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.
Gauthier named WHL Goalie of the Week following three wins
SHARE ON: Prince George Cougars
Prince George Cougars netminder Taylor Gauthier turned heads this week after posting wins in all three of his starts.
Gauthier has been named the latest WHL goalie of the week after his performances, where he recorded a 1.33 goals-against average and .958 save percentage.
He stopped 81 shots over the span of three wins against the Victoria Royals (4-1), Kamloops Blazers (5-1) and Vancouver Giants (5-2).
“Highlighting that win was his highlight-reel glove save off of the Giants’ Bryce Bader,” said Play by play commentator Fraser Rodgers in a release.
The Kelowna Rockets scored two unanswered goals in the third to beat the Vancouver giants 4-3 Thursday - WHL castanet.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from castanet.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Cougars solve Miner, double up Giants
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The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Led by a four-point effort from Jonny Hooker, the Prince George Cougars made a statement against the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, dispatching them 6-3 from the Sandman Centre in Kamloops.
“I think we are growing as a group. You get a few games under your belt and you get a couple of good practices in when you are not playing, you can do a lot of things. The biggest thing is how we played and the buy-in of what we had to do against a really good hockey club,” said Mark Lamb, Cougars Head Coach and General Manager.