PREVIEW: Giants Look to Keep Winning Ways Going Vs. Portland

PHOTO BY: MATTHEW WOLFE

Langley, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants (7-8-1-0) host the Portland Winterhawks (11-4-0-1) tonight at the Langley Events Centre at 7:00 p.m. in the second of five head-to-head meetings this season.

The Giants are winners of two straight and now sit third in the B.C. Division, after beating Red Deer 4-3 on Wednesday, which improved their home record to 6-2-1.

The Winterhawks currently sit first in the U.S. Division (tied with Wenatchee but with two games in hand) and are also winners of two straight. Portland did, however, lose three in a row not long ago while on their Central Division road trip and they’ll be playing their ninth consecutive road contest tonight. The Winterhawks are 6-4-0-1 on the road this season.

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LAST TIME OUT

The Vancouver Giants won their second straight game on Wednesday night, getting goals from four different players in a 4-3 regulation win over the Red Deer Rebels.

Of note on Wednesday was a string of three unanswered goals for the Giants in a span of 4:41 in the second period to give the team a 3-1 lead, but it was Jaden Lipinski’s power play goal that stood up as the game-winner at the 7:25 mark of the third period.

In addition to Lipinski, scoring for the Giants was Tyler Thorpe (9th), Ty Halaburda (5th) and Colton Langkow (3rd). Goaltender Brett Mirwald finished with 32 saves for his sixth win of the season.

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP

Tonight is the second of five meetings between Vancouver and Portland this season.

The last time they met was on Oct. 7 in Portland, when the home side took the game 6-2, so the Giants will be looking to play tighter defensively. That being said, that game was just the fourth game of the season for Vancouver and the Winterhawks are still undefeated on home ice.

Last season, the season series was split two games a piece.

Portland is amongst the league leaders in most categories, including goals for per game (1st), goals against per game (2nd-fewest), shots on goal per game (1st), power play percentage (3rd) and penalty kill percentage (3rd).

TALE OF THE TAPE

NOTEWORTHY

• The Giants are 6-2-1 at the LEC this season, with a +7 goal differential (33 GF, 26 GA)
• Goaltender Brett Mirwald has a 4-2 record and .921 SV% over his last six starts
• Six of the last seven Giants’ games have been one-goal games (4-2 in those one-goal games)
• The Giants power play is 6-for-19 in their last six games (31.6%)