PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants at Kelowna Rockets (Game #65)
Today in Kelowna, the Vancouver Giants wrap up their three-in-three weekend with a rematch against their B.C. Division foes, the Kelowna Rockets. Last night the Rockets secured an 8-4 victory over the Giants to earn their sixth straight win. The Giants are hoping to snap an eight-game winless skid today in the rematch.
KELOWNA ROCKETS
OVERVIEW
Record: 40-19-1-5
Home Record: 23-6-3-0
Last Game: An 8-4 win over the Vancouver Giants last night.
Last 10: 6-4-0-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 242 GF/201 GA (+41)
Power Play: 25.0% (5th)
Penalty Kill: 77.2% (16th)
Leading Scorers: Colton Dach (27-46-73), Pavel Novak (29-43-72), Cristall (26-39-65)
ROCKET NOTES
- The trio of Andrew Cristall (2G, 3A), Colton Dach (1G, 4A) and Mark Liwiski (2G, 1A) combined for 13 points against Vancouver last night.
- Mark Liwiski, Adam Kydd and Andrew Cristall each scored two goals apiece against the Giants in last night’s game.
- Andrew Cristall has 19 points (6G, 13A) in nine games against the Giants.
- Talyn Boyko improved his record against the Giants to 5-1-1-0 with a 2.71 goals-against and a .908 save percentage.
- Kelowna’s power play is now 9/33 against Vancouver through 10 games.
- The Rockets begin the day two points behind Seattle for fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Kelowna has 86 points while Seattle has 88. Both teams have three games remaining. Seattle is also in action today as they battle Everett on the road.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 23-37-4-0
Road Record: 13-18-1-0
Last Game: An 8-4 loss last night to Kelowna.
Last 10: 1-8-1-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 178 GF/238 GA (-50)
Power Play: 17.9% (18th)
Penalty Kill; 75.9% (18th)
Leading Scorers: Fabian Lysell (21-37-58), Ty Thorpe (16-28-44), Zack Ostapchuk (23-16-39)
GIANT NOTES
- 2005-born goaltender Matthew Hutchison will make his second career WHL start in the net today for the Vancouver Giants.
- Zack Ostapchuk recorded his first career WHL hat-trick last night. He now leads the Giants with 23 goals this season. He’s the second Giant this season (Payton Mount is the other) to record a hat-trick.
- With an assist on Zack Ostapchuk’s third period goal, Payton Mount recorded his 100th career WHL point.
- Fabian Lysell leads all Giants with 11 points (3G, 8A)
- With two assists last night, Fabian Lysell recorded his 18th multi-point game of the season.
- The Giants will head into today’s game ranked eighth in the Western Conference standings after the Prince George Cougars secured a regulation victory over Victoria. Both the Giants and Royals have 50 points apiece. The Giants have four games remaining in their season while the Royals have two.
- The Giants are now 4-5-1-0 for the season against Kelowna.
