dondo
11-02-2011, 01:39 AM
Giants Eat TBirds
Vancouver 4 Seattle 2 (EN)
The Giants only regulation loss at home this season came at the hands of the Thunderbirds, but that was before the roster shake-up. In that game Calvin Pickard was a big part of their win and tonight he tried to be, turning aside 47 of 50 shots fired his way, but he ran into a determined Vancouver hockey club. The undermanned Giants came out with all barrels blasting using their speed and tenacity to beat the Seattle squad’s big bodies. The G’s pounded the T-Bird net with 16 shots in the first, 20 in the second and 14 in the third and they needed them. Adam Morrison did not have to be quite as good at the other end of the ice, but he made some clutch stops when the Thunderbirds pushed back keeping his team’s lead intact. Brendan Gallagher, after failing to get a point in the two games in Prince George, exploded with a four point outing, notching a hat trick and adding an assist on Marek Tvrdon’s empty-net marker.
Gallagher opened the scoring 8:19 into the first, finishing off an Austin Vetterl charge to the net. Luke Fenske got the other helper. It took ‘til almost the five minute mark of the second for the T-Birds to tie it back up. Morrison turned away multiple shots before being beat. Gallagher found twine just past the midway mark of the middle frame. Cain Franson and Nathan Burns with the extra points. Tvrdon, James Henry and Gallagher connected on Brendan’s hat-trick tally as the Giants scored their first PP goal of the game. Seattle used a PP of their own to close the gap in the third, but that was as close as the visitors were going to allow them to get. Morrison had to make a few stops late to preserve the lead and the Giants capped it off with a PP marker into an empty-net with one second left on the clock. Seattle took a late penalty for too many men when they tried to pull the goalie, as Pickard hesitated as he was coming out of the net.
Rookie Watch: Logan Harland (16) back in the line-up. Vetterl (17) an assist and some good chances. Sward (17) 2nd PP time. Kulak (17) solid on the back-end, a few offensive forays. Bews (17) minimal shifts, some good chances.
Fight Night: No fights
Zebra Cage: Jeff Ingram, Mike Campbell – a few soft ones here and there and an odd miss late in the third, but mostly consistent.
The Giants out shot the Thunderbirds 50-23, with echoes of Giants teams past being reflected in their play. The G’s went 2 for 6 on the PP, while holding the T-Birds to 1 for 5. The Giants played a throw-everything-at-the-net kind of game with traffic and utilised speed and mobility in this one to get open. They did allow not themselves to be intimidated by the bigger Thunderbirds. The G’s only iced 17 skaters as some of their young guys are recovering from injuries. Anthony Ast (16) still hasn’t seen ice since almost having his head sheared off by Marincin who received a paltry 4 games for the deliberate attempt to injure, despite the hit being a blind-side check, directly to the head on a player who had yet to touch the puck. If the league are trying to take this kind of hit out of the game I don’t know what their logic is here as lesser hits which were part of plays have been given the same punishment. Blake Orban (17) injured himself during practice after serving his own 4 game suspension. Scott Cooke (17) is week to week. Matt Bellerive (17) is on the recovery list as well. Jackson Houck (16) finished serving his 2 game suspension for a checking to the head major and will be available for the games in Victoria this weekend.
The Giants have a few days off to heal and practice before heading across the water for two back to back games in Victoria to take on the Jekyll and Hyde Royals who on any given night can beat anyone, but are also capable of being blown out. The Giants only loss to the Royals so far this season came in the Royals home opener. Their other games have been less close. Kevin Sundher is ridiculously hot right now and could prove a problem for the G’s if they give him room to make plays. The Giants hope to continue their current dominant ways versus the Royals at the Save-On Memorial Arena come Friday (and Saturday). The puck drops at the SOMA at 7:05pm and should be a good tilt.
Three Stars
1) Brendan Gallagher
2) Calvin Pickard
3) Marek Tvrdon
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to.. Gallagher, who was all over the ice and dominant when he needed to be. He has found good chemistry with Henry and Tvrdon, but really makes anyone he plays with that much better.
