2020-21 WHL Season Review: Vancouver Giants
Prior to the Pandemic
After a slow start to the season, the Giants started to turn things around after the trade deadline as an improved offence led to an 11-game win streak. The stage was set for an interesting opening round series with the Victoria Royals when the campaign ended.
Season Recap
The cancelation of the 2020 playoffs resulted in a bit of a change for the Giants heading into this year. Forwards Tyler Preziuso and Milos Roman aged out of the league along with goaltender David Tendeck, blueliners Seth Bafaro and Trevor Longo did not return for their overage campaigns, defensive leader Bowen Byram moved up to the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche and forward Cole Shepard was out for the entire season due to an injury.
Zack Ostapchuk short-handed and Marko Stracha, with his first career WHL goal, scored for the Giants (12-10) in the first period before Swiss world junior championship player Keanu Derungs brought Victoria to within one on the power play at 19:29. Justin Sourdif, a third-round NHL draft pick of the Florida Panthers, scored his 11th of the season at 15:07 of the second period to restore Vancouver’s two-goal cushion.
“We were chasing the game,” said Royals GM and head coach Dan Price.
Veteran Alex Kannok Leipert, in his final junior game, Justin Lies and Bryce Bader, the latter on the power play, put it out of reach in the third period.
WHL Roundup: Sebastian Cossa leads Oil Kings over Hurricanes 4-0
April 15, 2021
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Sebastian Cossa stopped all 30 shots he faced while staying undefeated in 12 starts, and the Edmonton Oil Kings blanked the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-0 on Thursday in Western Hockey League action.
Cossa s second shutout of the season helped Edmonton pick up its fourth win in a row. He s 12-0-0 in 2020-21 and leads all WHL goaltenders with a 1.33 goals-against average and .948 save percentage.
Carson Latimer, Jayden Henderson, Jalen Luypen and Matthew Robertson scored for the Oil Kings (13-1-0).
Carl Tetachuk turned away 23-of-27 shots for the Hurricanes (6-7-2), who were 3-0-1 in their last four outings before meeting Edmonton.
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Photo Courtesy of Keith Hershmiller/WHL Tyson Laventure celebrates with Prince Albert Raiders netminder Max Paddock following his 45-save shutout of the Moose Jaw Warriors on Thursday night in Regina.
As his time in junior hockey enters the home stretch, Max Paddock put together one of his best performances in the Western Hockey League on Thursday night.
The Prince Albert Raiders overage netminder stopped all 45 shots that came his way at the Brandt Centre as he helped his team pick up a 2-0 shutout triumph over the Moose Jaw Warriors.
“It obviously feels good to get the shutout as we’ve been pretty close to having one over the last couple of games,” Paddock said after earning the eighth clean sheet of his WHL career and his fourth in a Raiders uniform.
Vancouver has leaned well into the post-Bowen Byram era. Even without the Canadian world junior gold medallist, now a rookie blueliner in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche, the Giants returned a boat load of players and are 6-3 in the 24-game B.C. Division season. Veterans Alex Kannok Leipert, a Washington Capitals NHL draft pick, Tristan Nielsen and third-round Florida Panthers draft pick Justin Sourdif led Vancouver with a goal and assist each to snap a two-game losing skid and send Victoria to its fourth consecutive defeat. “Vancouver was more physical and I want our guys to take pride in being more physical going ahead,” said Victoria head coach Dan Price.