Game Day Preview: Americans @ Giants
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Tri-City Americans (25-16-1-2, 53 pts) at Vancouver Giants (12-32-0-0, 24 pts)
Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC; 7:00 p.m.
Listen: NewsTalk 870
Watch: WHL Live
Previous Game
Vancouver: 4-3 Win vs. Kelowna
Tri-City: 6-1 Win at Everett
Point Leaders
Vancouver: Jackson Houck, 13G-26A–39PT; Brendan Rouse 6G-24A–30PT; Brett Kulak 9G-18A-27PT
Tri-City: Justin Feser, 25G-29A–54PT; Malte Strömwall 12G-20A–32PT; Connor Rankin 18G-11A–29PT
Notes
Vancouver comes into this game with nothing to lose. The team has 24 points this season, which is eight points lower than the second to last place team in the league Prince George Cougars. The Giants do come into this game on a positive note, defeating the Kelowna Rockets 4-3 snapping the Rockets eight game win streak. Tri-City comes into the game on a two game win streak. They earned a win in their first home game of 2013 against the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-3, as Justin Feser earned his 300th point by scoring a natural hat-trick. The Americans crushed the Everett Silvertips last night 6-1 with six different scorers. Luke Lee-Knight made 32 saves in the win and almost had a shutout if it weren’t for Manraj Hayer scoring off a faceoff in the third period. The Americans have won both games that the two teams have played this season, with Tri-City winning 9-1 in Kennewick, which was the team’s largest margin of victory. In early December, the Americans defeated the Giants 4-3, coming from behind in the third period to win.
Players to Watch
Vancouver:
D Mason Geertsen: A rated prospect in the NHL Draft’s midseason rankings, he came over in a trade from Edmonton and had two goals and seven assists in 15 games.
C Brendan Rouse: The 20-year-old was recently picked-up from the waiver wire and had an assist in his first game in a Giants uniform.
Tri-City:
D Mitch Topping: The veteran defenseman has a point in every game in 2013, scoring a goal and six assists in five games.
C Justin Gutierrez: In his first full season, he has played 32 games and scored his first career goal in the home game against Seattle and has goals in two straight games.
Keys to the Game
Five in Five: The Americans have five games in five nights with a few players injured. The team has won the first two games, but has three more including two more on the road including the game tonight. The Americans come home and play one game against Kamloops on Friday, but the team has to conserve their energy to make it through all five games this week.
Heavily Favored: The Americans are clearly the better team coming into the game in almost every statistical category. The team has defeated the Giants both times this season and has a good recent history against Vancouver. This could be considered a trap game for the Americans, considering the Giants have some confidence coming into this game having ended the red-hot Kelowna Rockets eight game win streak.
Next Game
Vancouver: Jan. 18 vs. Victoria
Tri-City: Jan. 18 vs. Kamloops
