Beaner
02-06-2005, 03:34 PM
from http://www.vancouvergiants.com/
By Matt Barkoff
The Vancouver Giants ventured into the eye of a Hurricane on Saturday and weathered the storm in thrilling fashion. Trailing the Central Division-leading Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-1 with less than seven minutes to go in regulation, team captain Triston Grant tipped in a powerplay goal that tied up the contest 2-2. Overtime solved nothing in a game that saw the G-Men erase a 2-0 deficit to earn the big road point.
Marek Schwarz (left) made two early scintillating saves when Lethbridge jumped out to a 4-0 lead in shots on goal. The Giants' netminder also successfully performed no less than three expert poke checks to avert ‘Canes' shooters and shoved aside 28 of 30 shots against in the game.
“Schwarzie was great last night and tonight,” Giants' Assistant Coach Craig Bonner said. “In the third period he had to come up with a big save when they had a 3-on-0 and he made a great save in the second I can remember – he was solid tonight. You need your goalie to step up on the road and he definitely did that. It's a good confidence-builder for him.”
Michael Kaye and Colton Yellowhorn scored Lethbridge 's first two goals, roughly four minutes into the first and second periods respectively. The quick-skating Hurricanes out-shot Vancouver 13-7 after one period, but the Giants took charge in that department and eventually piled up 31 shots versus former goalie Aaron Sorochan.
“In the first five minutes our start wasn't great, but we were almost in a little bit of awe of Lethbridge 's speed,” Bonner allowed. “After the first we (coaches) talked after the first and didn't remember them being that quick from the game in Vancouver (on December 28th). They were coming guns blazing there early, but once we kind of figured it out, we were fine.”
Courchaine ran the powerplay most effectively for the G-Men, first setting up Mitch Bartley for his eighth goal in the past six games on a two-man advantage at 7:26 of the middle frame, before combining with defender Cody Franson on Grant's even-up PP marker at 12:34 of the final stanza.
Vancouver is 1-1-1 at the midway point of a six-game excursion through the Central Division, having staged comebacks in Saturday's tie and Friday's explosive 6-2 triumph in Swift Current. Since overhauling the blueline and bolstering overall team depth and chemistry, the Giants are a much more responsible outfit, especially on the road in the second half of the season.
“Obviously the last two nights have been great, but the difference now compared to the beginning of the year is that we're in every game and we compete in every game,” said Bonner. “Even the ones we've lost are one-goal, maybe two-goal games. Early in the year we had our 6-0 losses and our 5-1s or whatever they were, but now we give ourselves a chance to win every night.”
Super Bowl Sunday notwithstanding, many of the team's players will concentrate on their studies prior to watching the big National Football League championship game. Out on the road for nearly two weeks to start the month of February, school is just a little bit more added pressure for the Giants' kids to contend with.
“For all the parents out there, our school guys are doing school work tomorrow, so all the Moms out there will be happy,” Bonner quipped. “We're looking forward to the rest tomorrow to watch the football game and get back at practice Monday.”
The Giants will travel to Medicine Hat for a game on Tuesday and then leave that night to play a Wednesday tilt in Calgary . After staying over in Cowtown, the club enjoys another day off to travel to Spokane where they'll practice Friday and wrap up the trip against the Chiefs next Saturday.
By Matt Barkoff
The Vancouver Giants ventured into the eye of a Hurricane on Saturday and weathered the storm in thrilling fashion. Trailing the Central Division-leading Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-1 with less than seven minutes to go in regulation, team captain Triston Grant tipped in a powerplay goal that tied up the contest 2-2. Overtime solved nothing in a game that saw the G-Men erase a 2-0 deficit to earn the big road point.
Marek Schwarz (left) made two early scintillating saves when Lethbridge jumped out to a 4-0 lead in shots on goal. The Giants' netminder also successfully performed no less than three expert poke checks to avert ‘Canes' shooters and shoved aside 28 of 30 shots against in the game.
“Schwarzie was great last night and tonight,” Giants' Assistant Coach Craig Bonner said. “In the third period he had to come up with a big save when they had a 3-on-0 and he made a great save in the second I can remember – he was solid tonight. You need your goalie to step up on the road and he definitely did that. It's a good confidence-builder for him.”
Michael Kaye and Colton Yellowhorn scored Lethbridge 's first two goals, roughly four minutes into the first and second periods respectively. The quick-skating Hurricanes out-shot Vancouver 13-7 after one period, but the Giants took charge in that department and eventually piled up 31 shots versus former goalie Aaron Sorochan.
“In the first five minutes our start wasn't great, but we were almost in a little bit of awe of Lethbridge 's speed,” Bonner allowed. “After the first we (coaches) talked after the first and didn't remember them being that quick from the game in Vancouver (on December 28th). They were coming guns blazing there early, but once we kind of figured it out, we were fine.”
Courchaine ran the powerplay most effectively for the G-Men, first setting up Mitch Bartley for his eighth goal in the past six games on a two-man advantage at 7:26 of the middle frame, before combining with defender Cody Franson on Grant's even-up PP marker at 12:34 of the final stanza.
Vancouver is 1-1-1 at the midway point of a six-game excursion through the Central Division, having staged comebacks in Saturday's tie and Friday's explosive 6-2 triumph in Swift Current. Since overhauling the blueline and bolstering overall team depth and chemistry, the Giants are a much more responsible outfit, especially on the road in the second half of the season.
“Obviously the last two nights have been great, but the difference now compared to the beginning of the year is that we're in every game and we compete in every game,” said Bonner. “Even the ones we've lost are one-goal, maybe two-goal games. Early in the year we had our 6-0 losses and our 5-1s or whatever they were, but now we give ourselves a chance to win every night.”
Super Bowl Sunday notwithstanding, many of the team's players will concentrate on their studies prior to watching the big National Football League championship game. Out on the road for nearly two weeks to start the month of February, school is just a little bit more added pressure for the Giants' kids to contend with.
“For all the parents out there, our school guys are doing school work tomorrow, so all the Moms out there will be happy,” Bonner quipped. “We're looking forward to the rest tomorrow to watch the football game and get back at practice Monday.”
The Giants will travel to Medicine Hat for a game on Tuesday and then leave that night to play a Wednesday tilt in Calgary . After staying over in Cowtown, the club enjoys another day off to travel to Spokane where they'll practice Friday and wrap up the trip against the Chiefs next Saturday.