Kassian
02-04-2005, 12:36 AM
From: http://www.vancouvergiants.com
The Vancouver Giants gave the puck away once too often on Wednesday, dropping a tough road loss 4-3 to the Red Deer Rebels. The G-Men earned each of their tallies and two separate leads, but every Red Deer goal came by way of a giveaway which cost the team dearly.
Mitch Bartley scored his first of two goals when he opened the festivities just 40 seconds into the game. After burgeoning power forward J.D. Watt started the game with a big hit on the very first shift, Bartley's line kept the tempo up as the 19-year-old counted his 21 st of the year with a slapshot from beyond the Rebels' blueline. Bartley later got his 22 nd on a powerplay at 14:55 of the second period when he backhanded a close-in rebound past Red Deer goalie Andrew Leslie. Adam Courchaine also scored his 22 nd by cashing in a rebound off the goal post at 12:13 of the third.
Marek Schwarz was solid between the pipes, especially in the first two periods, when the Czech goaltender stopped 21 of 22 shots. He allowed three goals on 11 third period shots, though was not a major factor in the loss. The Giants pumped 13 shots at Leslie in the middle frame, but the Rebels' netminder was sharp, making 25 saves on 28 shots in the game.
Most Giants' blueliners, not too mention a few forwards, coughed up the puck on Wednesday, resulting in goals by Jared Walker, Ty Morris, Ted Vandermeer and Dion Phaneuf for Red Deer . Phaneuf, a gold medalist with Team Canada at the recently played World Junior Championship in North Dakota , scored the game-winning tally at 12:59 of the third period, 46 seconds after Courchaine had knotted the affair 3-3.
Morris, an overage forward acquired from Vancouver , now has 22 points in his last 12 games and 38 points in 26 matches for the Rebels. The Central Division club's scoring leader, Morris, who put up just 17 points in 24 games for the Giants earlier this season, has 55 points and is among the Western League's leaders.
Morris was complimentary of the Giants' organization, praising Head Coach Don Hay and the team in recent media coverage around Vancouver . He turned 21 on Wednesday by scoring his 25 th goal of the season, as did Giants' tough guy captain Triston Grant, who collected an assist.
Vancouver 's road show continues Friday in Swift Current, followed by a game in Lethbridge on Saturday. After two days off, the Giants skate into Medicine Hat and Calgary on Tuesday and Wednesday and end their six-game odyssey Saturday, February 12 in Spokane .
The Vancouver Giants gave the puck away once too often on Wednesday, dropping a tough road loss 4-3 to the Red Deer Rebels. The G-Men earned each of their tallies and two separate leads, but every Red Deer goal came by way of a giveaway which cost the team dearly.
Mitch Bartley scored his first of two goals when he opened the festivities just 40 seconds into the game. After burgeoning power forward J.D. Watt started the game with a big hit on the very first shift, Bartley's line kept the tempo up as the 19-year-old counted his 21 st of the year with a slapshot from beyond the Rebels' blueline. Bartley later got his 22 nd on a powerplay at 14:55 of the second period when he backhanded a close-in rebound past Red Deer goalie Andrew Leslie. Adam Courchaine also scored his 22 nd by cashing in a rebound off the goal post at 12:13 of the third.
Marek Schwarz was solid between the pipes, especially in the first two periods, when the Czech goaltender stopped 21 of 22 shots. He allowed three goals on 11 third period shots, though was not a major factor in the loss. The Giants pumped 13 shots at Leslie in the middle frame, but the Rebels' netminder was sharp, making 25 saves on 28 shots in the game.
Most Giants' blueliners, not too mention a few forwards, coughed up the puck on Wednesday, resulting in goals by Jared Walker, Ty Morris, Ted Vandermeer and Dion Phaneuf for Red Deer . Phaneuf, a gold medalist with Team Canada at the recently played World Junior Championship in North Dakota , scored the game-winning tally at 12:59 of the third period, 46 seconds after Courchaine had knotted the affair 3-3.
Morris, an overage forward acquired from Vancouver , now has 22 points in his last 12 games and 38 points in 26 matches for the Rebels. The Central Division club's scoring leader, Morris, who put up just 17 points in 24 games for the Giants earlier this season, has 55 points and is among the Western League's leaders.
Morris was complimentary of the Giants' organization, praising Head Coach Don Hay and the team in recent media coverage around Vancouver . He turned 21 on Wednesday by scoring his 25 th goal of the season, as did Giants' tough guy captain Triston Grant, who collected an assist.
Vancouver 's road show continues Friday in Swift Current, followed by a game in Lethbridge on Saturday. After two days off, the Giants skate into Medicine Hat and Calgary on Tuesday and Wednesday and end their six-game odyssey Saturday, February 12 in Spokane .