Giants 5 Cougars 4 Nov 27 2009
The Giants had to gut it out to take this one in PG. They used their PP chances to best advantage and kept the Cats off the score-sheet with their PP opportunities. The Cougars did not lay down in this one, but were seriously out-worked in the third period. Odd that Cunningham was -3 on the night (while still getting the GWG goal and 2 PP A's) and that Gally, Cunner and Manning were all on the ice for all four of the Cougars goals. Usually a very defensively solid combo, but the cats had their numbers tonight. It was good to see this squad battle it out and bring their best game to the fore when it counted. This bodes very well for their future road-trip extravaganza coming in January/February. I'm sure the Cougars are happy to have Connolly back and healthy, as he was a big part of the Cougars offensive pressure. Could be a hell of a tilt on Saturday. Let's hope more home-town fans come out to see their team play.
Quote:
Giants Claw Cougars
Vancouver 5 Prince George 4
Don Robinson
The Giants opened the scoring, but spent the majority of the game scrabbling from behind as the Cats were putting on a good showing for their meagre home crowd. The difference in the game was special teams as the G’s were able to weather several early PPs against in the first period, holding the Cougars to doughnuts while with the man-advantage. The Cougars are a different team at home and they came pretty close to taking the win, but couldn’t quite hold on to get the victory.
The Giants had a bit of a new look tonight as Garry Nunn was back in the line-up, Cass Mappin was back from injury and Brett Lyon made his debut with the G-Men. Add Connor Redmond in his second game as a Giant and Ryan Funk no longer on the blue-line and the team’s dynamic was definitely different. The new look continued between the pipes as Mark Segal got his second start in as many games in this the first game of a back to back tilt in Prince George.
The Giants opened the scoring as Mike Piluso rippled the twine 6:23 into the game. Lyon and JT Barnett garnered helpers on the play. It was then that the parade to the penalty box started as the lone ref made up for not having a partner, by calling everything he imagined. The Giants spent the majority of the period, killing penalties or playing 4 on 4. The Cats lone goal of the first came during the first half of a double minor against Bouma. Lance Bouma took 4 and a 10 min misconduct for sticking up for his team-mate, when Musil got levelled in a vulnerable position. Bouma challenged and threw several punches at Greg Fraser who did not either have time or inclination to drop his gloves as the Giants’ captain was on him quickly. Taylor Makin scored 4 on 4 for the Cougars to tie the game late in the period.
The Giants were sticking up for their own tonight, taking penalties to send a few messages. Dillon Scholten tangled with Makin, when he ran over Segal, getting tagged for the interference before Scholten took a roughing for stepping in for his netminder. The penalty box parade slowed down a bit in the second, giving both teams a chance to free-wheel a bit and play some good hard hockey. The Cougars took their first lead early in the middle frame when Spencer Asuchak put the puck past Segal. The Giants got that back a couple of minutes later putting their PP to work. Garry Nunn scored a nice goal using his blazing speed, cruising into the Cougars zone and ripping the puck past Hudson Stremmel. The Cougars went back ahead when Kurt Torbohm found a seam through Segal mid-second. The Giants were able to weather a PP a few minutes later holding the Cats to just the one goal lead, getting a very important kill. The Cougars went to the break up 3-2.
Kevin Connauton scored his first of the game off a PP which was carried over from the tail-end of the second period. Craig Cunningham and Neil Manning got the assists. The goal off of the offensive defenseman came 6 seconds into the third, tying the game. The Cougars were not laying down though, despite the Giants coming out hard and heavy in the third gutting out every shift and possession. Stremmel was very good in the period holding the Giants at bay and almost did to get his team at least a point, but could not manage to hold them off forever. Brett Connolly got the Cougars lead back at around the 7 minute mark, but it was all Giants after that, out-shooting the cats 20-4 in the period and determined to take the win. Connauton got his second of the game a couple of minutes after the Connolly goal, for the Giants second 3 PP goal of the game. This time it was Cunningham and Gallagher getting the helpers. The Giants continued to bring the pressure in the third, pushing Stremmel to make some very good stops in the process. Cunningham finally managed to break to the tie with 32 seconds left in the game. Mappin and Nolan Toigo got the helpers on the play. The G’s were able to hold on for the win.
The Giants out-shot the Cougars 44-30, They used their PP well going 3 for 6 on the man-advantage, while holding the Cougars to 0 for 7. The Cats were full money for their effort, despite the loss and could be a handful Saturday when the two teams play their second in two nights at the CN Centre. I expect it’ll be a lively tilt as these kinds of back-to back games have a carry-over effect. Let’s hope more fans come to the rink tonight to watch their team gut it out versus the new look G’s. I expect Jamie Tucker will get the nod between the pipes for the G-Men. Puck drops at 7pm on Saturday.
Three Stars
1. Kevin Connauton
2. Brett Connolly
3. Craig Cunningham
