PREVIEW: Giants Begin Three-Game Set vs. Victoria Tonight at Home
PHOTO BY: ROB WILTON
Langley, B.C. – Tonight the Vancouver Giants (18-24-2-0) begin a three-game ‘series’ against the Victoria Royals (24-15-3-3), as they play the first of three straight against their divisional rival at the LEC at 7 p.m.
Vancouver is coming off a 4-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday afternoon, helping them split their weekend home-and-home after a 5-2 road loss on Friday.
The Royals were defeated 6-2 by the Kamloops Blazers in their last outing on Saturday, but beat Kamloops the night prior 7-2.
The season series is currently tied 2-2.
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HOW TO TUNE IN
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LAST TIME OUT
Cameron Schmidt had two goals and Brett Mirwald made 30 saves for the Vancouver Giants in a 4-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,447 fans at the Langley Events Centre.
Other than Schmidt’s two goals (12th, 13th), scoring for the Giants was Mazden Leslie (10th) and Tyler Thorpe (21st). The Giants penalty kill went 3-for-3.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
This is the fifth of eight head-to-head meetings this season, with the season series currently tied 2-2.
The Giants grabbed victories on opening night by a score of 4-1, and on the road on Oct. 28 by a score of 3-2 (in a shootout). Victoria won 3-2 on Oct. 27 and 4-2 on Dec. 27, both at the LEC.
One player to watch from the Giants is forward Tyler Thorpe, who has 11 points in his last eight games (5G-6A). The Richmond, B.C. product leads the Giants with 21 goals.
One player to watch from the Royals is Tyson Laventure, who was a deadline day acquisition by the Royals from Swift Current, and has posted five points in four games for his new club (2G-3A). On the season, Laventure has 41 points in 43 games (17G-24A).
The Giants are 5-3 since the calendar flipped to 2024 and they currently sit in 7th place in the Western Conference Standings. The Royals are 2-2-3-1 in 2024 and currently sit in 5th place in the West.
TALE OF THE TAPE
| VANCOUVER | STAT | VICTORIA |
| 18-24-2-0 (38 Pts) | RECORD | 24-15-3-3 (54 Pts) |
| 4th | DIV. RANK | 2nd |
| 7th | CONF. RANK | 5th |
| 5-5-0-0 | PAST 10 | 3-3-3-1 |
| 1W | STREAK | 1L |
| 9-10-2-0 | HOME | 14-6–0-1 |
| 9-14-0-0 | AWAY | 10-9-3-2 |
| 126 (2.86 – 20th) | GF (/G) | 155 (3.44 – 13th) |
| 170 (3.86 – T-15th) | GA (/G) | 164 (3.64 – T-12th) |
| 32-for-150 (21.3%) | PP% | 33-for-171 (19.3%) |
| 149-for-189 (78.8%) | PK% | 141-for-180 (78.3%) |
| Halaburda (15-24-39)
Lipinski (12-26-38) Thorpe (21-16-37) |
LEADERS | Pasternak (18-28-46)
Scott (17-27-44) Laventure (17-24-41) |
WHAT ARE WE WEARING
The Giants will be wearing their black alternate jerseys tonight.
SEASON SERIES VS. VICTORIA (2-2-0; 8 H2H)
| DATE | LOCATION | RESULT/TIME |
| Sept. 22, 2023 | LEC | 4-1 W |
| Oct. 27, 2023 | LEC | 3-2 Loss |
| Oct. 28, 2023 | SOF Memorial Arena | 3-2 SOW |
| Dec. 27, 2023 | LEC | 4-2 L |
| Jan. 26, 2024 | LEC | 7:00 PT |
| Jan. 27, 2024 | SOF Memorial Arena | 6:05 PT |
| Jan. 28, 2024 | SOF Memorial Arena | 3:05 PT |
| Feb. 14, 2024 | SOF Memorial Arena | 7:05 PT |
NEXT 5 GAMES
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | TIME |
| Jan. 26, 2024 | vs. Victoria | LEC | 7:00 pm PST |
| Jan. 27, 2024 | at Victoria | Save on Foods Memorial Arena | 6:05 pm PST |
| Jan. 28, 2024 | at Victoria | Save on Foods Memorial Arena | 3:05 pm PST |
| Feb. 2, 2024 | vs. Prince George | LEC | 7:00 pm PST |
| Feb. 3, 2024 | vs. Everett | LEC | 7:00 pm PST |
