PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants at Victoria Royals (Game #35)
Tonight on the Island the Vancouver Giants officially kick off the second half of their 2021-2022 season when they clash with the Victoria Royals for the eighth time this season. After posting a convincing victory against Victoria on opening night, the Royals have since rattled off six straight wins against the Giants, and three straight wins against them at home. The Giants will look to put an end to that streak tonight as they welcome a new face and a familiar face back to their lineup this evening against a Royals squad that has dropped their last five games.
WATCH: CHL TV – LISTEN: SPRORTSNET 650
VICTORIA ROYALS
OVERVIEW
Record: 12-18-4-0
Home Record: 6-8-1-0
Record vs. VAN: 6-1
Last Game: A 4-2 loss up North on Wednesday against the Prince George.
Last 10: 4-6-0-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 98 GF/142 GA (-44)
Power Play: 22.0% (10th)
Penalty Kill: 81.0% (6th)
Leading Scorers: Bailey Peach (21-26-47), Brayden Schuurman (21-11-32), Gannon Laroque (5-26-31)
NO ORDINARY PEACH
2001-born forward Bailey Peach is the reigning WHL Player of the Month for December. The product of Falmouth, NS heads into the weekend with a team-leading 47 points (21G, 26). 17 of those 47 points have come against the Vancouver Giants in a span of seven games. Of those nine goals and eight assists came a seven-point performance back on December 30th in a 7-3 victory. Bailey Peach current sits fifth in WHL scoring and tops among all Western Conference skaters.
ROYAL NOTES
- Goaltenders Tyler Palmer (3-0) and Campbell Arnold (3-0) are a combined 6-0 on the season against Vancouver.
- Brayden Schuurman (21) and Bailey Peach (21) have combined for 42 of Victoria’s 98 goals.
- Tyler Palmer’s goals-against average is 1.55 and his save percentage is .959 against Vancouver.
- Victoria’s power play is 11/30 on the season against Vancouver.
- Victoria’s penalty kill is 27/30 against Vancouver.
- The Royals have outscored the Giants 25 – 14 in a span of seven games.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 15-17-2-0
Road Record: 7-9-1-0
Last Game: A 4-2 loss at home on Saturday to the Prince George Cougars
Last 10: 2-7-1-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 101 GF/117 GA (-16)
Power Play: 20.7% (11th)
Penalty Kill: 73.5% (21xt)
Leading Scorers: Ty Thorpe (10-20-30), Fabian Lysell (11-17-28), Alex Cotton (11-16-27)
WELCOME BACK FAB
For the first time since December 11th, the Vancouver Giants will have first-round Boston Bruins prospect Fabian Lysell back in their lineup. The talented Swede enters play this weekend with a team-leading 11 goals along with 17 assists for 28 points in 22 games. Over the course of his past eight games with the G-Men, Fabian Lysell has posted seven goals and seven assists for 14 points. In five games so far this season against the Royals, Lysell has three goals and an assist for four points.
WELCOME ABOARD
The 2022 WHL Trade Deadline has come and gone and the Vancouver Giants were among the busier teams. On Monday the Giants traded captain Justin Sourdif to the Edmonton Oil Kings for 2002-born forward Jacob Boucher (10G, 10A – 30GP) and two first-round draft picks (2022 and 2025). The Giants also dealt defenceman Tanner Brown to the Winnipeg ICE in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick. The third and final deal of the day saw the Giants acquire 2002-born defenceman Tom Cadieux (1G, 10A – 30GP) from the Regina Pats in exchange for a pair of draft picks.
GIANT NOTES
- The Giants are 13-5-1-0 when Ty Thorpe records at least one point and 9-1 when he scores a goal.
- All seven of Alex Cotton’s goals with the Giants have been scored on the road.
- Alex Cotton has seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in his first 21 games with the Giants.
- Zack Ostapchuk scored his first career WHL overtime winner on Sunday, January 2nd against the Kelowna Rockets.
- The Giants are 7-2-2-0 this season when Zack Ostapchuk records at least one point.
- The Vancouver Giants are 3-0 this season when Ty Halaburda records a goal.
- When leading after two periods, the Giants are 12-0-1-0.
