Giants Wrap Up Road Trip With a Thrilling 6-5 Victory Over Portland
Saturday night at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, OR the Vancouver Giants (22-29-3-0) skated to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Portland Winterhawks (38-15-3-2). Adam Hall paced the Giants with two goals and an assist while four other Giants (Ostapchuk, Lysell, Lipinski and Alex Cotton) each had two points. Clay Hanus responded with four assists for Portland and James Stefan and Marcus Nguyen each scored twice. Will Gurski made a season-high 41 saves in net for the Giants to secure his second victory in as many games. Dante Giannuzzi and Taylor Gauthier combined for 25 saves for Portland. It marked the Giants third consecutive win on the season against Portland.
GIANTS IMPROVE TO 3-0 AGAINST PORTLAND
1st Period:
VAN – Zack Ostapchuk (18) opened the scoring off a shorthanded two-on-one rush at the 1:43 mark of the first period. Ostapchuk’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season was set up by Connor Horning.
VAN – The Giants extended their lead to 2-0 when Fabian Lysell wired home his 20th of the season. Adam Hall set up the play with a cross-ice feed from the left-wing circle. Lysell’s goal came on the power play.
Shots: 18-9 Portland
2nd Period:
VAN – Adam Hall bagged his first of two goals on the night when he one-timed home a feed from Fabian Lysell from the slot. Zack Ostapchuk also factored in on the play.
VAN – 28 seconds later, Jaden Lipinski (6) finished off a Kaden Kohle pass in close on a backhand deke to extend the Giants lead to 4-0.
*Portland goaltender Dante Giannuzzi was pulled from the game in favour of Taylor Gauthier.
VAN – At 7:08, Alex Cotton (13) extended the Giants lead to 5-0 when his shot from the right wing point found its way home. Justin Lies and Ty Thorpe both earned assists.
VAN – The game’s winning goal would come 63 seconds later from Adam Hall. The over-age forward snuck past the defence, took a Jaden Lipinski feed and ripped a shot home for his 14th of the season.
POR – Marcus Nguyen began the Portland comeback bid with a shorthanded goal off the rush at 10:23. Clay Hanus’ first of four assists on the night came off this goal.
POR – James Stefan then made it 6-2 when his shot from the left-wing circle snuck through traffic and past Will Gurski. Clay Hanus and Kurtis Smythe both assisted.
POR – Marcus Nguyen wasn’t done. He scored his second of the game and 17th of the season off a back-door feed from Clay Hanus at 19:28, making the score 6-3.
Shots: 14-13 Portland
3rd Period:
POR – Kyle Chyzowski (11) moved Portland within two goals when he converted on an unassisted, back-hand effort at 10:46.
POR – Then with 15:28 gone in the final period, James Stefan’s shot from the left-wing point found its way in, giving him two on the night, and moving the score to 6-5. Despite a late push in the efinal minutes, that’s as close as the Winterhawks would get.
Shots: 14-9
GAME SUMMARY
Final Score: Vancouver 6 – Portland 5
Final Shots: 46 – 31 Portland
Will Gurski: 36/41 saves for Vancouver
Dante Giannuzzi: 7/11 saves for Portland
Taylor Gauthier: 18/20 saves for Portland
Vancouver Power Play: 1/4
Portland Power Play: 0/6
3 Stars:
- Adam Hall (VAN – 2G, 1A)
- Marcus Nguyen (POR – 2G)
- James Stefan (POR – 2G)
Next Giants Game: Wednesday at home against the Tri-City Americans.
NOTES
- Saturday’s victory moved the Giants to 3-0 on the season against Portland. It also kept the Giants four points ahead of both Prince George and Spokane for sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
- Jaden Lipinski has now scored five goals in his past five games. He’s also earned two points in each of his previous two games.
- Fabian Lysell became the first Giant to reach 20 goals on the season with his first period power play goal.
- Zack Ostapchuk leads all Giants with four shorthanded goals. He currently sits tied for second in the Whl.
- In his last six games, Adam Hall has posted two goals and six assists for eight points.
- The Giants improved their road record to 13-15-1-0.
