2022 WHL Playoffs Preview: (8) Vancouver Giants vs. (2) Kamloops Blazers
The Second Round of the 2022 WHL Playoffs begins Thursday, May 5, and WHL.ca is previewing each of the four second-round matchups. In the second of our four second-round previews, we examine the Kamloops Blazers and the Vancouver Giants.
A B.C. Division showdown is set to begin Friday night, as the Kamloops Blazers and Vancouver Giants open the Second Round of the 2022 WHL Playoffs at the Sandman Centre.
It’s a battle of two Clubs that have experienced vastly different seasons, and both arrive in the Second Round having taken quite different journeys through the 2022 WHL Playoffs so far.
Kamloops handled their business tidily in the opening round, sweeping the Spokane Chiefs in four games behind two shutouts from New York Rangers prospect Dylan Garand and 13 points from McSweeney’s WHL Player of the Month Logan Stankoven.
The Giants, meantime, upset the top-ranked Everett Silvertips in six games, with the NHL prospect trio of Zack Ostapchuk (Ottawa Senators), Fabian Lysell (Boston Bruins) and Alex Cotton (Detroit Red Wings) combining for 44 points.
The Blazers have been the class of the B.C. Division three years running: Dallas Stars prospect Stankoven headlines a forward group that likes to strike quickly and often. Trade Deadline acquisition Luke Toporowski is back after a late-season injury, and complemented Stankoven nicely with 10 points in four games against his former Spokane mates.
Ostapchuk was named Giants captain in March, and has led his Club by example ever since. The key to the Giants’ first-round win against Everett though may have come in goal with the return of Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jesper Vikman, who provided a calming influence in the Vancouver crease in a series that included a 50-save road shutout on April 30.
Kamloops won 10 of the 12 meetings between the two sides during the 2021-22 Regular Season, with Stankoven leading all scorers with nine goals and 20 points. Two of the three most recent meetings, though, required extra time.
This series marks the third all-time meeting in the WHL Playoffs between Kamloops and Vancouver. The Giants won both prior engagements, most recently a four-game first-round sweep in 2010.
Game Breakers
Kamloops Blazers: No question, it’s Logan Stankoven. The hometown product finished third in the WHL scoring race during the regular season with 104 points. Without a doubt, he is the most electrifying player on the Kamloops roster. He’s a clutch performer, too, with 11 game-winning goals in regular season and playoff play this season.
Vancouver Giants: Throughout Vancouver’s six-game series with Everett, Boston Bruins first-rounder Fabian Lysell provided energy and excitement. The Swedish forward finished the series with 15 points and while he is more apt to play the role of distributor than finisher, his release is lightning-quick.
Goaltending
Kamloops Blazers: Dylan Garand has cemented himself as one of the leading lights in WHL creases in recent years and the 2022 WHL Playoffs have provided yet another chance for the New York Rangers prospect to shine. Garand posted two shutouts in Round One, surrendering just three goals in four games against the Chiefs.
🎥SAVE OF THE NIGHT🎥
Ladies and gentlemen, Dylan Garand.@RealCdnSS | @blazerhockey | @NYRangers | #SaveoftheNight pic.twitter.com/nyTCxXP8ef
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 26, 2022
Vancouver Giants: After missing the final month of the regular season due to injury, Jesper Vikman is back and in form for Vancouver. He finished the Giants’ six-game series with a 4-1 record and .886 save percentage, but provided the group with stability and poise in their series triumph over the Silvertips.
Jesper Vikman is a man on a mission tonight!@WHLGiants | @GoldenKnights#EVTvsVAN | #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/otZp278UQ0
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 1, 2022
X-Factors
Kamloops Blazers: The Blazers have defencemen that can jump up offensively including veteran Quinn Schmiemann, who finished the regular season series with Vancouver with 14 points. The product of Wilcox, Sask. led the Kamloops blueline in scoring in Round One with a goal and five assists.
Is there anything Logan Stankoven doesn't do? Nice dish to Quinn Schmiemann for a PP tally.@blazerhockey | @DallasStars pic.twitter.com/NPYBXIiXbz
— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 15, 2022
Vancouver Giants: Adam Hall is making his first WHL Playoffs experience a memorable one. The overtime hero in Game 1 versus Everett, Hall scored five times, including a hat-trick in the series with the Silvertips, and has proven to be a capable complimentary piece with linemates Zack Ostapchuk and Fabian Lysell.
That's one small step for Adam Hall, one GIANT leap for Vancouver.
The @WHLGiants take Game One in WHOA-vertime!#WHLPlayoffs | #EVTvsVAN pic.twitter.com/aqr8eihe6J
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 23, 2022
Series Schedule
Game | Visitor | Home | Date | Time | |
1 | Vancouver | @ | Kamloops | Friday, May 6 | 8:00 |
2 | Vancouver | @ | Kamloops | Saturday, May 7 | 8:00 |
3 | Kamloops | @ | Vancouver | Tuesday, May 10 | 8:00 |
4 | Kamloops | @ | Vancouver | Thursday, May 12 | 8:00 |
5 * | Vancouver | @ | Kamloops | Friday, May 13 | 8:00 |
6 * | Kamloops | @ | Vancouver | Sunday, May 15 | 5:00 |
7 * | Vancouver | @ | Kamloops | Tuesday, May 17 | 8:00 |
* = if necessary
Season Series
Vancouver (2) at Kamloops (5) – April 16, 2022
Kamloops (4) at Vancouver (3), OT – March 4, 2022
Vancouver (4) at Kamloops (3), OT – February 19, 2022
Kamloops (3) at Vancouver (2) – February 4, 2022
Kamloops (5) at Vancouver (2) – January 30, 2022
Vancouver (1) at Kamloops (2) – January 26, 2022
Vancouver (1) at Kamloops (7) – December 8, 2021
Kamloops (1) at Vancouver (3) – December 3, 2021
Kamloops (2) at Vancouver (1) – November 13, 2021
Vancouver (1) at Kamloops (6) – November 12, 2021
Vancouver (4) at Kamloops (7) – October 22, 2021
Kamloops (5) at Vancouver (0) – October 16, 2021
Through WHL Live on CHL TV, fans can enjoy every single scheduled game throughout the 2022 WHL Playoffs with the purchase of a WHL All-Access Pass at the low price of $59.99 plus applicable taxes and fees.
WHL Live – 2022 WHL Playoffs Packages
All-Access: $59.99
Round-by-Round: $19.99 per round
24-Hour Access: $8.99
* all prices in Canadian dollars
+ does not include applicable taxes and fees
WHL Live on CHL TV is available to fans anywhere in the world, providing high-quality streaming of WHL games on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV platforms, via mobile with iOS and Android, and on web using Safari or Google Chrome web browsers. Visit WHLLive.com for complete details.