PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants at Kamloops Blazers (Game #12)
Tonight from Kamloops the Vancouver Giants wrap up a three-game tour through the B.C. Division when they battle the division leading Kamloops Blazers for the third time this season. So far on the trip the Giants are 1-1 having earned a split up North against Prince George earlier this week. Tonight Michael Dyck’s crew will look to solve Kamloops for the first time this season.
KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
OVERVIEW
Head Coach: Shaun Clouston
Record: 11-2 (1st in B.C. Division)
Home Record: 4-0
Record vs. VAN: 2-0
Last 10: 8-2
Last Game: A 3-2 loss courtesy of the Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday on the road.
Goals For/Goals Against: 67 GF/28 GA (+39)
Power Play: 26.1% (2nd in B.C. Division)
Penalty Kill: 77.5% (4th in B.C. Division)
Leading Scorers: Josh Pillar (8-13-21), Logan Stankoven (9-10-19), Matthew Seminoff (6-13-19)
PILLAR LEADS THE WAY
At the very top of the Kamloops Blazers scoring list is where you’ll find 2002-born forward Josh Pillar. The pride of Warman, SK comes into tonight with 21 points (8G, 13A) along with a +7 rating. His seven power play points (all assists) are also tops on the team. Pillar scored once in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to Kelowna, and has recorded at least one point in 11 of the team’s first 13 games. In two games against the Giants so far this season, Josh Pillar leads all Blazers with five points (1G, 4A).
‘GARAND’ FASHION
2002-born goaltender Dylan Garand comes into tonight’s game with the most wins of any goaltender so far this season. The 2020 draftee of the New York Rangers has a 9-2 record with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. In two meetings so far with Vancouver, Garand is 2-0 with a save percentage that .923 and a goals-against average of 2.02. One of those wins was a shutout against the Giants back on October 16th. In 102 career WHL games with Kamloops, Garand has gone 65-24-4-2. For his career he is 10-3-1-2 against Vancouver.
BLAZER NOTES
- The Blazers power play is 4/11 against Vancouver in two games.
- The Blazers peanlty kill is 4/4 against Vancouver in two games.
- Logan Stankoven leads all Blazers with three goals against Vancouver.
- Nine different Blazers have scored at least once vs. Vancouver.
- The Blazers are 9-0 when leading after both the first and the second period.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Head Coach: Michael Dyck
Record: 7-3-1-0
Road Record: 2-2-1-0
Last 10: 6-3-1-0
Last Game: A 5-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars Wednesday on the road.
Goals For/Goals Against: 41 GF/31 GA (+10)
Power Play: 23.8% (3rd in B.C. Division)
Penalty Kill: 80.0% (2nd in B.C. Division)
Leading Scorers: Justin Sourdif (5-12-17), Adam Hall (7-6-13), Ty Thorpe (5-8-13)
WHAT A START FOR HORNING
Connor Horning’s final WHL season is off to a terrific start. The 2001-born product of Kelowna, B.C. comes into tonight’s game with five goals and three assists for eight points, which is tops among all Giants blueliners. Over his past six games, Horning has produced four goals along with three assists for seven points. Two of those points came earlier this week in the 5-3 Giants victory on the road in Prince George. The 6’3″ blueliner is also tied for the team lead in plus/minus with a +8 rating and he’s added three multi-point games. With 210 games played, Connor Horning has more games under his belt than any other current Giant, and in that span he’s recorded 22 goals and 39 assists for 61 points. He was originally acquired by the Giants in a November 2019 trade with the Swift Current Broncos.
SOURDIF RETURNS
After missing Tuesday’s game in Prince George with a lower body injury, Giants captain Justin Sourdif returned to the lineup Wednesday and chipped in with two assists in the 5-3 victory. For the season, Justin Sourdif now has five goals and 12 assists for a team-leading 17 points. Sourdif has recorded two-or-more points in seven of the Giants first 11 games this season, and tonight he’ll look to help lead his team to their first win of the season against Kamloops. Sourdif does have two assists against Kamloops in two meetings with them so far.
GIANT NOTES
- Giants goaltender Jesper Vikman enters play tonight tied for first in the league with two shutouts.
- Ty Thorpe (5G, 8A) has recorded points in seven of his past eight games. In that span he’s notched four goals and five assists for nine points.
- Adam Hall has already matched his goal total from last season (7). He’s done so in 11 fewer games.
- Fabian Lysell leads all Giants with three points (1G, 2A) in two games against Kamloops.
- Alex Cotton has one goal and one assists for two points in first two games with Vancouver.
