PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants at Everett Silvertips (Game #5)
After a wild, historic 11-6 victory last night at home, the Vancouver Giants are right back at it today. Tonight at 6:05 PM the Vancouver Giants and Everett Silvertips will lock horns in a massive Game 5 showdown at Angel of the Winds Arena. The Giants have already guaranteed themselves a Game 6 home game Monday night, but will they be returning home with a chance to clinch the series? We’ll soon find out.
EVERETT SILVERTIPS
OVERVIEW
Record: 2-2
Home Record: 1-1
Last Game: An 11-6 loss last night against the Giants on the road.
Goals For/Goals Against: 23 GF/21 GA (+2)
Power Play: 26.1% – 6/23
Penalty Kill: 61.5% – 16/26
Leading Scorers: Niko Huuhtanen (5-5-10), Ryan Hofer (5-3-8), Jacob Wright (5-3-8)
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
Despite last night’s loss, the Everett Silvertips have still managed to regain home ice advantage in the series thanks to a split in Games 3 and 4 at the LEC. Last night though was a shocker as the Silvertips surrendered 11 goals against in an 11-6 loss. Jacob Wright paced the Everett attack with three goals and an assist while Ryan Hofer and Olen Zellweger each chimed in with two points. At one point last night Everett led by a 3-1 margin, but for a fourth time in a span of four games, the Silvertips were unable to preserve a lead in the series.
THE WRIGHT STUFF
2002-born forward Jacob Wright (Langley, B.C.) chose a great time for his first career WHL hat-trick. The 5’10” forward struck three times last night and added an assist for the Silvertips. For the series, Jacob Wright is now in a three-way tie with his linemates Niko Huuhtanen and Ryan Hofer with five goals each. During the regular season, Wright set a new season high with 47 points (22G, 25A).
SILVERTIP NOTES
- The Silvertips have led after the first period in all four games so far in the series. They’re 2-1-1 in that span.
- Aside from the trio of Huuhtanen, Wright and Hofer, Olen Zellweger and Matthew Ng are the only other Silvertips with more than one goal through four games.
- The Silvertips will have their leading scorer from the regular season Alex Swetlikoff back in their lineup tonight for Game 5. Swetlikoff was suspended two games for a collision with Giants forward Payton Mount during the first period of Game 2.
- Niko Huuhtanen, Ryan Hofer and Olen Zellweger have points in all four games of the series so far for Everett.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 2-2
Road Record: 1-1
Last game: An 11-6 home victory over the Everett Silvertips last night.
Goals For/Goals Against: 21 GF/23 GA (-2)
Power Play: 38.5% (10/26)
Penalty Kill: 73.9% (17/23)
Leading Scorers: Alex Cotton (3-7-10), Fabian Lysell (3-7-10), Zack Ostapchuk (2-8-10)
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
Michael Dyck’s Vancouver Giants earned a historic 11-6 victory at home last night and tied their first-round series with Everett in the process. Zack Ostapchuk paced the Giants attack with two goals and four assists while Alex Cotton, Fabian Lysell, Connor Horning, Ty Thorpe and Adam Hall each recorded multi-point games as well. The power play clicked four times, and Jesper Vikman made 24 saves to secure his second victory of the series.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
- The Vancouver Giants scored 11 goals in a playoff game for the first time in franchise history.
- Zack Ostapchuk became just the second Giant to ever record six points in a single playoff game. Gilbert Brule also had six points for the Giants during the 2006 WHL Championship Series (Game 3) against Moose Jaw.
GIANT NOTES
- Alex Cotton leads all WHL defencemen in playoff scoring with 10 points (3G, 7A).
- Zack Ostapchuk is tied for the WHL lead in assists with 8.
- Last night the Giants scored the first goal for the first time in eight meetings (regular season and playoffs) with Everett this season.
- Kyle Bochek and Colton Langkow have both scored their first career WHL goals in this series so far.
- The Giants power play has scored two-or-more times in each of the first four games of the series.
- Fabian Lysell has recorded three multi-point games so far in the series.
