PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants at Kamloops Blazers (Game 1, Round 2)
After making WHL history following a 4-2 series win in Round 1 against the Everett Silvertips, the Vancouver Giants are now set to take on the top team in the B.C. Division, the Kamloops Blazers. Tonight at 7:00PM, the Giants and Blazers drop the puck for the first game of Round 2 at the Sandman Centre.
KAMLOOPS BKAZERS
OVERVIEW
Record: 4-0-0-0
Last game: A 3-0 win in Spokane in Game 4 of Round 1.
Goals For/Goals Against: 23GF/3GA (+20)
Power Play: 6/26 (24.1%)
Penalty Kill: 22/23 (95.7%)
Leading Scorers: Logan Stankoven (7-6-13), Luke Toporowski (5-5-10), Caedan Bankier (1-5-6)
BLAZING PAST THE CHIEFS
The number tw0 seed Kamloops Blazers took quick care of the Spokane Chiefs in the first round, outscoring them 23-3 in a four-game sweep. This is the first time the Blazers have made it to the second round of the playoffs since 2013. The three goals surrendered by the Blazers is the lowest total a team has allowed in a playoff series since 2013 when Portland swept Seattle, and the +20 goal differential is the highest in a single playoff series since the league started tracking playoff games in 1996.
THE ‘STAR’ OF THE SERIES
Blazers forward/Dallas Stars prospect Logan Stankoven led his team with 13 points (7G, 6A) in four games. His 3.25 points-per-game leads all WHL players going into the second round of the playoffs. Stankoven’s production was fueled by a five-point performance (3G, 2A) in Game 1 – A 9-0 victory. He also netted a natural hat-trick – his second of the series – in his team’s 3-0 victory in Game 4, which eliminated the Chiefs from the playoffs. In 12 games against the Giants during the regular season, Logan Stankoven led the Blazers with nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points.
BLAZERS NOTES
- Between the regular season and the playoffs, Caedan Bankier is currently riding a 14-game point streak (6 goals, 16 assists) coming into Game 1 against the Giants.
- Logan Stankoven and Luke Toporowski had 2 or more points in each playoff game against the Chiefs.
- Logan Stankoven is tied for 1st in playoff goals (7) with Giants forward Adam Hall.
- Dylan Garand led all goalies in the first round (minimum 1 start) with 2 shutouts, a 0.75 GAA and a 0.968 SV%.
- The Blazers have 3 players who were on the team during their 2019 playoff run: Logan Stankoven, Quinn Schmiemann, and Dylan Garand.
- Currently sitting at 95.7%, the Blazers have the top penalty kill in the playoffs.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 4-2-0-0
Last game: A 6-3 win against the Everett Silvertips in Game 6 of Round 1
Goals For/Goals Against: 30GF/26GA (+4)
Power Play: 12/32 (37.5%)
Penalty Kill: 22/29 (75.9%)
Leading Scorers: Zack Ostapchuk (3-13-16), Fabian Lysell (4-11-15), Alex Cotton (4-9-13)
MAKING HISTORY
The Vancouver Giants stunned the Everett Silvertips 4-2 in Round 1 and made history by becoming the first 8-seed to eliminate a 1-seed in the WHL playoffs. They won two of three both on the road and at home during their series and have won three in a row as they get set for Round 2. The Giants sat 47 points back of the Silvertips at the end of the regular season and were 46 points back of the Kamloops Blazers.
OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Vancouver Giants captain and Ottawa Senators prospect Zack Ostapchuk leads the WHL in points through the first round of playoffs. In 6 games, Ostapchuk has 3 goals and 13 assists for 16 points. Ostapchuk scored a game-high five points (1G, 4A) in the Giants’ series-clinching 6-3 win against the Silvertips in Game 6 and collected two goals and four assists in an 11-6 victory in Game 4 at home.
GIANTS NOTES:
- This is the third time the Giants have faced the Blazers in the playoffs. They swept the Blazers in 2010 and won the series 4-1 in 2004.
- The Giants enter this series with the 3rd ranked power play in the playoffs at 37.5% (12 for 32).
- Zach Ostapchuk became the first Giants player to score 6 points in a playoff game since Gilbert Brule in 2006 against the Moose Jaw Warriors.
- The Giants became the first team to score 11 goals in a playoff game since the Portland Winterhawks, who defeated the Silvertips 11-4 on March 29, 2013.
- Jesper Vikman set a WHL playoff record with most saves in a shutout win with his 50-save effort in Game 5. The previous record was 45 (Chet Pickard in 2006 and Nick Pannoni in 2002).
- Alex Cotton’s 5-point performance in Game 4 is a franchise record for Giants defenceman in the playoffs.
- Fabian Lysell set a single-game franchise record with 5 assists in Game 1.
*Notes provided by: Kyle Dalla Zanna
