PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants vs. Kelowna Rockets (Game #32)
This afternoon at the LEC the Vancouver Giants kick off the 2022 calendar year with their fifth meeting of the season against their division rivals from Kelowna. The Kelowna Rockets have won five straight games while the Giants are trying to erase a four-game losing skid. Today the G-Men will have some reinforcements back in their lineup as captain Justin Sourdif and goaltender Jesper Vikman have both returned from the World Juniors.
KELOWNA ROCKETS
OVERVIEW
Record: 16-9-0-3
Road Record: 5-6-0-2
Last Game: A 5-2 home victory last night against Victoria.
Last 10: 6-3-0-1
Record vs. VAN: 1-3
Power Play: 22.6%
Penalty Kill: 75.8%
Leading Scorers: Pavel Novak (13-20-33), Jake Lee (8-17-25), Colton Dach (12-12-24)
NOVAK TOPS THE CHARTS
2002-born forward Pavel Novak (Tabor, Czech Republic) is also back from the World Juniors after representing his home country for a second straight year at that event. The 2020 (unsigned) draftee of the Minnesota Wild comes into tonight’s game with a team-leading 33 points (13G, 20A). Prior to today’s game, Pavel Novak has recorded at least one point in eight of his last nine games, and during that span has produced four goals and eight assists for 12 points. Yesterday against Victoria at home, Novak had two assists in a 5-2 win. In four meetings so far this season for Kelowna against Vancouver, Novak has produced one goal and one assists for two points. In 80 career WHL games (all with Kelowna) Pavel Novak has registered 38 goals and 53 assists for 91 points.
‘LEE’DING THE CHARGE
2001-born defenceman Jake Lee comes into today’s game leading all Rockets defencemen in points (25). The product of Sherwood Park, AB is coming off a terrific performance last night where he managed two goals and two assists for four points, along with a +5 rating. Lee has recorded at least a point in each of his past seven games and has two goals and nine assists for 11 points in that span. In four games against Vancouver this season, Jake Lee has two goals and one assist.
ROCKET NOTES
- Andrew Cristall (1G, 3A) and Nolan Flamand (0G, 4A) both lead Kelowna with four points each against the Giants.
- Talyn Boyko and Colby Knight are a combined 0-3 against the Giants this season in goal.
- Kelowna is 4/15 on the PP against Vancouver.
- Nolan Flamand (2G, 8A) leads the Rockets with 10 power play points.
- Three of Andrew Cristall’s 10 goals this season have been game-winners.
- The Rockets have outscored their opponents 25-13 during their five-game winning streak.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 14-16-1-0
Home Record: 7-7-0-0
Last Game: A 7-3 loss to the Victoria Royals on Thursday on the road.
Last 10: 1-9-0-0
Record vs. KEL: 3-0-1-0
Power Play: 19.8%
Penalty Kill: 74.4%
Leading Scorers: Justin Sourdif (8-21-29), Fabian Lysell (11-17-28), Ty Thorpe (9-19-28)
THE CAPTAIN RETURNS
This afternoon at the LEC the Vancouver Giants are thrilled to welcome their captain Justin Sourdif back into the lineup. Sourdif, a signed prospect of the NHL’s Florida Panthers will play in his first game with the Giants since December 8th. Sourdif missed the past nine games because of the World Juniors where he, along with head coach Michael Dyck and Athletic Therapist Mike Burnstein were representing Team Canada at the event. Before departing for the World Juniors, Justin Sourdif led all Giants with 29 points (8G, 21A) and was a team-best +17. Sourdif has also posted 11 multi-point games so far this season. Sourdif has been especially effective against Kelowna with two goals and six assists for eight points in four games against them so far this season.
WELCOME BACK JESPER
The Giants should also have 2002-born goaltender/Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jesper Vikman back between the pipes today against the Rockets. Vikman for the season is 11-5-1-0 and he’s 3-0-1-0 against Kelowna with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Vikman is 5-2 in his last seven starts and is tied for seventh in the WHL in victories.
GIANT NOTES
- Fabian Lysell and Zack Ostapchuk have each scored three goals this season against Kelowna.
- The Giants are 7/15 against Kelowna this season on the power play.
- Julian Cull and Jaden Lipinski both recorded their first WHL last Thursday against Victoria.
- The Giants are 2-0 against Kelowna at home and have outscored them 9-2.
- Alex Cotton leads all Giants with 12 power play points (6G, 6A).
