PREVIEW: Giants Host Calgary Hitmen Tuesday in Only Meeting of Season
LANGLEY, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants (16-19-1-1) look to carry over a huge performance from Sunday into tonight’s rare contest with the Calgary Hitmen (17-10-4-1) at Langley Events Centre at 7 p.m.
The Giants exploded for seven goals on Sunday – including three in the second period, typically their kryptonite – in a convincing 7-3 home win over the Kamloops Blazers. Cameron Schmidt led the way with his 5th career hat-trick (and third against Kamloops), extending his point streak to 17 games (13G-15A-28P).
The Giants have scored seven or more goals three times in their last five games (3-2-0 in that span).
Calgary enters action following a 9-5 loss in Kamloops to kick off a partial B.C. Division road trip (they’ll play Kelowna and Penticton in mid-January). They sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference thanks to strong defensive play – they rank seventh in the entire WHL in goals allowed per game at 3.16 and they allow the third-fewest shots on net per game (26.63).
The Hitmen are a very young team, with 14 players age 17 or younger currently on their roster.
The Giants and Hitmen only meet once per season. Last year, Calgary won the lone head-to-head game early in the season by a 4-3 score.
HOW TO TUNE IN
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TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight is the only meeting between Vancouver and Calgary this season.
| LAST 5 H2H vs. CGY (2-3-0-0) | ||
| DATE | LOCATION | RESULT |
| Oct. 6, 2024 | Scotiabank Saddledome | 4-3 L |
| Jan. 3, 2024 | LEC | 5-4 OTW |
| Oct. 30, 2022 | Scotiabank Saddledome | 3-2 L |
| Feb. 21, 2020 | LEC | 6-5 W |
| Dec. 30, 2018 | Scotiabank Saddledome | 4-0 L |
LAST 5 GAMES (3-2-0-0) | 27 GF, 22 GA
| DATE | VAN RESULT | SCORE | VAN SCORERS | IN GOAL | GWG |
| Dec. 28 | WIN | VAN 7 vs. KAM 3 | Schmidt (3), Gerrior, Obobaifo, Oreskovic, Sparks | Hood (36/39) | Schmidt (VAN) |
| Dec. 27 | LOSS | VAN 4 at KEL 6 | Domenichelli (2), Sparks, Halaburda | Pyne (55/61) | Leslie (KEL) |
| Dec. 19 | LOSS | VAN 1 vs. VIC 5 | Lin | Hood (27/31) | Perreault (VIC) |
| Dec. 18 | WIN | VAN 7 at VIC 4 | Schmidt (4), Sparks, Olson, Obobaifo | Pyne (35/39) | Olson (VAN) |
| Dec. 14 | WIN | VAN 8 vs. SPO 4 | Gerrior, Halaburda, Lin (2), Sparks (2), Howell (ENG) | Hood (31/35) | Sparks (VAN) |
TALE OF THE TAPE (2025-26 REG SEASON)
| CALGARY | VANCOUVER | |
| 17-10-4-1 — 39 points | Team Record | 16-19-1-1 — 34 points |
| 0.609 | Points % | 0.459 |
| 6th/8th | Conf./WHL Ranking | 10th/16th |
| 5-4-1-0 | Past 10 Games | 5-5-0-0 |
| 0-1-1-0 | Streak | 1-0-0-0 |
| 9-5 L at KAM (Dec. 27) | Last Game | 7-3 W vs. KAM (Dec. 28) |
| 8-7-2-0 | Home Record | 10-7-1-0 |
| 9-3-2-1 | Away Record | 6-12-0-1 |
| 118 (3.69 – 12th) | GF | 128 (3.36 – 17th) |
| 101 (3.16 – 7th) | GA | 157 (4.28 – 20th) |
| +17 (7th) | Goal Differential | -29 (21st) |
| (34/120) 28.3% | PP (Overall) | (31/121) 25.6% |
| (18/101) 82.2% | PK (Overall) | (42/131) 67.9% |
| (0/0) 0% | PP vs. Opp. | (0/0) 0% |
| (0/0) 0% | PK vs. Opp. | (0/0) 0% |
| Dach (20-19-39) | Top Scorer | Schmidt (25-29-54) |
WHAT ARE WE WEARING
The Giants will be wearing their grey alternate jerseys today.
UPCOMING
The Giants ring in the new year this weekend to face Spokane and Portland.
| Date | Opponent | Time | Location |
| Friday, January 2 | Spokane | Numerica Veterans Arena | 7:05 PM |
| Saturday, January 3 | Portland | Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 6:00 PM |
