dondo
01-07-2010, 12:08 AM
The Giants had a couple of days of fun team-building in the Rockies, before they had to go to Red Deer and it seems to have helped. I'm sure the boys are happy to be away from the Coliseum for a bit as the sheer number of home games this fall was tiring for the fans, let alone the players. The Rebels were coming into the game pretty hot, with a great home record, but the Giants took them to school, held them off their PP and buried their chnaces when they came. Two former Giants had mixed fortunes as Andrej Kudrna scored on the of the Rebs two goals and former back-up Kraymer Barnstable ate five goals against. This is the first long road trip of the season for the boys and to open up this way versus the Rebels is an auspicious beginning.
Jamie Tucker was dealt for a 2nd round pick to the Raiders and Derek Tendler was called up for his first game with the Giants. Tendler will get the start on Friday.
Giants Stun Rebels
Vancouver 6 Red Deer 2
Don Robinson
The Giants fared well on the opening game of their big road trip, against a red hot Red Deer team that seems to have finished running the table. The Giants were able to make their meagre PP chances work for them, while stoning the Rebels on all of their man-advantage opportunities. Mark Segal was good early making a few big stops and playing solidly between the pipes for the G-Men. The Rebels opened the scoring, but were down by one by the end of the first. The Giants padded their lead in the second, but the Red Deer squad were able to close the gap back to one. A late middle frame PP for the Giants padded that lead back to two goals. The Giants added two more in the third to put the game out of reach. A rather emotionless game, with the Rebels getting more chances but could not get their PP to click or take advantage of their opportunities.
Former Giant back-up Kraymer Barnstable who got the start for the Giants, was pulled after four goals and then was back in for the sixth goal against. Former Giant player Andrej Kudrna opened the scoring for the Rebels with his 18th of the season. Kudrna was dealt for Cass Mappin earlier this season in one of the worst deals Bonner has ever made in my mind, trading a ridiculously skilled yet somewhat lazy 18 year old for an equally lazy, significantly less talented, 19 year old with no work ethic and none of the intensity he was supposed to bring. Mappin was dealt not much later for Derek Tendler an up and coming goaltender who became the Giants regular back-up tonight when Jamie Tucker was dealt for a second round pick to Prince Albert. Brendan Gallagher scored on the Giants first PP of the game, tying the game late in the period. Neil Manning and Kevin Connauton, both of whom garnered three assists on the night, got the helpers. James Henry scored another one just over a minute later. Manning and Garry Nunn got the assists. The Rebels seemed to have their best chances in the first, but Segal shut the door when he needed to, giving his team a chance to get into the game.
Gallagher notched his second of the game late in the second. David Musil and Craig Cunningham got the helpers. The Rebels battled well to try to get back into the game in the middle frame closing the gap to one the shift after Gallagher’s goal, but Cunningham restored the gap to two before the buzzer with the Giants second PP tally. Connauton and Manning were both in on the goal. Garry Nunn scored early in the third, assisted by Musil. Connor Redmond put the game away with his first ever goal for the Giants and first of the season. By all accounts Redmond’s goal was a wicked rocket that looked like a goal-scorers goal. Connauton got the lone assist. The Giants played a solid team game and got some effective goaltending from Segal who keeps the starter’s hat with Tucker being shuffled to the Raiders. Not the most entertaining of games with no fights, few penalties and not a whole lot of emotion, but it’s the kind of game the boys needed to have to start their first extended road trip of the season.
The Rebels out-shot the Giants 35-25 (although the stats on the WHL site seem pretty wonky right now). The visitors managed to go 2 for 3 on their PP while holding the home town boys to 0 for 8. The Giants head up to Edmonton to take on the Oil Kings for a Shaw televised game on Friday. Derek Tendler will get his first start as a Giant, wearing Dustin Slade’s old number 37. The puck drops at 7:00pm local time (6:00pm PST).
Three Stars
1. Mark Segal
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Cullen Morin
Jamie Tucker was dealt for a 2nd round pick to the Raiders and Derek Tendler was called up for his first game with the Giants. Tendler will get the start on Friday.
Giants Stun Rebels
Vancouver 6 Red Deer 2
Don Robinson
The Giants fared well on the opening game of their big road trip, against a red hot Red Deer team that seems to have finished running the table. The Giants were able to make their meagre PP chances work for them, while stoning the Rebels on all of their man-advantage opportunities. Mark Segal was good early making a few big stops and playing solidly between the pipes for the G-Men. The Rebels opened the scoring, but were down by one by the end of the first. The Giants padded their lead in the second, but the Red Deer squad were able to close the gap back to one. A late middle frame PP for the Giants padded that lead back to two goals. The Giants added two more in the third to put the game out of reach. A rather emotionless game, with the Rebels getting more chances but could not get their PP to click or take advantage of their opportunities.
Former Giant back-up Kraymer Barnstable who got the start for the Giants, was pulled after four goals and then was back in for the sixth goal against. Former Giant player Andrej Kudrna opened the scoring for the Rebels with his 18th of the season. Kudrna was dealt for Cass Mappin earlier this season in one of the worst deals Bonner has ever made in my mind, trading a ridiculously skilled yet somewhat lazy 18 year old for an equally lazy, significantly less talented, 19 year old with no work ethic and none of the intensity he was supposed to bring. Mappin was dealt not much later for Derek Tendler an up and coming goaltender who became the Giants regular back-up tonight when Jamie Tucker was dealt for a second round pick to Prince Albert. Brendan Gallagher scored on the Giants first PP of the game, tying the game late in the period. Neil Manning and Kevin Connauton, both of whom garnered three assists on the night, got the helpers. James Henry scored another one just over a minute later. Manning and Garry Nunn got the assists. The Rebels seemed to have their best chances in the first, but Segal shut the door when he needed to, giving his team a chance to get into the game.
Gallagher notched his second of the game late in the second. David Musil and Craig Cunningham got the helpers. The Rebels battled well to try to get back into the game in the middle frame closing the gap to one the shift after Gallagher’s goal, but Cunningham restored the gap to two before the buzzer with the Giants second PP tally. Connauton and Manning were both in on the goal. Garry Nunn scored early in the third, assisted by Musil. Connor Redmond put the game away with his first ever goal for the Giants and first of the season. By all accounts Redmond’s goal was a wicked rocket that looked like a goal-scorers goal. Connauton got the lone assist. The Giants played a solid team game and got some effective goaltending from Segal who keeps the starter’s hat with Tucker being shuffled to the Raiders. Not the most entertaining of games with no fights, few penalties and not a whole lot of emotion, but it’s the kind of game the boys needed to have to start their first extended road trip of the season.
The Rebels out-shot the Giants 35-25 (although the stats on the WHL site seem pretty wonky right now). The visitors managed to go 2 for 3 on their PP while holding the home town boys to 0 for 8. The Giants head up to Edmonton to take on the Oil Kings for a Shaw televised game on Friday. Derek Tendler will get his first start as a Giant, wearing Dustin Slade’s old number 37. The puck drops at 7:00pm local time (6:00pm PST).
Three Stars
1. Mark Segal
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Cullen Morin