Vancouver 4 Seattle 2 (EN)
The Giants only regulation loss at home this season came at the hands of the Thunderbirds, but that was before the roster shake-up. In that game Calvin Pickard was a big part of their win and tonight he tried to be, turning aside 47 of 50 shots fired his way, but he ran into a determined Vancouver hockey club. The undermanned Giants came out with all barrels blasting using their speed and tenacity to beat the Seattle squad’s big bodies. The G’s pounded the T-Bird net with 16 shots in the first, 20 in the second and 14 in the third and they needed them. Adam Morrison did not have to be quite as good at the other end of the ice, but he made some clutch stops when the Thunderbirds pushed back keeping his team’s lead intact. Brendan Gallagher, after failing to get a point in the two games in Prince George, exploded with a four point outing, notching a hat trick and adding an assist on Marek Tvrdon’s empty-net marker.
Gallagher opened the scoring 8:19 into the first, finishing off an Austin Vetterl charge to the net. Luke Fenske got the other helper. It took ‘til almost the five minute mark of the second for the T-Birds to tie it back up. Morrison turned away multiple shots before being beat. Gallagher found twine just past the midway mark of the middle frame. Cain Franson and Nathan Burns with the extra points. Tvrdon, James Henry and Gallagher connected on Brendan’s hat-trick tally as the Giants scored their first PP goal of the game. Seattle used a PP of their own to close the gap in the third, but that was as close as the visitors were going to allow them to get. Morrison had to make a few stops late to preserve the lead and the Giants capped it off with a PP marker into an empty-net with one second left on the clock. Seattle took a late penalty for too many men when they tried to pull the goalie, as Pickard hesitated as he was coming out of the net.
Rookie Watch: Logan Harland (16) back in the line-up. Vetterl (17) an assist and some good chances. Sward (17) 2nd PP time. Kulak (17) solid on the back-end, a few offensive forays. Bews (17) minimal shifts, some good chances.
Fight Night: No fights
Zebra Cage: Jeff Ingram, Mike Campbell – a few soft ones here and there and an odd miss late in the third, but mostly consistent.
The Giants out shot the Thunderbirds 50-23, with echoes of Giants teams past being reflected in their play. The G’s went 2 for 6 on the PP, while holding the T-Birds to 1 for 5. The Giants played a throw-everything-at-the-net kind of game with traffic and utilised speed and mobility in this one to get open. They did allow not themselves to be intimidated by the bigger Thunderbirds. The G’s only iced 17 skaters as some of their young guys are recovering from injuries. Anthony Ast (16) still hasn’t seen ice since almost having his head sheared off by Marincin who received a paltry 4 games for the deliberate attempt to injure, despite the hit being a blind-side check, directly to the head on a player who had yet to touch the puck. If the league are trying to take this kind of hit out of the game I don’t know what their logic is here as lesser hits which were part of plays have been given the same punishment. Blake Orban (17) injured himself during practice after serving his own 4 game suspension. Scott Cooke (17) is week to week. Matt Bellerive (17) is on the recovery list as well. Jackson Houck (16) finished serving his 2 game suspension for a checking to the head major and will be available for the games in Victoria this weekend.
The Giants have a few days off to heal and practice before heading across the water for two back to back games in Victoria to take on the Jekyll and Hyde Royals who on any given night can beat anyone, but are also capable of being blown out. The Giants only loss to the Royals so far this season came in the Royals home opener. Their other games have been less close. Kevin Sundher is ridiculously hot right now and could prove a problem for the G’s if they give him room to make plays. The Giants hope to continue their current dominant ways versus the Royals at the Save-On Memorial Arena come Friday (and Saturday). The puck drops at the SOMA at 7:05pm and should be a good tilt.
Three Stars
1) Brendan Gallagher
2) Calvin Pickard
3) Marek Tvrdon
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to.. Gallagher, who was all over the ice and dominant when he needed to be. He has found good chemistry with Henry and Tvrdon, but really makes anyone he plays with that much better.