Giants Kick Off Double-Header Weekend With a 5-2 Loss to Spokane
Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre the Vancouver Giants (23-34-4-0) dropped a hard-fought 5-2 loss to the Spokane Chiefs (21-37-4-1). Spokane struck for five straight unanswered goals beginning in the second period. Tyler Cheveldayoff had a two-goal night for the Chiefs, while Chase Bertholet (1G,1A) and Bear Hughes (2A) both had two points apiece. Jaden Lipinski had both goals in response for the Giants while Justin added two assists. Connor Martin stopped 40 shots in the Giants goal while visiting netminder Mason Beaupit made 35 saves of his own to secure the victory. The win for the Chiefs puts them within three points of the G-men for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
GIANTS DROP THE FIRST OF A WEEKEND DOUBLE-HEADER
1st Period:
VAN – 10:33 into the first period, Jaden Lipinski (7) received a slick blue-line feed from Justin Lies, snuck between the Chiefs defence and snuck a low shot past Beaupit while being hauled down. The second assist came from Colton Langkow. The goal negated a delayed penalty.
VAN – 2:01 later, Jaden Lipinski (8) struck again. This time, Lipinski parked himself in front of the crease and redirected home an Alex Cotton pass. Justin Lies picked up the second assist.
Shots: 20-18 Vancouver
2nd Period:
SPO – Chase Bertholet (28) got Spokane on the board with a breakaway goal that just snuck through the legs of Martin. The assists came from Logan Cunningham and Berkly Catton. The goal came 6:45 into the second period.
SPO – With only 2:12 remaining in the second, Tyler Cheveldayoff (8) raced down the right-wing and roofed a wrist-shot post-and-in to tie the game at 2-2. The assist came courtesy of Blake Swetlikoff.
Shots: 15-5 Spokane
3rd Period:
SPO – The Chiefs took the lead 4:03 into the third with a power-play goal from Nick McCarry (19) off a backhand deke in alone. Assists came from Bear Hughes and Chase Bertholet.
SPO – Tyler Cheveldayoff (9) potted his second goal of the night to provide some insurance for the Chiefs at 17:05 of the third. The play came as a result of an intercepted pass at the Giants blueline which allowed Cheveldayoff to skate in alone for an unassisted marker.
SPO – Graham Sword (10) added an empty netter with a shot from his own zone to make it 5-2. Bear Hughes had the lone assist.
Shots: 12-12
GAME SUMMARY
Final Score: Spokane 5 – Vancouver 2
Final Shots: 45 – 37 Spokane
Connor Martin: 40/44 saves for Vancouver
Mason Beaupit: 35/37 saves for Spokane
Vancouver Power Play: 0/4
Spokane Power Play: 1/6
3 Stars:
- Chase Bertholet (1G,1A)
- Jaden Lipinski (2G)
- Mason Beaupit (35 Saves)
Next Game: A rematch Sunday against the Spokane Chiefs to close out their season series. Puck drop at 4:00PM.
NOTES:
- For the second time this season, Jaden Lipinski scored two goals in one game.
- Justin Lies now has three points (all assists) in his last two games.
- Zack Ostapchuk and Alex Cotton both returned to the Giants lineup after missing time last weekend with injuries.
- The Giants are now 1-2-0-0 in the season series verse the Spokane Chiefs with the chance to even it up on Sunday night.
- The G-men have just three home games remaining in the 2021-2022 regular season.
*Notes provided by Michael Williams
