Byram’s Fourth OT Winner Lifts the G-Men Over the Royals 2-1

The Vancouver Giants are coming home from the Island with five of six possible points from the Victoria Royals. Sunday afternoon at the Save on Foods Memorial Centre the Vancouver Giants (41-14-2-2) defeated the Victoria Royals (31-25-2-2) in overtime 2-1. Bowen Byram scored his WHL-leading fourth overtime winning goal 59 seconds into overtime, moving the Giants back within two points of first place in the Western Conference standings. Davis Koch assisted on both Giants goals while Trent Miner stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced. Phillip Schultz had Victoria’s lone goal in response while Brock Gould made 28 saves in the Victoria net.

 BOX SCORE

 1^st Period:

VAN – 4:18 into the game the Vancouver Giants took a 1-0 lead when Justin Sourdif (19) tucked home a power play goal from in close on Brock Gould. Milos Roman and Davis Koch both earned assists.

Shots: 10-5 Victoria

 2^nd Period:

No Scoring

Shots: 11-5 Vancouver

3^rd Period:

VIC – With exactly four minutes remaining in the game, Victoria got on the board on their eighth power play chance of the game. Phillip Schultz snuck into the slot, took a feed from Kody McDonald and snapped it home for his 15^th of the season.

Shots: 11-10 Vancouver

 Overtime:

VAN – 59 seconds into overtime Bowen Byram (22) converted off a three-on-one rush with Jared Dmytriw and Davis Koch. Byram raced down the ight-wing, and one-timed a Davis Koch feed past Brock Gould to secure his league-leading fourth overtime winning goal, cementing the Giants 2-1 victory.

#WHLThreeStars ⭐⭐⭐
Sunday, February 24, 2019 pic.twitter.com/BHgrcf6dZt

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 25, 2019

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Final Score: Vancouver 2 – Victoria 1 (Overtime)

Shots: 30-26 Vancouver

Trent Miner: 25/26 saves for Vancouver (21-4-1-1)

Brock Gould: 28/30 saves for Victoria (6-10-1-1)

Vancouver: 1/4 on Power Play

Victoria: 1/8 on Power Play

3 Stars:

1. Jared Dmytriw (VAN – 1A)
2. Phillip Schultz (VIC – 1G)
3. Trent Miner (VAN – 25 saves)

Next Giants Game: Friday night at home against the Kelowna Rockets at 7:30 PM.

NOTES:

• The Giants improved their overtime record to 6-2 on the season.
• Four of the 10 meetings this season between the Giants and the Royals required overtime. Each team won twice in extra time.
• The Giants went 6-2-1-1 against the Victoria Royals this season and were 2-1-1-1 against them on the road.
• The Giants are now 13-0-0-2 against B.C. Division teams since December 15^th.
• The Giants are two points back of the Everett Silvertips for first place in the Western Conference and they still hold one game in hand.