been nice.

But wow, what a hit Meszaros laid on Fuller in the 2nd Period. Another huge Hip check thrown right at the blue line, right in front of the Cougars bench. Full 360 for Fuller.

Nice to see Fuller come back in the third to keep playing, he looked pretty shaken up after that hit.

Any of you watch the Cougs coach going balistic after the game was over throwing water bottles on the ice? I think he was really po'd about that Empty net chance that the cougs lost out on when the giants ad cogars player went crashing into the net knocking it off.

inthebox4five
03-16-2005, 12:58 PM
It's no big feat coming back in overtime to beat the worst team in the division. But I guess these days, Vancouver needs to pick its bright spots where it can find them. Irony that Cunning put in the OT goal.... he helped Blazers out by demanding a trade... In the end, Blazers benefitted BIG TIME by getting Kassian.... and last night he helped the Blazers out again by keeping PG to one point. Will Bonner's "missing-piece-Cunning" be enough to get Vancouver to the cup?.... ha-ha. NOT, I think.... I'd advise Vancouver fanst to enjoy the win against PG.... cause unfortunately that might be as good as it gets this year.

Kassian
03-16-2005, 01:34 PM
I'd advise Vancouver fanst to enjoy the win against PG.... cause unfortunately that might be as good as it gets this year.

I think this will be our last win of the season. No way we beat Kelowna in Kelowna on Friday and if history repeats itself, the Rockets will beat us again in Vancouver on Saturday.

We might be able to steal a win at home during the playoffs but that's about all. The series should be over in 4 or 5 games.

Kassian
03-16-2005, 01:35 PM
Any of you watch the Cougs coach going balistic after the game was over throwing water bottles on the ice? I think he was really po'd about that Empty net chance that the cougs lost out on when the giants ad cogars player went crashing into the net knocking it off.

It was Grant that pushed the Cougar player into the net. Real heads up play. You could see him thinking that the entire way down the ice. He really saved the game for Vancouver if you think about it.

Beaner
03-16-2005, 01:56 PM
It was Grant that pushed the Cougar player into the net. Real heads up play. You could see him thinking that the entire way down the ice. He really saved the game for Vancouver if you think about it.

Thanks. I couldnt tell from where I was sitting who did what.

I can see why the Cougs coach was so upset about that. Arguement could have been made that it should have been an automatic goal for deliberatly knocking the empty net off.

Just took a look at the final game sheet and the Cougs bench was given a 10 min. misconduct at the end of the game. Obviously it was for the coach at the end. Not sure if that means he will get a fine or a suspension, but he was really given the Ref an earful at the end.

If he gets the suspension hopefully the make him serve it during the Kelowna game for the Cougs sake, as losing your head coach vs. Kamloops could be a huge blow.

Sput
03-16-2005, 05:48 PM
The ref last night was the same clown that got booed off the ice up here one game. At the end of the game (I can't remember who we were playing) the ref got a resounding "YOU SUCK" from the 3000 people that were in the 'Plex. I have heard from other teams fans that Kirk will only see one team on the ice for the majority of the game, so I guess it wasn't just us this time. A cross check into the net, empty net or not, should be called what ever the score is, or time left on the clock. I, for one, can't blame Lambert for going ballistic on the ref this time.

Knuckles Muldoon
03-16-2005, 09:32 PM
The real discouraging thing is this. The Giants could play great in the playoffs. They could play the body, dictate the play and score first most games, and get the job done on special teams. But even all that doesn't matter if Schwarz doesn't pick his game up about 3 levels. The goals this guy routinely lets in are killers. And in the playoffs those same goals become season-killers. Too depressing to think about, really. :(

Beaner
03-17-2005, 10:54 AM
Lets face it.

The entire team takes games/periods off. It's not just Schwarz not showing up. When he does play well the Defence isnt around. When the goalies and the Defence are playing well the forwards dont work.

When the entire team shows up and plays hard, usually 1 period per game, the team can play with anyone.

For whatever reason, the team is not focused on playing and winning every game, every single period.