PREVIEW: Giants Close Weekend with Big Test vs. Cougars
PHOTO BY: JAMES DOYLE
Langley, B.C. – This afternoon the Vancouver Giants (32-29-4-0) look to finish their strong weekend on a high when they host the surging Prince George Cougars (46-15-1-3) at the Langley Events Centre at 4 p.m.
The G-Men are coming off back-to-back wins over the Kamloops Blazers, most recently last night by a resounding 9-2 score on the road. On Friday, the Giants edged the Blazers 3-1 at home, improving to 12-0-1 in their last 13 games at the LEC.
Vancouver’s two wins this weekend have moved them quickly up the Western Conference standings, from seventh place to fifth place, where they currently have a one-point edge on Kelowna.
In the Cougars, Vancouver has their hands full. Prince George is riding a 16-game point streak (14-0-1-1) and they have scored 16 goals in their two wins this weekend, after beating Victoria 6-1 on Friday and 10-4 last night.
HOW TO TUNE IN
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LAST TIME OUT
Three different Giants had multi-goal games on Saturday night in an emphatic 9-2 win over the Kamloops Blazers at the Sandman Centre.
Defenceman Logen Hammett led the way offensively with a career-high five points on two goals (7th, 8th) and three assists, while Cameron Schmidt notched his second hat-trick of the season, giving him 29 goals on the year. Connor Levis also had two goals (23rd, 24th), while Sam Honzek (10th) and Tomis Marinkovic (4th) provided the other Giants tallies.
Brett Mirwald didn’t have a busy night for his standards, but still finished with 30 saves on 32 shots for his 29th win of the season (T-2nd in the WHL).
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Today is the eighth and final head-to-head meeting this season. The Cougars lead the season series 5-2, following back-to-back wins at home over Vancouver on March 8 (5-3) and 9 (6-3). They also picked up wins over the Giants on Nov. 14 (5-0), Nov. 17 (5-0) and Dec. 16 (9-2).
Vancouver’s two wins came on Nov. 15 (6-1) and Feb. 2 (3-2), with that most recent head-to-head game being the last regulation loss the Cougars have suffered.
The Giants have outscored their opponents 60-29 during their 13-game home point streak (12-0-1).
Vancouver must stay disciplined today, with the Cougars power play still humming along at over 30 per cent. It is 8-for-40 (20 per cent) head-to-head against Vancouver so far this season, while the Giants power play has struggled against Prince George, going 2-for-23 (8.7 per cent).
The Giants Player to Watch on Sunday is Cameron Schmidt, who is on an absolute tear at the moment, after scoring his second hat-trick of the season last night. The electrifying rookie is riding a season-high six-game point streak where he has amassed six goals and six assists for 12 points. Beyond that, he has 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in his last nine games. On the season, the speedy forward now has 29 goals, which is already a Giants franchise record for goals in a single season by a 16-year-old rookie. With one more, he’ll become just the sixth WHL player in the last 30 years to score 30 goals in his 16-year-old rookie season.
The Player to Watch for the Cougars is forward Zac Funk, who set a new Cougars franchise record for points in a single season this weekend, after recording six points in two wins over the Royals, giving him a jaw-dropping 116 points this year. After Saturday’s four-point performance, he officially passed Quinn Hancock for top spot, who had previously held the record with 112 points in the 1997-98 season. Funk’s goal scoring in 2023-24 has been a thing to behold, with 65 goals in 65 games, including eight hat-tricks and 21 goals during the team’s 16-game point streak. He also just happens to be riding a season-high 11-game point streak entering action on Sunday, with 26 points during that span (14G-12A).
TALE OF THE TAPE
| VANCOUVER | STAT | PRINCE GEORGE |
| 32-29-4-0 (68 Pts) | RECORD | 46-15-1-3 (96 Pts) |
| 2nd | DIV. RANK | 1st |
| 5th | CONF. RANK | 1st |
| 5-4-1-0 | PAST 10 | 9-0-1-0 |
| 3W | STREAK | 6W |
| 19-10-3-0 | HOME | 24-7-1-1 |
| 13-19-1-0 | AWAY | 22-8-0-2 |
| 215 (3.31 – 12th) | GF (/G) | 296 (4.55 – 2nd) |
| 232 (3.57 – 11th) | GA (/G) | 180 (2.77 – 2nd) |
| 45-for-222 (20.3%) | PP% | 82-for-271 (30.3%) |
| 216-for-275 (78.5%) | PK% | 205-for-244 (84.0%) |
| Lipinski (21-41-62)
Halaburda (21-41-62) Schmidt (29-25-54) |
LEADERS | Funk (65-51-116)
Heidt (34-77-111) Parascak (41-58-99) |
| 117 (20th) | POINTS BY D | 195 (T-2nd) |
WHAT ARE WE WEARING
The Giants will be wearing their black alternate jerseys for today’s game.
SEASON SERIES VS. PRINCE GEORGE (2-5-0-0; 8 H2H)
| DATE | LOCATION | RESULT/TIME |
| Nov. 14, 2023 | CN Centre | 5-0 L |
| Nov. 15, 2023 | CN Centre | 6-1 W |
| Nov. 17, 2023 | LEC | 5-0 L |
| Dec. 16, 2023 | LEC | 9-2 L |
| Feb. 2, 2024 | LEC | 3-2 W |
| March 8, 2024 | CN Centre | 5-3 L |
| March 9, 2024 | CN Centre | 6-3 L |
| March 17, 2024 | LEC | 4:00 pm PST |
FINAL 3 GAMES
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | TIME |
| March 17, 2024 | vs. Prince George | LEC | 4:00 pm PST |
| March 22, 2024 | vs. Kelowna | LEC | 7:00 pm PST |
| March 23, 2024 | at Kelowna | Prospera Place | 7:05 pm PST |
