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Kassian
01-24-2005, 05:04 PM
The Vancouver Giants spotted the Winterhawks a 3-0 lead in Portland on Sunday, came back to within a goal in the third period, but ultimately lost 5-2. Despite leading the Western Hockey League's Western Conference with 145 goals on the season, Vancouver has had trouble lighting the lamp with great regularity of late.

The club's two goals on Sunday were the most since January 15 th , when the G-Men beat the Silvertips in Everett 5-4. Tri-City edged the Giants 2-1 on Friday and Seattle shut them out 1-0 last Sunday afternoon.

Gilbert Brule's 27th goal of the year bounced in off the sniper's skate at 7:16 of the second period, before slick pivot Adam Courchaine scored his 20 th with an extra attacker on the ice at 17:22 of the third. The Giants managed to come back from a 3-goal deficit, but then allowed two empty netters to do them in.

Ex-Giant, Darrell May, led the Hawks to the victory, netting the game-winner on a nifty breakaway at 4:37 of the middle frame and also collected two assists. New York Rangers' draft pick Brandon Dubinsky's shot at 18:24 of the opening period bounced in off a Giant defender's skate to open the scoring before Brian Woolger surprised Vancouver with a tough tally 0:17 into the second. Woolger got his second of the game, an empty-netter at 18:02 of the final stanza and then Michael Funk put a bank-shot into a yawning cage from his own end of the ice while shorthanded at 19:19.

“We competed a lot harder tonight than we did the other night,” Assistant Coach/Assistant GM Craig Bonner said. “We were happy with our third period, but it's tough on the road when you get behind like that.”

The Giants out-shot the Hawks 16-8 in the third period, ending up on even terms at 31-31. Marek Schwarz kept Vancouver in the game, making 20 saves on 23 shots through two periods and 26 stops on 29 shots overall. Dustin Butler stopped 29 shots, foiling some fragile Giants' shooters.

“When things are going good and your confidence is good, those shots in front of the net are going in,” Bonner commented. “And shots from the point aren't getting blocked and now they're getting blocked. Confidence is such a big thing in this game and we're struggling a bit right now. For a team like ours to get 30+ shots and only get one or two goals a night is (tough). When we're going, it's a three or four or five goal night for us.”

A full half-dozen games past the WHL trading deadline, the team is suffering some minor growing pains, something that could have been expected given past alterations made to the roster. Their collection of blueliners gives the Giants unquestioned depth, but some players are still getting familiar.

Bonner runs the defensive corps behind the bench and has any number of quality defensemen to deploy. Andrej Meszaros is back in peak condition following the World Junior Championship, 20-year-old Conlan Seder is a two-way threat and Paul Albers is a solid 19-year-old playmaker. Max Gordichuk has a monster reach, hulking rookie Cody Franson is learning on the job and Brett Festerling, 19, has a knack for offense. Meszaros and Franson, not too mention rookie Luke Egener and injured gem Mark Fistric, are the only D-men still around from the opening night roster.

“It's getting there,” Bonner allowed. “There are still a lot of people playing with new guys, but we're not giving up a lot (offensively). The positive thing there is that we know once we get our scoring touch back a little bit, we've got that back end pretty solidified.”

Vancouver visits Kamloops on Wednesday and then returns home for a weekend set against Tri-City on Friday and the Kelowna Rockets next Saturday.

Beaner
01-24-2005, 05:46 PM
Ok, another disappointing loss.

But here is something interesting about the US Division....

Vs. Spokane 3-0
Vs Everett - 5-0

Vs Seattle - 0-5
Vs Portland - 1-4
Vs Tri City - 0-2

Better hope we dont play Seattle, Portland or Tricity in the playoffs, if we even get to the Second round, seeing as we will play Kelowna or Kootney.

Vs Kelowna - 0-2-1
Vs Kootney - 0-3

So vs. Seattle, Portland, Tri-City, Kelowna and Kootney, we are a collective 1-16-1, which accounts for 16 out of our 20 total losses. Thats just kind of scary.

Hopefully the guys can get their act together and get some wins against Kootney and Kelowna before the playoffs, or it just may be a very short run indeed.